Systems Engineer – Level II

Zachary Piper, LLC; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k)

PTO & Paid Holidays

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Systems Engineer – Level II to support enterprise Linux infrastructure, OpenShift administration, and containerized environments for a federal program in San Diego, CA. The role requires an active Secret clearance and hands-on OpenShift/Kubernetes experience.

The position is onsite in San Diego, with responsibilities spanning security, automation, backups, and disaster recovery, collaborating with Software Developers and Cybersecurity teams to ensure

Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance required.
• Active DoD IAT Level II certification (e.g., Security+, CySA+, GSEC, SSCP, GICSP, CCNA Security).
• 7+ years Linux systems administration or enterprise infrastructure experience.
• 3+ years deploying, administering, and maintaining Red Hat OpenShift environments.
• Strong understanding of containerization, Kubernetes, and enterprise application infrastructure.
• Experience with scripting and automation (Bash, Python, Ansible).
• Familiarity with security hardening, patching, backups, monitoring, and disaster recovery.

Responsibilities

• Administer, configure, and optimize enterprise Red Hat OpenShift clusters.
• Manage on-premises containerized infrastructure for high availability and reliability.
• Monitor cluster health, node performance, workloads, and infrastructure utilization.
• Troubleshoot complex cluster, node, and application issues using logs and diagnostics.
• Perform Linux system administration, configuration management, and troubleshooting.
• Support deployments and infrastructure management with OpenShift and Kubernetes.

Skills

Active Secret clearance

IAT Level II certification

7+ years Linux administration

3+ years OpenShift

Kubernetes fundamentals

Scripting & automation

Documentation & communication

Tools

OpenShift

Ansible

Python

Bash

Puppet/Configuration Mgmt

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Systems Engineer – Level II to support enterprise Linux infrastructure, Red Hat OpenShift administration, and containerized application environments for a mission-critical federal program in San Diego, CA. The Systems Engineer – Level II will be responsible for administering, maintaining, and optimizing on-premises OpenShift clusters, ensuring system availability, security, and performance across enterprise environments. This position will be fully onsite in San Diego, CA and requires an active Secret clearance!

Responsibilities of the Systems Engineer – Level II

• Administer, configure, maintain, and optimize enterprise Red Hat OpenShift clusters supporting mission-critical applications
• Manage on-premises containerized infrastructure, ensuring high availability, scalability, and operational reliability
• Monitor OpenShift cluster health, node performance, application workloads, and infrastructure utilization
• Troubleshoot complex cluster, node, and application issues using system logs, events, and diagnostic tools
• Perform Linux systems administration, configuration management, and troubleshooting across enterprise environments
• Support container orchestration, application deployments, and infrastructure management using OpenShift and Kubernetes technologies
• Implement security configurations, user access controls, network policies, and system hardening requirements
• Apply software updates, security patches, and platform upgrades to maintain infrastructure stability and compliance
• Support DISA STIG implementation, vulnerability remediation, and secure system configuration practices
• Develop automation scripts and infrastructure management solutions using Bash, Python, Ansible, or similar technologies
• Perform system backups, disaster recovery activities, and infrastructure maintenance to ensure operational continuity
• Collaborate with Software Developers, Cybersecurity Engineers, and Infrastructure teams to support application deployment and troubleshooting
• Maintain technical documentation, standard operating procedures, system configurations, and troubleshooting guides
• Identify opportunities to improve infrastructure performance, automation, security, and overall platform reliability

Qualifications for the Systems Engineer – Level II

• Active Secret clearance
• Active DoD IAT Level II certification, such as Security+, CySA+, GSEC, SSCP, GICSP, or CCNA Security
• 7+ years of experience in Linux systems administration, infrastructure engineering, or enterprise systems support
• 3+ years of hands‑on experience deploying, administering, and maintaining Red Hat OpenShift environments
• Strong experience managing on-premises OpenShift clusters, including cluster configuration, scaling, monitoring, and troubleshooting
• Experience administering Linux operating systems, preferably Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
• Strong understanding of containerization, Kubernetes fundamentals, and enterprise application infrastructure
• Experience troubleshooting infrastructure issues using system logs, events, and diagnostic tools
• Experience implementing system security controls, user access permissions, and network policies
• Familiarity with infrastructure patching, system upgrades, backups, and performance monitoring
• Experience with scripting and automation using Bash, Python, Ansible, or similar technologies
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, technical documentation, and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering SUSE Rancher or other enterprise Kubernetes management platforms
• Advanced knowledge of Red Hat OpenShift architecture, cluster operations, and container orchestration
• Experience with DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and DoD cybersecurity compliance requirements
• Familiarity with Kubernetes networking, persistent storage, and container security
• Experience supporting classified or mission‑critical federal IT environments
• Knowledge of infrastructure automation, configuration management, and high‑availability architectures
• Experience supporting Agile software development teams and containerized application deployments

Compensation for the Systems Engineer – Level II includes

• Salary: $180,000 - $190,000
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), PTO, and Paid Holidays

Keywords

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