Unix/Linux Administrator

Digital Management Llc; Washington (Washington County); Hybrid; USD 122,000 - 152,000; Full time

Job summary

DMI is seeking a Senior Linux/Unix Systems Engineer to support the Federal Trade Commission. You will own engineering decisions for the FTC Linux estate, design automated workflows, and lead OS migrations from on‑prem to cloud.

The role requires hands‑on implementation, security baselines, and collaboration with government stakeholders. You will mentor administrators, manage patching, DR, and performance engineering, while aligning with CIS STIGs and NIST controls.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related technical field, and eight (8) or more years of progressive Linux/Unix administration and engineering experience.
• A minimum of three (3) years performing at a senior, lead, or principal level with design and architecture ownership for an enterprise Linux environment.
• Senior‑level RHEL administration and engineering; working knowledge of Oracle Linux.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise automation and configuration management (Ansible or Ansible Automation Platform, Red Head Satellite, or comparable tooling).
• Demonstrated experience planning and executing major operating system version migrations or platform modernization efforts.
• Solid understanding of networking protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, VPN, and related).
• Experience with virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper‑V, and comparable platforms).
• Expertise in shell and scripting languages (Bash, Python) applied to automation, remediation, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with version control tools such as Git, including version control of infrastructure and configuration artifacts.
• Working knowledge of cloud infrastructure (AWS or Azure) and of on‑premises to cloud migration approaches.
• Applied knowledge of system security engineering, including CIS and STIG hardening, vulnerability management, and federal compliance frameworks (FISMA, NIST SP 800‑53).
• Demonstrated ability to complete technical projects independently, with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own engineering and architecture decisions for the FTC RHEL and Oracle Linux estate, including server builds, golden images, and platform standards.
• Design and maintain the enterprise patch and configuration management architecture (Red Head Satellite, Ansible or Ansible Automation Platform), converting manual administrative work into automated, repeatable, version‑controlled workflows.
• Lead operating system lifecycle and major version migration engineering, including RHEL 7/8/9 upgrade paths, Oracle Linux, and on‑premises to cloud migration, with planning, risk assessment, rollback design, and execution.
• Author and maintain security hardening baselines aligned to CIS Benchmarks and applicable DISA STIGs; own vulnerability scan remediation and support FISMA and NIST SP 800‑53 control implementation, POA&M closure, and audit evidence.
• Perform performance engineering and capacity planning, including trend analysis, right‑sizing recommendations, and proactive remediation of systemic conditions rather than recurring symptoms.
• Engineer high availability, backup, and disaster recovery solutions and validate them through scheduled testing.

Skills

Bash

Python

Ansible

Automation

Scripting

Networking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field

8+ years Linux/Unix administration and engineering

3+ years senior/lead/principal architectural ownership

Tools

Red Hat Satellite

Ansible Automation Platform

RHEL/Oracle Linux

VMWare/Hyper-V

Git version control

Job description

About DMI

DMI is a leading provider of digital services and technology solutions, headquartered in Tysons Corner, VA. With a focus on end-to-end managed IT services, including managed mobility, cloud, cybersecurity, network operations, and application development, DMI supports public sector agencies and commercial enterprises around the globe. Recognized as a Top Workplace, DMI is committed to delivering secure, efficient, and cost-effective solutions that drive measurable results. Learn more at www.dminc.com

About the Opportunity

DMI, LLCis seeking a Senior Linux/Unix Systems Engineer to support the Federal Trade Commission. You are the senior technical authority for the agency’s Linux platform. You will design, engineer, and modernize the RHEL and Oracle Linux environment that hosts FTC mission applications, set the standards the rest of the team builds to, and serve as the final escalation point when an issue exceeds Tier 1 and Tier 2 support. This is a hands‑on engineering role with design ownership: you will contribute to how the platform is built, hardened, automated, and recovered, and you will mentor the administrators who operate it day to day.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Engineering and Design
  • Own engineering and architecture decisions for the FTC RHEL and Oracle Linux estate, including server builds, golden images, and platform standards.
  • Design and maintain the enterprise patch and configuration management architecture (Red Head Satellite, Ansible or Ansible Automation Platform), converting manual administrative work into automated, repeatable, version‑controlled workflows.
  • Lead operating system lifecycle and major version migration engineering, including RHEL 7/8/9 upgrade paths, Oracle Linux, and on‑premises to cloud migration, with planning, risk assessment, rollback design, and execution.
  • Author and maintain security hardening baselines aligned to CIS Benchmarks and applicable DISA STIGs; own vulnerability scan remediation and support FISMA and NIST SP 800‑53 control implementation, POA&M closure, and audit evidence.
  • Perform performance engineering and capacity planning, including trend analysis, right‑sizing recommendations, and proactive remediation of systemic conditions rather than recurring symptoms.
  • Engineer high availability, backup, and disaster recovery solutions and validate them through scheduled testing.
• Technical Leadership
  • Serve as the senior escalation point for Linux platform incidents, lead technical bridge calls during critical outages, and author formal root cause analyses with corrective actions.
  • Mentor junior and mid‑level administrators and conduct peer review of scripts, configurations, and change records.
  • Represent the Linux platform in change control, architecture review, and technical planning forums, and brief technical recommendations to government stakeholders.
  • Produce engineering design documentation, as‑built records, and standard operating procedures.
• Operations and Sustainment
  • Install, configure, and maintain Linux‑based servers and systems (Red Head).
  • Manage system performance, monitoring, backups, and troubleshooting.
  • Ensure system security by configuring to CIS recommended baselines and applying patches and updates.
  • Collaborate with other operations teams to configure environments and troubleshoot system‑related issues.
  • Monitor and resolve hardware, software, and networking issues in a timely manner.
  • Perform system upgrades, patching, and security compliance checks.
  • Resolve incidents and assigned tasks, and provide emergency response to critical outages.
  • Document system configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting steps.

Qualifications

Education and Years of Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, engineering, or a related technical field, and eight (8) or more years of progressive Linux/Unix administration and engineering experience. Equivalent additional experience may substitute for the degree.
• A minimum of three (3) years performing at a senior, lead, or principal level with design and architecture ownership for an enterprise Linux environment.
• Senior‑level RHEL administration and engineering; working knowledge of Oracle Linux.
• Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise automation and configuration management (Ansible or Ansible Automation Platform, Red Head Satellite, or comparable tooling).
• Demonstrated experience planning and executing major operating system version migrations or platform modernization efforts.
• Solid understanding of networking protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, HTTP/HTTPS, VPN, and related).
• Experience with virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper‑V, and comparable platforms).
• Expertise in shell and scripting languages (Bash, Python) applied to automation, remediation, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with version control tools such as Git, including version control of infrastructure and configuration artifacts.
• Working knowledge of cloud infrastructure (AWS or Azure) and of on‑premises to cloud migration approaches.
• Applied knowledge of system security engineering, including CIS and STIG hardening, vulnerability management, and federal compliance frameworks (FISMA, NIST SP 800‑53).
• Demonstrated ability to complete technical projects independently, with strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong problem‑solving skills and excellent written and oral communication skills.

Required Certifications:

• Red Head Certified System Administrator (RHCSA).

Preferred Certifications:

• Red Head Certified Engineer (RHCE) or Linux Professional Institute Certification (LPIC‑2).
• CompTIA Linux+.
• AWS or Microsoft Azure associate‑level certification.

Background Requirements: Must possess or be eligible to obtain and complete a Public Trust background investigation and/or a Public Trust clearance.

Citizenship Status Required: Must be a U.S. Citizen

Physical Requirements:None requiredfor this position.

Location: Washington, DC

Work Arrangement:

• Hybrid – Onsite support at Headquarters in Washington, DC, at least 2 times per week or as needed to meet the needs of the program.
• Telework with onsite support at FTC Headquarters at least twice per week, or as needed to meet the needs of the program.
• Hours: FTC core hours, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST, with occasional overtime, weekend work, or after‑hours response to critical outages and scheduled maintenance windows.

Minimum Salary Rate

$121,600

Median Salary Rate

$152,000

Working at DMI

DMI is a diverse, prosperous, and rewarding place to work. Our culture is shaped by five core values that guide how we work, grow, and succeed together:

• Do What’s Right– We lead with honesty and integrity.
• Own the Outcome– We take responsibility and deliver.
• Deliver for Our Customers– We are relentless about delivering value.
• Think Bold, Act Smart– We innovate with purpose.
• Win Together – We collaborate and celebrate our success.

These values aren’t just ideals—they show up in how we support every part of your well‑being:

• Convenience/Concierge– Virtual health visits, commuter perks, pet insurance, and entertainment discounts that make life easier.
• Development– Annual performance reviews, tuition assistance, and internal career growth opportunities to help you thrive.
• Financial– Generous 401(k) matches, life and disability insurance, and financial wellness tools to support your future.
• Recognition– Annual awards, service anniversaries, referral bonuses, and peer‑to‑peer shoutouts that spotlight your achievements.
• Wellness – Healthcare coverage, wellness programs, flu shots, and biometric screenings to support your health.

DMIvalues employeesfor their talents and contributions, and we take pride in helping our customers achieve their goals. Because when we live our values, we all win together.

***************** No Agencies Please *****************

Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information. US citizenship may be required for some positions.