Unix System Engineer

TalentAlly; Ann Arbor (MI); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Michigan Medicine seeks a Unix Systems Engineer to design, implement, and support over 2,000 AIX/Linux servers across on‑premises and cloud environments. The role drives OpenShift Platform, Ansible Automation Platform, cloud infrastructure, and compute services while improving automation, scalability, and reliability.

Reports to the Manager of the Unix/Linux and Container Services team. Required qualifications include a BS in Computer Science or related field and 5+ years in UNIX/Linux

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of experience in engineering support of large, complex UNIX / Linux (AIX, RHEL, Ubuntu) architectures.
• 5+ years in a role requiring customer service, organization, prioritization, and troubleshooting for enterprise design.

Responsibilities

• Provides senior level expertise on decisions and priorities regarding enterprise systems architecture (cloud, hybrid, on‑premises).
• Partners with analysts and engineers to gather requirements and design high‑level solutions.
• Develops and maintains technology standards and architectural artifacts for integration and implementation.
• Leads capacity management discussions and may supervise enterprise‑wide projects.
• Supports Unix/Linux, Kubernetes, and automation hosting environments, including on‑call rotation.

Skills

Unix/Linux engineering

Customer service

Communication

On-call rotation

Project leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related field

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

Ansible Automation Platform (AAP)

Kubernetes

OpenShift Container Platform

IBM HMC/NIM

Linux AutoYaST / Kickstart

Python scripting

Job description

Job Summary Health Information Technology & Services (HITS) plays a role in the success of Michigan Medicine by providing clinicians, educators, researchers, students, and staff with technology-related information, products, and support. HITS also provides institutional expertise related to IT strategy, security, infrastructure, and resource management.

Division Overview The HITS Unix/Linux and Container Services Team at Michigan Medicine is seeking a candidate to fulfill the role of Unix Systems Engineer.

The Unix/Linux and Container Services team is responsible for the design, support, and governance of Michigan Medicine’s Unix/Linux server and OpenShift container environments. This role ensures that AIX, Linux, and OpenShift platforms remain secure, reliable, cost-effective, and aligned with organizational goals while supporting critical clinical, research, educational, and administrative applications.

This position is responsible for implementing, managing, and supporting more than 2,000 physical and virtual (VMware) AIX/Linux servers across on-premises and cloud environments. Key responsibilities include supporting IT modernization initiatives such as the OpenShift

Container Platform, Ansible Automation Platform, cloud infrastructure, and compute services. This role also contributes to automation, configuration management, and orchestration strategies that improve operational efficiency, scalability, and service reliability.

This position reports to the Manager of the Unix/Linux and Container Services team.

Responsibilities*

• Provides senior level expertise on decisions and priorities regarding the enterprise’s overall systems architecture. Primary areas of focus are within Public Cloud, Hybrid Cloud, Continuity & Resiliency, Unix/Linux OS, Kubernetes, and Automation. Architects and implements solutions requiring integration of multiple platforms, operating systems and applications across the enterprise. Reviews, conducts research, evaluates, advises, and designs on enterprise software and hardware technologies. Evaluates system options, risks, costs versus benefits, service level requirements and impact on the enterprise business process and goals.
• Partners with business analysts, systems analysts, process managers and engineers in requirements gathering and reviews. Facilitates technical discussions with application, infrastructure, and trusted service provider teams to produce an optimal, high level, conceptual design for projects. Responsible for work that is complex and varied in nature. Defines and discerns key aspects of a problem and develops an integrated solution within a broad business context of significant impact. Researches and maintains knowledge in emerging technologies and solutions, or service lifecycle and process frameworks to solve business problems. Ability to act autonomously and make decisions that influence business operations.
• Facilitates the establishment and implementation of standards and guidelines that guide the design of technology solutions. With input from others, develops documents and maintains technical architecture artifacts for integration and implementation of changes to technical standards. Proposes changes in process, policy, and standards as they relate to the architecture or service and design principles. Responsible for work that is complex and varied in nature.
• Participates in, and may lead, Capacity Management discussions to determine the most appropriate scalable model taking business and service level requirements into consideration. Provides technical guidance to project team areas as appropriate. May take on role of Project Leader for special enterprise wide assignments. May coach or mentor junior technical staff.
• Performs other operational duties to support Unix/Linux / Kubernetes / and Automation hosting environment, which includes trouble tickets, small / medium customer service requests, on-call rotation, etc.

Required Qualifications*

Senior Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• 5 or more years of experience in engineering support of large complex highly available UNIX / Linux (AIX, RHEL, Ubuntu) architectures.
• 5 or more years of experience in a related role requiring customer service, organization, prioritization, troubleshooting to successfully design services and workflows in an enterprise architecture.

Intermediate Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience

• 3-5 years of experience in engineering support of large complex highly available UNIX / Linux (AIX, RHEL, Ubuntu) architectures.

• 3-5 years of experience in a related role requiring customer service, organization, prioritization, troubleshooting to successfully design services and workflows in an enterprise architecture. Desired Qualifications*

• Expert knowledge with Orchestration and Containerization technologies.

• Expert knowledge installing, configuring, managing configuration products such as Ansible Automation Platform (AAP).

• Strong Experience with Cloud architecture / deployments.

• Certification on cloud solutions (AWS, Azure, GCP).

• Possesses skills and knowledge to meet the challenges of modern infrastructure, platforms, tools, and concepts at scale with velocity.

• High level understanding of organization’s business and industry requirements.

• Experience in deploying and troubleshooting high-performance Linux or AIX or systems.

• Demonstrated strong organizational and personal skills.

• Strong ability to follow-up and direct activities of other employees when not in a direct supervisory role.

• Ability to recognize problems and elevate problems to appropriate level of management.

• Proven experience with vendor management.

• Ability to create and refine request for pricing and service level agreement documents.

• Experience with IBM HMC/NIM or Linux AutoYaST and kickstart build processes.

• Advanced scripting skills in ksh/Bash or Python.

• Hands-on experience with performance tuning and analysis on Intel/AMD based platforms.

• Strong security awareness.

• Experience with networking technologies, particularly as they pertain to managing AIX or Linux systems and applications running on these systems.

• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication and organizational skills with the ability to interact effectively with employees at all levels within the organization.

• Experience leading projects and teams.

• Willing to participate in on-call rotation

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Work Locations

This position is being offered as a Hybrid position. There will be times that it will be appropriate for you to work from home. There will be other times that you will be required to work onsite for meetings.

May require working during non-business hours and on weekends.

On-Call rotation is required for this position

Underfill Statement

This position may be underfilled at a lower classification depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate.

Additional Information

Benefits We offer a benefits package that includes comprehensive training and career development opportunities, generous retirement savings plans, ample paid time off, and a wealth of family care support: https://careers.umich.edu/benefits.

Background Screening

Michigan Medicine conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings. Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act. Pre-employment drug testing applies to all selected candidates, including new or additional faculty and staff appointments, as well as transfers from other U-M campuses.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

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