LEAD IT SPECIALIST - SR. IT SPECIALIST - Linux System Admin - Spacecraft Operations - Boulder, Colorado

About the position

Our team, the Space Mission Directorate within Division 19, is looking for Linux IT Systems Administrators with an enthusiasm for spacecraft operations. The role involves building, installing, and maintaining Linux servers as well as network operations in an environment supporting spacecraft operations that is audited by NASA to the NIST 800-53 standard. Candidates should have formal knowledge of Linux, with RedHat Enterprise Linux/CentOS specific experience being a plus. Responsibilities include managing servers and networking, working with Apache HTTP, LVM, clustered filesystems, DRBD, high availability computing, SQL database servers, and virtualization environments. A solid knowledge of enterprise Linux services and protocols such as SSH, NFS, CIFS, NTP, HTTP, LDAP, and SMTP is essential, along with skills in Python or Perl and shell scripting. Additionally, managing containers and networking (TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, firewalls) through Ansible is required.

Responsibilities

• Be part of an on-site team that proactively maintains and develops Linux infrastructure to support a 24x7x365 uptime service.
• Engineering of systems administration-related solutions for operational needs.
• Comply with IT policy on managing systems and services across all environments.
• Continuous fault finding and analysis of logging information for reporting for audit requirements.
• Proactively monitoring system performance and capacity.
• Manage, coordinate, and implement software upgrades, patches, and hot fixes on servers in production and dev/test environments.
• Create and modify Ansible and shell scripts to perform tasks.
• Provide input on ways to improve the stability, security, efficiency, and scalability of the computing environment.
• Collaborate with other teams and team members to develop automation strategies and deployment processes.
• Troubleshoot issues for local and remote users.
• Maintain/patch systems and resolve security issues within a federal research environment.
• Support and actively participate in security audits.
• Utilize ticketing system to log system administration actions and collaborate with other IT staff in resolving issues.

Requirements

• Requires a high school diploma or equivalent or an Associates or a Bachelors degree in Information Technology or directly related degree field with the associated years of experience.
• 6 years: Experience as a Linux administrator and a Bachelors degree in an IT-related field; Expert level knowledge of enterprise Linux services and protocols related to user access rights, high-availability storage networks, virtualization and system automation through Ansible.
• 10 years: Professional level experience as a Linux administrator and HS diploma or an Associates degree. Knowledge of enterprise Linux services and protocols related to user access rights, high-availability storage networks, virtualization and system automation through Ansible.
• Government IT compliance experience preferred.
• Additional Linux certifications (e.g. RHCE) are preferred.
• Strong analytic and problem-solving skills, as well as accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to diagnose an issue effectively (via monitoring tools and logs) and implement a solution in real-time.
• Ability to deliver auditable technical documentation on schedule.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to achieve the desired outcome in a positive and constructive manner.
• Solid delivery track record, both long-term projects and under short-term deadline pressure.
• Strong problem solving and written and verbal communication skills.

Benefits

• An Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
• Committed to Diversity in the Workplace