Linux Systems Administrator (Red Hat)

Bowhead - Dahlgren, VA

Full-time

Dahlgren, VA

Transportation Equipment Manufacturing

About the position

The Linux Administrator (Red Hat) position at Bowhead involves critical responsibilities in system administration and customer support within a Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation (RDT&E) environment. The role requires a strong foundation in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) system administration, where the administrator will utilize their technical problem-solving skills to address system operations and provide in-depth consulting. The position emphasizes the automation of installation methods and system imaging, leveraging tools such as Kickstart and Ansible to streamline processes. In addition to system administration, the Linux Administrator will be tasked with setting up a public key infrastructure (PKI) using cryptographic experience to manage digital certificates and public-key encryption. The role also includes implementing DISA STIGs and working within Configuration-Managed Environments to ensure compliance and security. The administrator will analyze, design, and implement modifications to system software to enhance performance and rectify errors, as well as plan for new hardware acquisitions and collaborate with vendors and other projects. The position requires close collaboration with engineers to assist them in utilizing workstations and servers for computationally intensive tasks. Responsibilities also include supporting application installations, managing software licenses, tracking software distribution, and ensuring backup and recovery of system configurations and user data files. The administrator will need to operate running systems, manage users and groups, configure local storage, and deploy and maintain systems, including core services and security configurations. Overall, the Linux Administrator will play a vital role in maintaining the integrity and performance of Linux-based servers and workstations, ensuring that all systems are secure, efficient, and effectively support the organization's objectives.

Responsibilities

• Utilize Red Hat Enterprise Linux system administration experience to provide technical problem solving and in-depth consulting relative to system operations.
• Automate installation methods and system imaging (e.g. Kickstart/Ansible).
• Use cryptographic experience to set up public key infrastructure (PKI) to create, manage, distribute, use, store, and revoke digital certificates and manage public-key encryption.
• Implement DISA STIG and work within Configuration-Managed Environments.
• Analyze, design, and implement modifications to system software to improve and enhance system performance by correcting errors.
• Plan new hardware acquisitions, interact with vendors, educate customers, and collaborate with other projects within the organization.
• Work closely with engineers to help them use workstations and servers to solve their computationally intensive problems.
• Support application installation, license management, software tracking/distribution, and backup/recovery of system configurations and user data files.
• Understand and use essential tools for handling files, directories, command-line environments, and documentation.
• Operate running systems, including booting into different run levels, identifying processes, starting and stopping virtual machines, and controlling services.
• Configure local storage using partitions and logical volumes.
• Create and configure file systems and file system attributes, such as permissions, encryption, access control lists, and network file systems.
• Deploy, configure, and maintain systems, including software installation, update, and core services.
• Manage users and groups, including use of a centralized directory for authentication.
• Manage security, including basic firewall and SELinux configuration.
• Configure static routes, packet filtering, and network address translation.
• Set kernel runtime parameters.
• Produce and deliver reports on system utilization.
• Use shell scripting to automate system maintenance tasks.
• Configure system logging, including remote logging.
• Configure a system to provide networking services, including HTTP/HTTPS, DNS, SMTP, SSH, and NTP.

Requirements

• Minimum three to six years of experience in system administration of Linux-based servers and workstations.
• Troubleshooting skills in RHEL 7/8/9 OS and basic knowledge of Networking fundamentals, specifically TCP/IP protocol suite and IP configuration.
• Working knowledge of security guidelines and policies (DISA STIGs) and tools (Evaluate-STIG, STIG-Manager).
• Knowledge of/experience with Tenable suite of products (Security Center, Nessus Scanner, Nessus Agent) is a plus.
• Specific experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL 8.x with RHEL 7.x and/or RHEL 9.x).
• Must meet DoD 8570 Information Assurance Workforce (IAWF) criteria or Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II certification at time of hire (i.e., Security+).
• Knowledge of corporate services including DNS, SMTP, Splunk, Centralized patching solutions such as Red Hat Satellite, Automation solutions such as Ansible Tower/AWX.
• Knowledge of/experience with Single Sign-On solutions such as RHSSO; Virtualization platform management systems such as VMWare/VSphere/VCenter is a plus.
• Demonstrated experience managing the installation and maintenance of IT infrastructure.
• Experience working in an environment with rapidly changing job priorities.
• Experience with Service Now or similar Ticket Management system.
• Linux+ or Red Hat Certification preferred.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience with virtualization platform management systems such as VMWare/VSphere/VCenter.
• Knowledge of Single Sign-On solutions such as RHSSO.
• Experience with the Tenable suite of products (Security Center, Nessus Scanner, Nessus Agent).