A Unix Administrator or Engineer installs, configures, and maintains UNIX operating systems operating within a business. Analyzes and resolves problems associated with the operating system's servers, hardware, applications, and software. Detects, diagnoses, and reports UNIX related problems on servers.
Linux Administrator Thales Trusted Cyber Technologies $102,000-$118,000 United States, Maryland, Abingdon 3465 Box Hill Corporate Center Drive (Show on map) Aug 03, 2026
Summary:
The Linux Administrator is responsible for all aspects of systems administration, including servers, applications, workstations, and systems engineering support for Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)-based systems in a multi-site, hybrid (on-premises, air-gapped, and cloud) environment.
This role supports a Department of Defense (DoD) defense contractor operating under CMMC requirements. The individual will administer and maintain the Engineering environment-applications, servers, and workstations-primarily on Linux (with some Windows support), enforce security baselines, and provide troubleshooting and end-user support in accordance with company IT guidelines and all applicable security rules for secure and air-gapped areas.
Qualification Requirements:
U.S. Citizenship
REQUIRED
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Secret-level Security Clearance upon hire
Education:
Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent experience (3-5+ years of relevant hands-on experience may be substituted).
Experience and Skills:
U.S. Citizenship Required - Ability to obtain and maintain U.S. Secret Level Security Clearance upon hire
4-7+ years of job-related Linux systems administration experience (preferably in DoD, defense contractor, or highly regulated environments)
Strong, hands-on experience administering Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) environments, including RHEL 8/9/+
Experience supporting multi-site environments and air-gapped / disconnected systems (offline patching, media transfer, secure configuration management)
Experience managing Linux systems in cloud environments (AWS GovCloud, Azure Government, or equivalent), including provisioning, configuration, and security hardening of cloud-based RHEL instances
Experience supporting software engineering / development teams (build servers, CI/CD tooling, development workstations, container-based workflows)
Experience with containerization on Linux and familiarity with orchestration concepts
Proficiency with infrastructure automation tools (Ansible, Red Hat Satellite / Red Hat Insights required; Terraform or similar IaC tools a strong plus)
Ability to provision, install, configure, harden, patch, and troubleshoot Linux servers and workstations (physical, virtual, and cloud) including associated peripherals
Experience writing scripts (Bash, Python, or similar) to automate installation, configuration, patching, and compliance tasks
Familiarity with virtualized environments running Linux workloads
Knowledge of security hardening and compliance frameworks relevant to DoD contractors (STIGs, FIPS, CMMC Level 2 / NIST
SP 800-171
controls)
Ability to work collaboratively with technical teams and software engineering groups to assess needs, resolve issues, and support project objectives
Hyrbid work schedule with willingness to travel to Abingdon, MD and Clarksburg, MD (approximately once per week) and to participate in after-hours / weekend support for special projects and recurring maintenance when needed
Ability to comply with all company guidelines, policies, procedures, and Core Values
Certifications (preferred): Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)
Essential Duties and Responsibilities (include, but are not limited to):
Provide system administration and systems engineering support for RHEL-based and non-RHEL based linux systems across on-premises, air-gapped, multi-site, and cloud environments
Install, configure, harden, maintain, and patch Linux servers and workstations in standalone, networked, air-gapped, and hybrid cloud configurations
Enforce security baselines and compliance requirements (STIG, FIPS, CMMC Level 2 / NIST
SP 800-171
) on Linux systems in classified and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) environments
Utilize automation tools (Satellite, Ansible, and related technologies) to provision, configure, patch, and deploy Linux systems and applications at scale
Support software engineering departments by maintaining development, build, and CI/CD-related Linux infrastructure and tooling
Monitor system performance, troubleshoot issues, and resolve break/fix problems on Linux workstations and servers
Automate routine tasks using cron, systemd timers, Ansible, or other scheduling/automation methods
Manage and maintain system baselines, configuration management, and documentation (including change records for air-gapped and secure systems)
Perform regular patching and vulnerability remediation of Linux operating systems in both connected and disconnected environments
Collaborate with security, network, and engineering teams to ensure systems