Linux Systems Administrator Senior Principal

Type of Requisition:

Regular

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:

Secret

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:

Secret

Public Trust/Other Required:

None

Job Family:

IT Infrastructure and Operations

Job Qualifications:

Skills:

Linux, Linux Security, Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)

Certifications:

None

Experience:

8 + years of related experience

US Citizenship Required:

Yes

Job Description:

Job Description Summary

We are seeking a Senior Linux Engineer to support enterprise Infrastructure Management and Compliance operations. This role combines hands-on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) system administration with security hardening, compliance remediation, and infrastructure automation. The ideal candidate is a proactive problem solver, communicates clearly, and documents processes well, partnering closely with project/team leadership to keep systems compliant and operations running smoothly.

How a Linux Systems Administrator Senior Principal Will Make an Impact

System Administration & Operations

• Provide system administration support for Linux operating systems including installing software, applying patches, managing file systems, monitoring performance, and troubleshooting alerts from monitoring tools
• Configure and troubleshoot RHEL 9 systems, resolving issues associated with the operating system, servers, hardware, and applications software; perform system failure analysis and recovery
• Responsible for daily monitoring of interface programs between multiple enterprise systems; review daily logs and ensure successful completion
• Perform incremental and full cold backups/patching
• Provide performance metrics and usage charts, including CPU usage, disk usage, and network uptime for Linux servers
• Provide general maintenance, upgrades, and new installation of servers; coordinate with data center personnel to execute

Security & Compliance

• Responsible for DoW Linux Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs)
• Remediate security findings identified through ACAS/Tenable reports and OpenSCAP scans by performing hands-on system patching, configuration updates, and service hardening on RHEL 9 systems
• Configure and maintain host-based firewalls (firewalld/iptables) and audit daemon logging (auditd) in compliance with DoW auditing requirements
• Develop, implement, and document technical mitigation strategies and POA&Ms for Linux vulnerabilities that cannot be immediately fixed
• Compile technical evidence, OpenSCAP evaluation reports, and configuration artifacts for CORA inspection teams

Automation & Infrastructure as Code

• Develop and maintain automation and scripted deployment solutions to streamline system provisioning, configuration management, and compliance validation, reducing manual effort and speeding up operations
• Utilize package management tools in GIT or local repositories to deploy security errata and software updates across air-gapped or restricted networks
• Be familiar with the operations of Ansible and Terraform to work with IaC engineers establishing standardized deployments.

Documentation & Team Collaboration

• Responsible for creating and/or maintaining standard operating procedures for the Linux documentation library
• Document and generate business processes for day-to-day and emergency support procedures, with strong written and verbal communication
• Coordinate with project and team leadership to meet deadlines and objectives; capable of delivering training sessions as needed
• Present ideas clearly in team meetings and project-level discussions

What You'll Need to Succeed

Education/Experience Required:

• Technical Training, Certification(s) or Degree
• 8+ years of demonstrated experience administering RHEL 8/9 servers
• Bachelor's degree in information technology, computer science, or related technical discipline preferred
• Secret Security Clearance

Required Experience:

• Direct experience in Linux system administration, CLI operations, user management, and package patching
• Hands-on experience configuring and troubleshooting RHEL 9 systems
• Experience handling NFS, CIFS, and SMB permissions
• Hands-on experience applying DISA STIGs to RHEL systems using SCAP Compliance Checker (SCC) or OpenSCAP
• Experience reviewing ACAS/Tenable vulnerability reports and executing Linux-specific remediation
• Understanding of PKI certificate installation and PAM/SSSD authentication integration

Required Technical Skills:

• Strong Linux administration skills with knowledge of enterprise network architectures
• Experience developing automation and scripted deployments to improve operational efficiency
• Skilled in scripting for automation (Bash, Python)
• Solid understanding of Linux internals (system calls, file systems, processes)
• Working knowledge of TCP/IP and related protocols (HTTP, FTP, NFS)
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and decision-making skills
• Strong verbal communication and documentation abilities
• Strong organizational, collaborative, and team-oriented mindset

Desired Skills:

• Experience with Ansible for configuration management and automation
• Experience with Terraform for infrastructure as code
• Experience using PowerShell for task automation
• Experience with Red Hat Satellite Server for centralized lifecycle and errata management
• Experience preparing Linux systems for DoD Cyber Defense Command (DCDC) Cyber Operational Risk Assessments (CORA)
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE)

GDIT IS YOUR PLACE
At GDIT, the mission is our purpose, and our people are at the center of everything we do.

• Growth: AI-powered career tool that identifies career steps and learning opportunities
• Support: An internal mobility team focused on helping you achieve your career goals
• Rewards: Comprehensive benefits and wellness packages, 401K with company match, and competitive pay and paid time off
• Flexibility: Full-flex work week to own your priorities at work and at home
• Community: Award-winning culture of innovation and a military-friendly workplace

OWN YOUR OPPORTUNITY
Explore a career at GDIT and you’ll find endless opportunities to grow alongside colleagues who share your ambition to deliver your best work.

The likely salary range for this position is $112,840 - $138,000. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Travel Required:

10-25%

Telecommuting Options:

Remote

Work Location:

Any Location / Remote

Additional Work Locations:

Total Rewards at GDIT:

Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. GDIT typically provides new employees with 15 days of paid leave per calendar year to be used for vacations, personal business, and illness and an additional 10 paid holidays per year. Paid leave and paid holidays are prorated based on the employee’s date of hire. The GDIT Paid Family Leave program provides a total of up to 160 hours of paid leave in a rolling 12 month period for eligible employees. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.

Our Identity Verification Process:

As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.

About Our Work:

We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers technology solutions and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 26,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 50+ countries worldwide, offering leading mission-ready capabilities in AI, cloud, cyber and software development.Join our Talent Community to stay up to date on our career opportunities and events at

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Equal Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected Veterans