Who We Are:

Our team, the Space Mission Directorate within Division 19, is looking for Linux IT Systems Administrators with an enthusiasm for spacecraft operations.

Objectives of this Role:

• Build, install and maintain Linux servers as well as network operations in an environment supporting spacecraft operations that is audited by NASA to the NIST 800-53 standard.
• Formal knowledge of Linux required, with RedHat Enterprise Linux/CentOS specific experience a plus.
• Managing servers and networking.
• Apache HTTP, LVM, clustered filesystems, DRBD, high availability computing.
• SQL database servers and virtualization environments.
• Solid knowledge of enterprise Linux services and protocols such as SSH, NFS, CIFS, NTP, HTTP, LDAP, and SMTP.
• Python or Perl and shell scripting.
• Managing containers and networking (TCP/IP, DHCP, DNS, firewalls) through Ansible.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Be part of an on-site team that proactively maintains and develops Linux infrastructure to support a 24x7x365 uptime service that includes research scientists and science and mission operations for various NASA spacecraft missions.
• 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.