Systems Administrator

Freedom Technology Solutions Group is looking for a Linux System Administrator (SA) to join our team at a customer site in McLean, VA to support a mission-critical geospatial data visualization application. The Linux SA will be responsible for the day-to-day operation of enterprise Linux systems. In this role, you will operate, monitor, secure, and maintain Linux-based infrastructure across physical, virtual, and cloud-hosted environments. Your focus will be on system availability, performance, backups, security compliance, and proactive operations, using automation, monitoring, and disciplined operational practices to keep systems reliable and compliant. This is a hands-on role for an experienced Linux SA who takes ownership and operates effectively in availability- and compliance-driven production environments.

Responsibilities:

• Administer, configure, and maintain enterprise Linux servers (RHEL 8) across on-prem and cloud environments, ensuring system stability, performance, and security
• Support cloud-based infrastructure (AWS, GCP), including provisioning Linux hosts, monitoring system health and resource utilization, and optimizing compute, storage, and cost as part ofday-to-day operations.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting of system, network, and application issues, using in-depth log analysis and system diagnostics to identify root causes and resolve complex production problems.
• Perform OS maintenance activities, including system updates, patching, performance tuning, configuration management, and security hardening in accordance with operational and compliance requirements.
• Develop and maintain automation using Bash, Python, Ansible, or similar tools to streamline system administration tasks, reduce manual effort, and improve operational consistency.
• Install, configure, and support Linux-hosted software applications, virtualization platforms, and associated infrastructure components required to support mission workloads.
• Document system configurations, operational procedures, and troubleshooting guidance, and contribute to shared knowledge bases to support team continuity and operational maturity.
• Provide tiered help desk support to system users, including issue triage, escalation, and resolution.
• Participate in operational meetings and daily task coordination, providing status updates and collaborating with team members and stakeholders to support ongoing system operations.
• Participate in an operational phone rotation to respond to time-sensitive issues outside of normal business hours.

Key Technologies

• Software: Apache Webserver, PostGres SQL/PostGIS, OMAR, OSSIM, RedHat Linux, FreeIPA, Microsoft Windows Server, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Internet Information Service, OGC Web. Services (WMS, WFS, WCS), Google Earth Client, Geospatial products.
• Hardware: Network Attached Storage (NAS) deployment and maintenance; firewall, switch, and router installation, deployment and maintenance; server.

Required Qualifications

• TS/SCI with Polygraph.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related technical field.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional experience as a Linux System Administrator or in a closely related systems administration role supporting production environments.
• Demonstrated proficiency administering Linux systems (Red Hat–based and/or Debian-based distributions), including system configuration, patching, performance tuning, and troubleshooting.
• Experience working with Elastic.
• Strong working knowledge of cloud environments, especially AWS (compute, storage, monitoring).
• Proven ability to analyze system and application logs (e.g., syslog, system journals, application logs) to diagnose issues, identify root causes, and resolve complex problems.
• Solid understanding of infrastructure fundamentals, including server hardware, storage systems, virtualization technologies, and core networking concepts.
• Experience deploying, maintaining, and patching open-source and custom applications on Linux platforms in compliance-driven or regulated environments.
• Experience supporting security and compliance requirements for Linux systems, including authentication and authorization fundamentals and support for ATO-driven operations.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, while also collaborating effectively within a technical team and communicating clearly with stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to communicate technical issues and resolutions effectively in both written and verbal form.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience supporting hybrid cloud and on-prem environments, including familiarity with AWS and other government or IC cloud platforms (e.g., C2S).
• Exposure to automation and configuration management tools such as Ansible, as well as scripting in Bash or Python beyond basic operational tasks.
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and DevOps tools, including Jenkins, GitLab, Docker, Kubernetes, or OpenShift.
• Experience supporting PostgreSQL.
• Familiarity with enterprise monitoring, logging, and observability tools and using metrics to improve system reliability and performance.
• Experience working with enterprise storage solutions (NFS, NAS, SAN) and backup/recovery platforms.
• Prior experience supporting mission, data-driven, or intelligence-community systems in classified or regulated environments.
• Relevant technical certifications, such as Linux (RHCSA/RHCE), AWS, Cisco, or related infrastructure certifications.