Linux Engineer - 7 Operations

Key Responsibilities:

Linux Operations

Provide L1/L2 support for Linux servers including RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu and Amazon Linux.

Troubleshoot CPU, memory, disk space, disk I/O, system load, network connectivity and service-related issues.

Manage Linux users, groups, permissions, file systems and access.

Monitor and manage services using systemd/systemctl.

Perform filesystem and LVM administration, including monitoring capacity and supporting filesystem extensions.

Troubleshoot networking issues involving DNS, TCP/IP, routing, ports, firewalls and SSH connectivity.

Analyse system and application logs to identify errors and service failures.

Manage cron jobs and scheduled operational tasks.

Support package updates, patching, server reboots and routine maintenance activities.

Perform approved production changes following change management procedures.

Monitoring and Incident Management

Monitor infrastructure and application alerts using tools such as CloudWatch, Prometheus/Grafana or Datadog.

Respond to alerts and incidents promptly and perform initial troubleshooting.

Identify recurring or false-positive alerts and raise recommendations for alert tuning.

Create, update and manage incidents through the appropriate ticketing system.

Work on incidents based on priority, business impact and SLA.

Escalate complex or critical issues to Shift Leads, L3 support, engineering or relevant resolver teams.

Participate in major incident and bridge calls when required.

Provide clear technical findings and regular updates during ongoing incidents.

Ensure incidents are properly documented before resolution and closure.

Operational Checks

Perform scheduled health checks for Linux servers and production services.

Validate CPU, memory, filesystem, network and critical process/service status.

Monitor backups, scheduled jobs and other operational activities where applicable.

Perform pre-change and post-change validation.

Carry out application and infrastructure connectivity checks following approved runbooks.

Ensure outstanding alerts, incidents and operational risks are clearly communicated during shift handovers.

Scripting and Automation

Write and maintain Bash scripts for routine administration and monitoring activities.

Use Python where appropriate for operational automation.

Identify repetitive manual tasks that can be automated.

Support improvements to monitoring and operational scripts.

Follow scripting, testing and change control standards before implementing automation in production.

Documentation and Knowledge Management

Create and maintain operational runbooks, SOPs and troubleshooting guides.

Document troubleshooting steps and resolutions for recurring incidents.

Update knowledge base articles when new issues or solutions are identified.

Ensure accurate documentation of incidents, changes and operational activities.

Share technical knowledge with other Operations team members.

Shift Operations

Work as part of a 24/7 rotational shift team, including nights, weekends and public holidays.

Take ownership of assigned incidents, service requests, alerts and operational tasks.

Follow structured shift handover procedures.

Clearly communicate open issues, pending actions, planned changes and risks to the incoming shift.

Escalate critical issues to the Shift Lead without unnecessary delay.

Support priority incidents until resolution or successful handover.

Process and Compliance

Follow ITIL practices for incident, problem and change management.

Follow approved change procedures for production activities.

Comply with security, access management and infrastructure standards.

Ensure privileged access and administrative activities follow organisational policies.

Participate in root cause analysis and post-incident reviews where required.

Identify opportunities to improve system reliability and reduce operational workload.

Required Skills and Experience:

4+ years of experience in Linux administration, infrastructure operations, NOC or production support.
Experience supporting systems in a 24/7 production environment.
Strong hands-on Linux administration experience.
Good knowledge of RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu and/or Amazon Linux.
Strong understanding of Linux command-line troubleshooting.
Experience with Linux file systems and LVM.
Good understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, SSH, routing, ports and firewall concepts.
Experience managing systemd services, processes, users, groups and permissions.
Strong log analysis and troubleshooting skills.
Experience monitoring CPU, memory, disk, system load and network performance.
Experience with monitoring tools such as CloudWatch, Nagios, Zabbix, Prometheus/Grafana or Datadog.
Experience using ticketing/service management platforms such as ServiceNow or Jira Service Management.
Working knowledge of ITIL incident, problem and change management.
Bash scripting skills; Python scripting knowledge is desirable.
Experience supporting patching, maintenance and production changes.
Ability to troubleshoot incidents calmly and methodically under pressure.
Good written and verbal communication skills.
Ability to provide clear technical updates and shift handovers.
Willingness to work rotational shifts, including nights, weekends and public holidays.

Desirable Skills

AWS or other cloud infrastructure experience.
Experience with VMware or Nutanix environments.
Knowledge of Ansible or other configuration/automation tools.
Familiarity with Git and source control.
Basic database and SQL troubleshooting knowledge.
Experience with backup and recovery operations.
Understanding of high-availability and disaster recovery environments.
Relevant Linux certification such as RHCSA/RHCE or equivalent.