Contract Linux Kernel Engineer Jobs in Williamsburg, VA

Altech Solutions is hiring a Systems Administrator to support NASA's Engineering Directorate at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. This role lives inside engineering and laboratory environments — the systems NASA researchers and engineers actually use to do their work. If you like being the person scientists come to when their compute environment has to work, this is that job.

Position: Linux Systems Administrator (Research Computing) – NASA Langley Research Center

Location: Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia

Job Description

A significant part of the work is getting scientific and open-source software running: pulling source, resolving dependencies, working through configure and build failures, and getting the result deployed and supportable. You will also administer Linux and Windows servers, support Linux, Mac, and Windows workstations, run Apache web services, manage backups and storage, and stay ahead of security patching and risk.

Before You Apply — Two Hard Requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship is required. This is a federal contract. We cannot sponsor, transfer, or accept any visa status — no H-1B, no OPT/CPT, no EAD, and no permanent resident (green card) status. Applications that do not meet this requirement cannot be considered.

• You must live within 50 miles of NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA, or be already relocated at your own expense before your start date. This is non-negotiable and we do not offer relocation assistance.

You must also be able to obtain and maintain a NASA Public Trust clearance. Candidates who already hold an active Public Trust are strongly preferred and will move to the front of the line. An active Secret or higher is also a significant plus — it shortens the processing timeline considerably.

What You'll Do

• Build and deploy open-source and scientific applications from source — resolving dependency chains, compiler and library conflicts, and configure/make failures, then documenting the build so it can be reproduced.

• Administer Linux and Windows servers: installation, configuration, patching, tuning, and ongoing maintenance.

• Support end users on Linux, Mac, and Windows workstations in an engineering and research setting.

• Configure and support Apache web servers, including virtual hosts, TLS, and access control.

• Debug application and system-level problems using tools such as logs, strace, gdb, and performance analysis utilities — and drive them to root cause.

• Write and maintain scripts that automate the repetitive parts of the job.

• Maintain system backups and ensure data and media recoverability through scheduled backup and archive operations.

• Assist with monitoring and management of storage systems, including SAN and NAS.

• Manage virtualized infrastructure — VMware ESXi and vCenter.

• Apply configuration management practices so systems are consistent, documented, and auditable, and contribute to planning as the environment evolves.

• Resolve system security issues including patching, risk analysis, and supporting security plans.

• Track and resolve user issues through the ticketing system, and maintain system documentation, SOPs, and configuration records.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 4 years of relevant experience

• Advanced system administration experience with exposure to Linux, Mac, and Windows

• Hands-on experience compiling and troubleshooting open-source software from source

• Scripting and command-line experience — Bash, Python, Perl, or similar

• Experience performing system backups

• Understanding of storage systems including SAN and NAS, and concepts such as RAID, NFS, and LUNs

• Understanding of basic networking concepts and IT security best practices

• Self-directed — proven ability to satisfy customer needs with minimal day-to-day direction

• Strong communication, documentation, and customer-relations skills; effective working independently and on a team

• U.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a NASA Public Trust clearance

• Residence within 50 miles of NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Public Trust clearance (or an active Secret or higher)

• Prior NASA experience

• Experience supporting a research or scientific computing operations environment

• Apache web server configuration and administration

• Application debugging experience and fluency with the tooling — strace, ltrace, gdb, log analysis, profilers

• Enterprise virtualization — VMware ESXi and vCenter

• Configuration management tooling and practice — Ansible, Puppet, or similar

• Ansible playbook development in a collaborative environment using Git or GitLab

• Hybrid cloud implementation and cloud migration experience

• Kubernetes implementation and security configuration

• Certifications: Red Hat (RHCSA, RHCE), CISSP, CompTIA Security+ or Server+, Microsoft Windows Server Hybrid Administrator, AWS (Solutions Architect, SysOps Administrator), or Microsoft Azure (Administrator Associate, DevOps Engineer Expert)

Excellent Benefits

Full Benefits include 10 Holidays, 3 weeks PTO, 401K Match, Company paid Short and Long Term Disability Insurance, Life Insurance and Company subsidized Health, Dental and Vision Insurance.

About Altech Solutions

Altech Solutions is a federal IT services company supporting NASA cyber, infrastructure, field support, and data analytics work across multiple NASA centers. On the AEGIS program we work as a subcontractor to Leidos, supporting NASA's enterprise IT environment. We are small and direct — you will know the people you work for, and your work will be visible.

Altech Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to any characteristic protected by law.