Freelance Linux System Engineer Jobs in New York

The Linux Systems Administrator will support and enhance a mixed enterprise environment consisting of approximately 400 Linux-based endpoints distributed across multiple enclaves, including Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) systems and dynamic research/development lab environments.

This role requires a balance of deep technical capability and strong customer engagement skills. The successful candidate will meet with internal customers to understand mission needs, translate those requirements into technical solutions, and deploy them efficiently. The administrator will help shape and automate new service offerings such as Virtual Machines as a Service (VMaaS), development environments on demand, and other compute provisioning workflows.

The role operates within a highly collaborative, crossfunctional environment that includes cybersecurity, networking, engineering, operations, and program teams. The administrator must be comfortable working independently, adapting quickly, and contributing to an innovationfocused culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Administer, monitor, secure, and troubleshoot enterprise Linux systems across ~400 endpoints in multiple enclaves.
• Meet with internal customers to gather requirements, design solution paths, and implement systems rapidly and effectively.
• Collaborate with crossfunctional teams to architect, deploy, and maintain new infrastructure services.
• Develop and maintain automation using Ansible, Terraform, or similar tools to support provisioning, configuration management, and lifecycle operations.
• Design and operate automated workflows supporting VMaaS and ondemand development environments.
• Create and maintain scripting solutions (Bash, Python, etc.) for system automation and operational improvements.
• Configure and maintain enterprise monitoring and observability platforms (e.g., Zabbix, Nautobot).
• Support secure deployment and operation of GPU-enabled systems and AI/ML toolchains.
• Maintain compliance with CUI and other secure enclave requirements, including patching, auditing, hardening, and security documentation.
• Troubleshoot complex system issues across compute, storage, virtualization, and network layers.
• Evaluate and propose emerging technologies to improve service delivery and operational efficiency.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience administering Linux systems in medium-to-large enterprise environments.
• Strong understanding of RHEL/Rocky, Ubuntu, or similar distributions.
• Experience with automation platforms such as Ansible and infrastructure-as-code practices.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as Bash or Python.
• Experience with enterprise virtualization platforms (VMware, KVM, Proxmox).
• Hands-on experience with monitoring tools such as Zabbix and familiarity with Nautobot or network source-of-truth systems.
• Ability to communicate clearly with customers, gather requirements, and deliver tailored technical solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate across functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Understanding of security/compliance frameworks (NIST 800171, STIGs, RMF) and CUI enclave operations.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Ability to obtain a Top Secret clearance.
• US Citizenship

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience deploying and supporting GPU-based compute systems in secure environments.
• Familiarity with AI/ML workflows, containers (Docker, Podman, Singularity), or HPC environments.
• Experience designing dashboards, alerting pipelines, or automation within Zabbix or Nautobot.
• Experience with CI/CD automation for infrastructure.
• Experience supporting multi-tenant or cross-domain architectures.
• Linux certifications (RHCSA, RHCE, Linux+).
• Security certifications (Security+, CISSP) depending on enclave requirements.

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can't be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we're keeping people around the world safe and secure.