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Linux Admin Jobs in Boston, MA (NOW HIRING)

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Linux Admin information

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$10

$55

$84

How much do linux admin jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 7, 2026, the average hourly pay for linux admin in Boston, MA is $55.64, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $45.72 and $64.52 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Linux Admin vs Network Administrator?

AspectLinux AdminNetwork Administrator
CertificationsLinux+, RHCECompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA
Work EnvironmentServer management, Linux systemsNetwork infrastructure, routers, switches
Primary ResponsibilitiesServer setup, Linux system maintenanceNetwork configuration, troubleshooting
Industry UsageData centers, hosting providersCorporate networks, ISPs

While both roles involve network and system knowledge, a Linux Admin specializes in managing Linux servers and operating systems, whereas a Network Administrator focuses on maintaining and troubleshooting network infrastructure. Both roles often collaborate but serve different core functions within IT environments.

What does a Linux administrator do?

A Linux administrator manages and maintains Linux-based servers and systems, ensuring their security, stability, and performance. They install, configure, update, and troubleshoot Linux operating systems, often using tools like shell scripting and monitoring software, and may hold certifications such as RHCE or CompTIA Linux+.

What is a Linux admin?

Linux Admins, or Linux Administrators, are IT professionals responsible for installing, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting Linux-based systems and servers. They manage user accounts, ensure system security, perform backups, and monitor system performance. Linux Admins play a critical role in ensuring the smooth operation of servers and applications that rely on the Linux operating system within organizations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Linux admin?

To thrive as a Linux Admin, you need a solid understanding of Linux operating systems, scripting languages (such as Bash or Python), and system administration principles, typically supported by a degree in IT or a related field. Familiarity with tools like Ansible, Docker, system monitoring utilities, and certifications such as CompTIA Linux+ or Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) are highly valued. Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills help you proactively resolve issues and collaborate with IT teams. These skills are crucial for maintaining secure, reliable, and efficient server environments that support organizational operations.

Are Linux admins in high demand?

Linux administrators are in high demand due to the widespread use of Linux in servers, cloud infrastructure, and cybersecurity. Skills in scripting, system security, and certifications like RHCE or CompTIA Linux+ can enhance job prospects, which are expected to grow as organizations continue to rely on Linux-based systems.

What are some common challenges a Linux admin faces when managing large-scale server environments?

Linux Admins working in large-scale environments often encounter challenges such as maintaining system uptime during updates, ensuring consistent configuration across multiple servers, and quickly responding to security threats. Balancing automation with manual oversight is crucial, as scripts and management tools like Ansible or Puppet can introduce new complexities. Additionally, collaborating with development and security teams to implement changes without disrupting services requires strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Is a Linux administrator a good career?

A Linux administrator is a valuable IT professional responsible for managing and maintaining Linux-based systems, often requiring skills in scripting, networking, and security. The role offers steady demand, opportunities for certification such as RHCE or CompTIA Linux+, and potential for career growth in system administration, cloud computing, and cybersecurity.
What are popular job titles related to Linux Admin jobs in Boston, MA? For Linux Admin jobs in Boston, MA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Linux Admin jobs in Boston, MA look for? The top searched job categories for Linux Admin jobs in Boston, MA are:
Linux Admin jobs near you
Infographic showing various Linux Admin job openings in Boston, MA as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 87% Full Time, 4% Part Time, and 9% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $115,733 per year, or $55.6 per hour.

Senior Linux Infrastructure Engineer

Northern Light Group, LLC

Somerville, MA • On-site

Full-time

Re-posted 2 days ago

Job description

About Northern Light

Northern Light provides the world's most sophisticated machine learning-powered competitive intelligence platform for market research. For over 25 years, we've been helping Fortune 1000 enterprises make smarter, faster, and more informed decisions through our award-winning SinglePoint knowledge management platform. Our clients include global leaders across technology, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications, and life sciences who depend on us to transform fragmented data into strategic clarity.


We're a company that takes pride in our compulsive drive to provide exceptional client support. We wake up each day ready to tackle the challenges of knowledge management and we never stand still. Our recent innovations include generative AI capabilities, machine learning insights, and advanced competitive intelligence automation.


About the Role

Northern Light is seeking an experienced Senior Linux Infrastructure Engineer to take hands-on ownership of our Linux-based infrastructure. In this role, you'll be responsible for operating, maintaining, and evolving a mission-critical environment that runs on a mix of bare-metal and virtualized systems in our private colocation datacenter.

This is a highly technical, hands-on position for someone who enjoys working close to the hardware, values operational excellence, and thrives in environments where reliability, security, and scalability matter.

What You'll Do

  • Operate and maintain a Linux infrastructure of ~70 HPE DL360 Gen9/Gen10 bare-metal servers and ~150 virtual machines
  • Administer RHEL-based systems (primarily Oracle Linux 9), including installation, patching, upgrades, and security hardening
  • Support virtualization platforms, including:
    • VMware (5 nodes, ~100 VMs), with potential future migration to Red Hat OVE
    • KVM-based virtualization supporting Kubernetes workloads (~50 VMs)
  • Perform on-site datacenter operations in a private six-rack cage, including racking, cabling, labeling, hardware replacement, and decommissioning
  • Maintain and administer core infrastructure services such as:
    • Mail relay (Sendmail)
    • DNS (BIND)
    • SFTP (ProFTPd)
    • LDAP-backed authentication and authorization
    • Package repository mirroring (Foreman)
    • Centralized automation and orchestration (Ansible Automation Platform)
    • On-prem GitLab Premium for version control and CI/CD
  • Develop and maintain standard operating procedures covering:
    • Inventory management (NetBox)
    • Monitoring, alerting, and observability (LogicMonitor)
    • Incident response and root-cause analysis
    • Vulnerability and patch management (Tenable One)
    • Backup, recovery, and disaster recovery (Veeam)
  • Participate in incident response, scheduled maintenance, and post-incident reviews
  • Collaborate with vendors, service providers, and internal engineering, security, and operations teams
  • Support secure, compliant infrastructure that enables product delivery and business needs

What We're Looking For:

  • We're looking for someone with 7+ years of Linux systems engineering experience, including at least 3 years as the primary owner of infrastructure at scale - not a contributor on a team, but the person accountable for uptime, security, and reliability. RHEL-based distributions are required; Oracle Linux 9 is strongly preferred
  • BS or MS in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Information Technology, or equivalent practical experience
  • Demonstrated ability to manage the full server lifecycle end-to-end: OS installation and hardening, configuration management, patching cadence, capacity planning, and decommissioning
  • Deep proficiency with Linux system internals: kernel tuning, systemd service management, storage subsystems (LVM, RAID, NFS/NAS), and network stack configuration (bonding, VLANs, firewall rules via firewalld/iptables)
  • Proven experience designing and maintaining high-availability and redundant architectures in production - not just operating them
  • Direct, hands-on experience with HPE ProLiant (or equivalent enterprise) servers, including iLO/IPMI management, firmware updates, hardware diagnostics, and component replacement
  • Experience performing all physical datacenter tasks independently: rack and stack, structured cabling, labeling, power management, and hardware lifecycle tracking in a private colo or equivalent environment
  • Production-level administration of VMware vSphere/ESXi environments (vCenter, VM lifecycle, resource pools, snapshots, HA/DRS) and KVM-based virtualization (libvirt, virt-manager, bridged/NAT networking); experience supporting platform migrations (e.g., VMware to open-source hypervisors) is a strong plus
  • Hands-on experience building and maintaining Ansible playbooks and roles for configuration management, OS hardening, and orchestrated change deployment - not just running existing playbooks
  • Demonstrated experience administering production DNS (BIND), LDAP-backed authentication, mail relay, and SFTP services - including troubleshooting, zone management, schema modifications, and integration with downstream systems
  • Experience managing on-prem package repository infrastructure (Foreman or equivalent) and enforcing controlled patching workflows across a large server fleet
  • Hands-on experience with enterprise monitoring and alerting platforms (LogicMonitor, Zabbix, Nagios, or equivalent), including building meaningful alerting thresholds and dashboards; active experience with vulnerability management tools (Tenable, Qualys, or equivalent): scan interpretation, remediation prioritization, and patch compliance tracking
  • Experience owning backup and disaster recovery operations end-to-end: policy design, Veeam (or equivalent) administration, recovery testing, and DR runbook maintenance
  • Track record of leading incident response, conducting post-mortems, and producing root-cause analyses with lasting corrective actions; strong technical documentation discipline (SOPs, runbooks, infrastructure diagrams) and ability to communicate clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
  • Familiarity with Docker and Kubernetes
  • Solid networking fundamentals with hands-on experience collaborating with network teams on switches, firewalls, and load balancers; sufficient depth to independently scope and escalate network-adjacent infrastructure issues
  • On-site presence required at a private colocation facility in Somerville, MA; datacenter work may involve elevated noise levels and variable temperatures; limited after-hours or weekend maintenance (historically ~3-5 times per year)

Job Type:Full-Time


Work authorization requirements:

Must be authorized to work in the United States (unfortunately, we cannot sponsor visas).

Location: Must be local to Boston/Somerville area, with shared on-site presence required between the office and a Somerville-based colocation data center

Why Join Northern Light

  • Join a company shaping the future of competitive and market intelligence.
  • Work with a collaborative, high-performing team that values creativity, experimentation, and measurable results.
  • Competitive salary, benefits, and professional growth opportunities.
  • Opportunity to build something from the ground up.
  • Regular team offsites and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration.


Working at Northern Light
Northern Light is based in the Boston MA area. Northern Light is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. Northern Light SinglePoint, LLC participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with Form I-9 information to confirm employment eligibility for all new hires. For more information, visit www.e-verify.gov.
It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

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