Linux Help Desk Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Help Desk Technician

Position Summary: 

Sapient Logic is seeking a motivated and customer-focused Help Desk Technician to provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 technical support for mission-critical systems supporting the United States Air Force. This position is responsible for the installation, configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of hardware, software, operating systems, and network infrastructure in a secure Department of Defense (DoD) environment. 

The ideal candidate has a strong technical foundation in Windows and Linux operating systems, excellent problem-solving skills, and experience supporting enterprise IT environments. This role requires the ability to work directly with customers, maintain system security and documentation, and support highly available, mission-essential infrastructure. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 technical support to end users in a secure DoD environment.
• Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot computer hardware, software, operating systems, and peripheral devices.
• Configure and manage Windows and Linux operating systems, commercial and government applications, network devices, and IP-based network infrastructure.
• Configure and maintain DoD and Intelligence Community (IC) distributed authentication services.
• Create, modify, and deactivate user accounts while ensuring compliance with security policies.
• Diagnose and resolve hardware, software, and network issues across multiple locations. 
• Perform system maintenance activities, including file archival, data purging, and routine system updates.
• Develop, maintain, and improve technical documentation, knowledge base articles, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and user guides.
• Collaborate with software development teams to report bugs, resolve technical issues, and recommend product enhancements for Linux-based environments.
• Contribute technical documentation, tutorials, and best practices for internal support teams.
• Utilize automation and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools such as Ansible, Puppet, Terraform, Bash, PowerShell, and Python to improve system deployment and administration.
• Ensure systems comply with DoD cybersecurity requirements and industry security best practices.
• Support surge operations and special projects as mission requirements dictate.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and five (5) or more years of related experience.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience applying engineering or IT principles in a professional environment.
• Two to three (2–3) years of progressive IT support experience, including Tier 1 or equivalent experience supporting Linux environments.
• Active TS/SCI security clearance.
• IAT Level II certification (CompTIA Security+ and required Computing Environment certification).
• Experience configuring, maintaining, operating, and troubleshooting computer systems, servers, and network equipment.
• Experience administering Windows and Linux operating systems in enterprise environments.
• Familiarity with networking concepts including IP addressing, subnets, DNS, DHCP, LDAP, and switching.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent customer service, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to create and maintain technical documentation.
• Willingness to learn new technologies and adapt to evolving mission requirements.
• Ability to automate installation, configuration, and provisioning using Infrastructure as Code tools.
• Ability to work occasional extended hours to support operational requirements.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience supporting Department of Defense or Intelligence Community IT environments.
• Knowledge of Kubernetes, Rancher, Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7/8, Windows 10, ACAS, Grafana, and Cloud Security Gateway.
• Experience using Ansible, Puppet, Terraform, Chef, Bash, PowerShell, and Python.
• Familiarity with Joint IO Range, Defense Research and Engineering Network (DREN), and other government network environments.
• Understanding of cybersecurity concepts including Secure Shell (SSH), TLS, public key infrastructure (PKI), encryption, certificates, and access control.
• Experience supporting server infrastructure and enterprise network administration.

Job Type:

• Full-time

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Professional development assistance
• Retirement plan
• Vision insurance

Schedule:

• 8-hour shift
• Monday to Friday
•  Day shift
• Ability to work additional hours as needed to support mission requirements

Work Location:

• On-site – San Diego, CA

Travel:

• Up to 10% travel

Security Clearance: 

• Active TS/SCI clearance required

Salary:

• $86,000–$110,000 annually