Linux Kernel Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

Ignite IT is seeking a very experienced, senior-level Red Hat Linux Admin/Engineer to join and provide dedicated support to the Unix Management Branch of the Computer Services Division on our contract with US Census Bureau. This is a mission-critical role responsible for the deployment, configuration, and operational support of the RHEL infrastructure. In addition to extensive knowledge of Linux, this role requires excellent customer service skills, as the Unix branch supports system owners and users from most Divisions within the Bureau as well as other Branches within the Computer Services Division such as Backups, Virtualization, Storage and Enterprise Operations to name a few.

The ideal candidate will be responsible for maintaining and troubleshooting the RHEL environments that host many of the applications used to collect, analyze and disseminate official Census data. You will work closely with teammates, stakeholders and users to ensure that they have a working Linux environment and necessary software to complete the Census missions. In addition, you will proactively identify opportunities to improve operations, form a plan and implement it.

Key Responsibilities

• Linux Platform Administration:
• Manage the complete lifecycle (provisioning, patching, upgrading, decommissioning) of all RHEL servers supporting the enterprise.
• Develop and maintain automation using Ansible, Bash, and/or Python to ensure consistent and rapid deployment of enterprise-wide changes.
• Deploy and maintain servers in clustered environments.
• Performance Tuning and Optimization:
• Proactively monitor and tune the performance of the RHEL environment to support high-throughput, low-latency data processing and ingestion.
• Perform kernel-level tuning (sysctl), I/O optimization, and network performance analysis.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex performance bottlenecks related to CPU, memory, storage, and networking.
• Operational Support and Troubleshooting:
• Serve as an escalation point for both the Operations Center and other Unix team members.
• Triage and resolve infrastructure issues, providing root cause analysis.
• Work closely with application, storage, and network teams to resolve cross-domain service issues.
• Work with the Backup team to ensure consistent backups of all Linux servers.
• Security and Compliance:
• Implement and maintain system security in accordance with federal standards (NIST, FISMA, and DISA STIGs).
• Manage user access and system entitlements, including SSSD/LDAP/Active Directory integration.
• Troubleshoot and resolve SELinux problems.
• Participate in security audits and provide remediation for findings.
• Participate in an on-call rotation for 24/7/365 operational support.

Requirements

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be able to pass a background investigation to obtain and maintain a Public Trust security clearance.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or 7+ additional years of equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of dedicated experience as a Linux/RHEL Engineer or Administrator.
• Strong experience in Linux performance tuning, kernel parameter analysis (sysctl), and troubleshooting with tools like vmstat, iostat, sar, and perf.
• Expert-level scripting with Bash and strong proficiency with Ansible for configuration management and automation.
• In-depth knowledge of Linux storage (LVM, XFS, NFS, CLVM) and networking (TCP/IP, DNS, bonding).
• Expertise across RHEL 7, 8, and 9 environments.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Public Trust clearance. (Titles 13 & 26)
• Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) or Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA).
• Experience in a large-scale data center or high-performance computing (HPC) environment.
• Experience with Cisco UCS
• Experience with and administration of IBM Storage Scale/GPFS

Benefits

• 401(k) with matching and 100% Vested
• Health Insurance - 3 plans to select from
• Dental insurance
• Vision Insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Short Term Disability
• Long Term Disability
• AD&D
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Training
• Tuition reimbursement
• Flexible schedule
• Flexible spending account
• Referral program
• Paid Legal Plan
• and more....

Ignite IT is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, Veteran status, sexual orientation, or other protected characteristic. In accordance with EO 13665 Final Rule, Ignite IT will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant.

Applicants selected may be required to possess and maintain a government clearance

US CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED