Research Lab Assistant Jobs in Madison, AL (NOW HIRING)

Torch Technologies

Thank you for your interest in employment with Torch Technologies. We are a 100% employee-owned, Certified Great Place To Work and named Best Places to Work in Huntsville/Madison County, headquartered in Huntsville, AL. Our team provides superior research, development, and engineering services to the Federal Government and Department of War. As one of the nation's top 100 defense companies, the services we provide directly support the men and women who serve our country. Our corporate mission sums up the pride our employee-owners take in the work we do: "Lighting the Pathway of Freedom". And, as a Certified Evergreen ESOP, we have made the commitment to grow and sustain our company for the next 100 years! Come grow with us!

Torch Technologies is seeking an enthusiastic, Entry-level/Junior Systems Administrator to join our team supporting a Hardware-in-the-Loop (HWIL) Interoperability Test Facility. In this role, you will work alongside senior systems administrators and engineers to maintain, monitor, and support a complex, multi-platform test environment critical to national defense. This is an excellent opportunity for an entry-level administrator, recent graduate, or anyone looking to launch their career in defense technology and systems engineering. You will gain hands-on experience managing physical lab hardware, enterprise Linux and Windows systems, virtualized environments, and DoD cybersecurity standards.Primary Responsibilities:

• Infrastructure & Hardware Support: Assist senior administrators in setting up, configuring, racking, and cabling physical servers, workstations, network switches, and specialized test hardware.
• System Maintenance & Patching: Perform routine maintenance across Linux and Windows systems, including applying operating system updates, updating antivirus definitions, and running local vulnerability/compliance scans.
• Cybersecurity Compliance: Support local Risk Management Framework (RMF) efforts by assisting with DISA STIG implementation, system hardening, and baseline auditing.
• Virtualization Support: Assist in maintaining virtualized test environments and virtual machines (VMs) that mirror physical rack configurations for testing.
• Identity & Access Management: Help manage user accounts, permissions, and group policies across local and domain-joined systems.
• Scripting & Task Automation: Learn, utilize, and refine basic automation scripts (Bash, PowerShell, or Python) to streamline day-to-day administrative tasks and lab setup workflows.
• Troubleshooting: Serve as front-line technical support for lab users, learning structured methodologies to diagnose hardware, OS, and network connectivity issues.
• Test Event Operations: Assist with pre-test staging, environment provisioning, and post-test data collection during scheduled mission test events.

Job Requirements:

• Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen.

• Clearance: Must have the ability to obtain and maintain an Active Secret Security Clearance.

• Education: Associate's or Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent hands-on military/technical training).

• Experience: 0-5 years of experience in system administration, IT helpdesk, network support, or technical lab operations.

• Technical Fundamentals:

  • OS Basics: Foundational knowledge of both Linux (RHEL, Rocky, or Ubuntu) and Windows Server/Desktop operating systems (CLI navigation, basic system configuration, service management).

  • Networking Basics: Understanding of core networking concepts (IP addressing, subnets, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, and basic switch cabling).

  • Virtualization Exposure: Conceptual understanding or basic experience with hypervisors (e.g., VMware vSphere/ESXi, KVM, or Hyper-V).

  • Scripting Interest: Familiarity with or eagerness to learn scripting languages (Bash, PowerShell, or Python) for task automation.

• Certifications: CompTIA Security+ CE (or ability to obtain DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II compliance within 60 days of hire).

Key Knowledge & Skills to Learn on the Job:

We don't expect you to know everything on day one! Candidates will have the opportunity to build hands-on expertise in:

• Security Hardening: Applying DISA STIGs (Security Technical Implementation Guides) and using tools to automate or verify compliance.

• Enterprise Linux Administration: Systemd management, package management (YUM/DNF), LVM storage, and SELinux basics.

• Windows Administration: Active Directory, Group Policy Objects (GPOs), and WSUS/patch management tools.

• Containerization Basics: Introductory concepts in Docker or Podman for lightweight application deployment.

• Configuration Management: Exposure to tools like Ansible, Puppet, or SaltStack for automated system configuration.

Desired Attributes:

• Strong Eagerness to Learn: A genuine curiosity and drive to develop advanced Linux, Windows, virtualization, and network engineering skills.

• A "Tinkerer" Mindset: Someone who enjoys building, troubleshooting, and experimenting-such as running a home lab, building custom PCs, or experimenting with self-hosted services.

• Problem-Solving & Initiative: A methodical approach to troubleshooting and the willingness to ask questions and dig into documentation.

• Communication & Teamwork: Strong interpersonal and written communication skills with a team-first mindset.

Schedule:M-F; 8-5

Work Location: Customer- site: No telework option available

Travel:Yes,0-10%

Relocation Assistance Available:No

Position Contingent Upon Award of Contract:No

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Benefits:

Torch Technologies is proud to offer a stable and professional work environment, a competitive salary, and an excellent, comprehensive benefit package including: ESOP participation, 401(k) match, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, flexible spending accounts, Health Saving Accounts and Health Reimbursement Accounts, EAP, education assistance, paid time off, and holidays.

Applying to Torch Technologies:

Only those candidates invited for an interview will be contacted. Employment at Torch Technologies is contingent upon the successful completion of a comprehensive background check.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, citizenship, ancestry, marital status, protected veteran status, disability status or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. Torch Technologies, Inc. participates in E-Verify.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access Careers Link as a result of your disability. You can request reasonable accommodations by sending an email to HR@torchtechnologies.com. Thank you for your interest in Torch Technologies.