Senior Linux Rhce Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

***We are unable to sponsor for this permanent full-time role***

***Position is Bonus eligible***

Prestigious Financial Institution is currently seeking a Sr. Linux Systems Engineer with strong Kubernetes experience. Candidate will be responsible for managing and improving our highly automated Linux-based systems and platforms while supporting our broader technology infrastructure with a focus on automation. candidate will be working collaboratively with our technology and operations teams to ensure the highest levels of system performance, security, and availability.

Responsibilities:

Managing and improving our Linux-based infrastructure with a focus on performance, reliability, and scalability.

Designing, deploying, and maintaining on-premises Kubernetes clusters and containerized workloads.

Developing and maintaining system-level software, middleware, and APIs to support internal platforms and services.

Automating system workflows and infrastructure tasks using Python, Bash, and configuration management tools like SaltStack.

Building and maintaining RPM packages and internal software repositories.

Collaborating with Application Support (SRE), Development, and Security teams to ensure secure, automated CI/CD and platform integration.

Diagnosing and resolving complex system-level issues involving the OS, network, or container runtime.

Implementing hardened security configurations, including system hardening, secure communications, and identity/access integration.

Participating in an on-call rotation to support critical infrastructure services.

Documenting architectures, tools, and operational processes to support long-term maintainability.

Qualifications:

5+ years of experience in Linux systems administration and infrastructure/platform engineering.

Production experience managing Kubernetes, preferably in bare-metal or on-premises environments (e.g., with kubeadm, RKE, or OpenShift).

Strong scripting and automation skills in Python and Bash.

In-depth knowledge of Linux internals, kernel tuning, and performance diagnostics.

Hands-on experience with SaltStack (preferred), Puppet, or Ansible for configuration management.

Familiarity with observability tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, or Loki.

Solid understanding of core infrastructure protocols and services (TCP/IP, DNS, NTP/PTP, DHCP, etc.). Experience managing CI/CD pipelines with tools such as Jenkins, GitLab, or similar.

Strong troubleshooting skills and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Preferred Skills:

Certifications such as RHCE or LFCE.

Experience with container runtimes (Containers, Docker) and registry management.

Knowledge of GitOps workflows or tools like ArgoCD or Flux.

Background in security best practices and compliance (e.g., CIS benchmarks, STIGs).

Prior experience in highly regulated or low-latency environments.