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Senior Linux System Engineer Jobs in Princeton, NJ

... and senior managers Self-motivated - driven to achieve results Works with a sense of urgency High customer service ethic - is passionate about meeting customer expectations and improving service ...

Sr. Systems Engineer

Trenton, NJ · On-site

$104K - $143K/yr

Sr. Systems Engineer ETS Corp. Ewing NJ 1 Year Plus Must be local to NJ, NYC or Philly PA area. F2F ... Linux shell scripts and installing software in Linux environments. 2. At least 5 years of ...

Sr. Systems Engineer

New York, NY

$114K - $156K/yr

Sr. Systems Engineer ETS Corp. Ewing NJ 1 Year Plus Must be local to NJ, NYC or Philly PA area. F2F ... Linux shell scripts and installing software in Linux environments. 2. At least 5 years of ...

Sr. Systems Engineer

Princeton, NJ

$109K - $149K/yr

Sr. Systems Engineer ETS Corp. Ewing NJ 1 Year Plus Must be local to NJ, NYC or Philly PA area. F2F ... Linux shell scripts and installing software in Linux environments. 2. At least 5 years of ...

Sr. Systems Engineer

Edison, NJ

$108K - $148K/yr

Sr. Systems Engineer ETS Corp. Ewing NJ 1 Year Plus Must be local to NJ, NYC or Philly PA area. F2F ... Linux shell scripts and installing software in Linux environments. 2. At least 5 years of ...

Showing results 41-60

Senior Linux System Engineer information

See Princeton, NJ salary details

$105.4K

$134.1K

$166.2K

How much do senior linux system engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior linux system engineer in Princeton, NJ is $134,101.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $123,700.00 and $144,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a senior Linux system engineer?

To thrive as a Senior Linux System Engineer, you need deep expertise in Linux operating systems, scripting (such as Bash, Python, or Perl), system architecture, and a relevant degree or equivalent experience. Familiarity with configuration management tools (like Ansible or Puppet), virtualization platforms, cloud services, and certifications such as RHCE or LPIC are highly valued. Strong problem-solving, collaboration, and communication skills help you efficiently manage complex environments and mentor junior staff. These capabilities are crucial for ensuring system stability, security, and scalability in mission-critical IT infrastructures.

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

Senior Linux System Engineers often encounter challenges related to maintaining system uptime, managing complex configurations, and ensuring security across a large number of servers. Troubleshooting issues in distributed environments, automating repetitive tasks, and keeping systems up-to-date with the latest patches are also frequent responsibilities. Collaboration with development, security, and networking teams is essential to resolve cross-functional issues and implement new solutions efficiently. Staying current with evolving technologies and best practices is key to overcoming these challenges and excelling in the role.

What does a senior Linux system engineer do?

A Senior Linux System Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, maintaining, and troubleshooting Linux-based systems and servers within an organization. They ensure the reliability, security, and optimal performance of these systems, often leading projects and mentoring junior engineers. Their tasks may include automation, scripting, system updates, monitoring, and responding to incidents. They also collaborate with other IT teams to support business needs and implement best practices for system administration.

What is the difference between Senior Linux System Engineer vs Linux System Administrator?

AspectSenior Linux System EngineerLinux System Administrator
CertificationsLinux Professional Institute Certification (LPIC), RHCELPIC, RHCE often preferred
Work EnvironmentDesigning, implementing, and optimizing Linux infrastructureMaintaining and supporting existing Linux systems
ResponsibilitiesAdvanced troubleshooting, system architecture, scriptingSystem setup, user management, routine maintenance

The Senior Linux System Engineer typically focuses on designing and optimizing Linux environments, requiring advanced skills and certifications. In contrast, the Linux System Administrator handles daily maintenance and support tasks. Both roles often require similar certifications and work in similar environments, but their responsibilities differ in scope and complexity.

What are the most commonly searched types of Linux System Engineer jobs in Princeton, NJ?

The most popular types of Linux System Engineer jobs in Princeton, NJ are:

What are popular job titles related to Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Princeton, NJ?

For Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Princeton, NJ, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Princeton, NJ look for?

The top searched job categories for Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Princeton, NJ are:

What cities near Princeton, NJ are hiring for Senior Linux System Engineer jobs?

Cities near Princeton, NJ with the most Senior Linux System Engineer job openings:

Lead Systems Engineer (HPC)

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ • On-site

$135K - $150K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 14 days ago


Princeton University rating

9.0

Company rating: 9.0 out of 10

Based on 26 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

26th of 618 rated colleges and universities


Job description

Overview
The Lead Systems Engineer for High Performance Computing (HPC) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) works as part of the Advanced Systems team within Research Computing that supports the hardware and system-level software on the University's centralized high-performance computing and other computing for research systems. The Lead Systems Engineer is responsible for engaging with faculty, researchers, vendors, and other information technology (IT) staff to specify, design, install, and administer computing for research systems while also providing insight into trends and technologies supporting the advancement of AI research. The Lead Systems Engineer is also expected to be in tune to trends in computational research and will be asked to evaluate, pilot, and implement systems that advance Princeton's HPC and AI technologies enhancing Research Computing services. The Lead Systems Engineer serves as an expert for HPC and AI hardware and software and helps researchers troubleshoot system level problems with software, data, and job submission. This position requires one to work closely with colleagues at all levels of technical understanding in the Office of Information Technology (OIT) and University academic departments to provide timely and creative support for research computing. The Lead Systems Engineer is required to work well on teams and independently, and will be asked to lead initiatives within Advanced Systems, requiring only general supervision.
On-call rotation is a mandatory facet of this role, requiring infrequent off-hour and weekend duty.
Responsibilities
Operations:
  • Design, maintain, troubleshoot, and refine advanced HPC/AI cluster infrastructure including high-performance interconnects, cluster schedulers, and configuration management across research systems.
  • Partner with colleagues in Advanced Data and Storage Management to align designs for scratch filesystems and data management with cluster designs.
  • Develop data-transfer pathways and networks to support AI-driven computing workloads.
  • Establish and maintain best practices for cluster management and usage to support AI-driven workloads.
  • Develop documentation for users and technical staff that can be used by the larger community.
  • Develop, enhance, and expand monitoring infrastructure and related protocols for research computing systems.
  • Plan and implement scheduled maintenance of operations, including during off hours.
  • Perform other tasks as assigned.

Technical Leadership:
  • Define and drive the institutional technical strategy for advanced AI and data-intensive HPC.
  • Bring creativity, foresight, and mature professional judgment in anticipating and solving novel and complex problems, in determining project objectives and requirements, and in developing standards and governance for all research computing platforms.
  • Leveraging expertise in AI technologies, identify, evaluate, and pilot researcher-facing systems that enable the acceleration of research using AI.
  • Lead the implementation and expand adoption of modern, automation-driven infrastructure and cluster management practices.
  • Promote institution-wide collaboration as the community expert advising and working with faculty, researchers and vendors on emerging trends and challenges in AI-enabled research computing.
  • Cultivate a collaborative, knowledge-sharing environment by providing technical mentorship to systems specialists and analysts by sharing designs and operational expertise across data systems and HPC/AI infrastructure.
  • Contribute to the strategic vision for HPC/AI systems; Advise senior leadership and stakeholders on strategic investments, risks, and opportunities related to research infrastructure.

Troubleshooting and Problem Resolution:
  • Monitor HPC clusters, networks, and storage systems for abnormalities, and resolve issues.
  • Analyze and solve problems in Linux and HPC/AI computing environments with software, data, and job submissions.
  • Use scripting and programming tools to troubleshoot issues.

Qualifications
Essential Qualifications:
  • 10+ years of strong experience managing advanced research computing systems.
  • Strong expertise with Linux system administration, installation, and troubleshooting.
  • Advanced experience writing scripts in languages such as bash, Python and/or Perl.
  • Proficient in managing networking in HPC environments.
  • Strong experience managing software in an advanced research computing environment.
  • Experience supporting scheduling and managing jobs (SLURM) in large-scale computing environments.
  • Strong oral and written communication skills, with the ability to proactively engage peers and communicate effectively across a diverse stakeholder community.
  • Strong ability to solve complex and system infrastructure problems, and share expertise with colleagues at all levels.
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate across teams to solve systems and infrastructure challenges, aligning day-to-day operational needs with longer-term technical and organizational goals as technologies evolve.
  • When provided access to personal, proprietary and/or otherwise confidential data, maintain such data in the strictest confidence and follow procedures to ensure the privacy, security, and proper use of data.
  • Education: Bachelors degree in a related field or equivalent experience.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Experience working in an academic and research settings.
  • Experience supporting AI-driven research in open and secure computing environments.
  • Familiarity using and administering data-transfer technologies such as Globus that facilitate the transfer of large datasets.
  • Experience using and supporting parallel file systems that are commonly used in HPC/AI systems.
  • Experience supporting unstructured data in HPC/AI environments.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
The University considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's qualifications, work experience, education/training, key skills, market, collective bargaining agreements as applicable, and organizational considerations when extending an offer. The posted salary range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate for a full-time position; salaries for part-time positions are pro-rated accordingly.
If the salary range on the posted position shows an hourly rate, this is the baseline; the actual hourly rate may be higher, depending on the position and factors listed above.
The University also offers a comprehensive benefit program to eligible employees. Please see this link for more information.
Standard Weekly Hours
36.25
Eligible for Overtime
No
Benefits Eligible
Yes
Probationary Period
180 days
Essential Services Personnel (see policy for detail)
No
Physical Capacity Exam Required
No
Valid Driver's License Required
No
Experience Level
Director
#LI-JJ1
Salary Range
$135,000 to $150,000

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