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Senior Linux System Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Peraton

Senior Linux Systems Engineer

Herndon, VA · On-site

$104K - $166K/yr

Responsibilities We are seeking a Senior Linux Systems Engineer with a strong background in Linux ... system documentation, security hardening, and diagnosing and troubleshooting system and network ...

Peraton

Senior Linux Systems Engineer

Herndon, VA · On-site

$104K - $166K/yr

Responsibilities We are seeking a Senior Linux Systems Engineer with a strong background in Linux ... system documentation, security hardening, and diagnosing andtroubleshooting system and network ...

Leidos

Linux System Engineer

Chantilly, VA · On-site

$73K - $132K/yr

Leidos is seeking an experienced Linux Systems Engineer to provide support to a mission critical enterprise identity and access management system. A successful candidate will develop an understanding ...

MANTECH

Senior Linux System Administrator

Laurel, MD · On-site

Demonstrated experience in planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts is required. * Must be proficient with troubleshooting in a Linux Red Hat environment. * Extensive experience with VMWare

MANTECH

Senior Linux System Administrator

Laurel, MD · On-site

Demonstrated experience in planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts is required. * Must be proficient with troubleshooting in a Linux Red Hat environment. * Extensive experience with VMWare

MANTECH

Senior Linux System Administrator

Laurel, MD · On-site

Demonstrated experience in planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts is required. * Must be proficient with troubleshooting in a Linux Red Hat environment. * Extensive experience with VMWare

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All JobsLinux System Engineer JobsSenior Linux System Engineer JobsSenior Linux System Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Senior Linux System Engineer information

See Washington, DC salary details

$113.8K

$144.9K

$179.5K

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

As of Jul 16, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior linux system engineer in Washington, DC is $144,889.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $133,600.00 and $156,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Linux System Engineer, and why are they important?

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 Washington, DC? The most popular types of Linux System Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:
What are popular job titles related to Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Washington, DC? For Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Washington, DC, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Washington, DC look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Linux System Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:
Senior Linux System Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Senior Linux System Engineer job openings in Washington, DC as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 90% Full Time, 8% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 86% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 9% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $144,889 per year, or $69.7 per hour.
Linux System Engineer

Linux System Engineer

E&M Technologies, Inc.

Chantilly, VA • On-site

$160K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 13 days ago

Job description

Job Type
Full-time
Description
POSITION: Linux System Engineer
WORK LOCATION: Chantilly, VA
JOB CATEGORY: Information Technology
JOB TYPE: Full-Time
REQUISITION ID: EM07-044
CITIZENSHIP: United States Citizen
CLEARANCE TYPE: Top Secret/SCI with Poly
TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: None
E&M Technologies, Inc. is dedicated to recruiting and developing diverse, high-performing talent who are passionate about what they do. Our employees are unified in a shared dedication to our customers' mission and quest for professional growth. E&M provides an inclusive, engaging environment designed to empower employees and promote work-life success. Fundamental to our culture is an unwavering focus on values, dedication to our communities, and commitment to excellence in everything we do.
E&M Technologies, Inc. is currently seeking a Linux System Engineer to join our team in Chantilly, VA in support of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The NGA delivers world-class geospatial intelligence that provides a decisive advantage to policymakers, military service members, intelligence professionals, and first responders.
Job Responsibilities:
  • Design, develop, and support cloud initiatives to support customer driven needs
  • Communicate and mitigate operational issues as received. Work to proactively identify RCA of baseline issues and establish a feedback loop to development.
  • Work as a SME to review user metrics, system health, overall performance checkouts and implements proactive measures to support operational availability
  • Responsible for deployment support as a product SME. Provide backfill tasking and troubleshooting script/playbook-based automation processes as necessary.
  • Manage several environments as a Linux SME providing overall support to the program and working with Enterprise Services to ensure compliance with security services and applications.

Requirements
Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related discipline plus 4-6 years of professional experience as a Systems Administrator or similar technical role.
  • Proactive self-starter demonstrating a positive, willing attitude and excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Two or more years of experience with Amazon Web Services (S3 Buckets, EC2, Reserved Instances, etc.)
  • Familiar with System Engineering documentation creation (network diagrams, data flows, etc.)
  • Experience working with Agile Team Collaboration tools such as (Jira, Confluence, BitBucket)
  • Strong Linux background and familiarity with best practices of infrastructure management.
  • All candidates must be US CITIZENS to be considered for the position.
  • Must have and be capable of maintaining a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Top Secret/SCI security clearance upon hire and must be willing and able to obtain a polygraph within the customer's timeline after hire. Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Oracle COTS product experience (Oracle Access Manager, Oracle Unified Directory, etc.)
  • Experience with Kubernetes
  • Experience with Elastic tools (ElasticSearch, Kibana, Logstash)
  • Experience with AWS and other cloud vendors.
  • Experience with Amazon Web Services technical performance versus cost management
  • Experience with cloud-based architectures
  • Familiar with cross domain architectures at various levels
  • Experience with automated testing and monitoring
  • Experience with Engineering Review Boards and Change Management

To Apply for this Position:
You must have the Minimum Qualifications in your resume to be selected as a candidate.
The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. E&M considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.
Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.
This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.?
E&M anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require E&M to shorten or extend the application window.?
E&M is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. E&M provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act.
As part of the federal government's transition to the Trusted Workforce 2.0 Continuous Vetting framework, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) is expanding enrollment in the FBI Rap Back program for cleared industry personnel beginning April 1, 2026.
Rap Back (Record of Arrest and Prosecution Back) is a service provided by the FBI that allows authorized agencies to receive notifications if there are updates to an individual's criminal history record while they hold a security clearance. This supports continuous vetting of cleared personnel.
Per DCSA guidance, we are required to provide the following FBI privacy advisements to all cleared employees:
• FBI Privacy Act Notice
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/compact-council/privacy-act-statement
• Noncriminal Justice Applicant's Privacy Rights
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/more-fbi-services-and-information/compact-council/guiding-principles-noncriminal-justice-applicants-privacy-rights
Salary Description
Up to $160K USD

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