Title : Linux administrator
Location : Minneapolis, MN
FTE
Roles & Responsibilities
Linux System Administrator
We are seeking an experienced Linux System Administrator to manage, maintain, and optimize our Linux-based infrastructure. The ideal candidate will ensure the reliability, security, and performance of our server environments while supporting development teams and business operations with robust, scalable systems.
Key Responsibilities
System Administration & Management
• Install, configure, and maintain Linux servers across multiple distributions (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian, SUSE)
• Manage physical, virtual Linux environments (VMware)
• Perform system updates, patches, and security hardening following best practices
• Configure and manage system services, daemons, and startup processes (systemd, init.d)
• Implement and maintain user account management, access controls, and sudo policies
• Monitor system performance, resource utilization, and capacity planning
• Manage disk storage, LVM, filesystems, and partition schemes
• Configure and optimize kernel parameters and system tuning Server Infrastructure & Deployment
• Deploy and provision new Linux servers using automation tools and kickstart/preseed configurations
• Manage server lifecycle from provisioning to decommissioning
• Implement load balancing and failover mechanisms
• Manage virtual machine environments and hypervisors
• Optimize server performance through tuning and resource allocation
Networking & Connectivity
• Configure network interfaces, routing, VLANs, and bonding/teaming
• Manage firewalls using iptables, firewalld, or nftables
• Configure DNS, DHCP, and network services
• Implement VPN solutions (OpenVPN, IPsec, WireGuard)
• Troubleshoot network connectivity and performance issues
• Configure SELinux/AppArmor security policies
• Manage SSL/TLS certificates and key management
Storage & Backup Management
• Configure and manage local and network storage (NFS, CIFS/Samba, iSCSI)
• Implement RAID configurations and disk redundancy
• Manage logical volume management (LVM) and filesystem optimization
• Design and implement backup and recovery strategies
• Configure and maintain backup solutions (rsync, Bacula, Amanda, Veeam, Commvault)
• Perform regular backup testing and disaster recovery drills
• Manage data retention policies and archival strategies
Security & Compliance
• Implement security best practices and hardening standards (CIS benchmarks, STIG)
• Configure and manage authentication systems (LDAP, Active Directory integration, Kerberos)
• Implement SSH key management and secure remote access
• Configure intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS)
• Perform regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Manage security patches and emergency updates
• Implement file integrity monitoring (AIDE, Tripwire)
• Configure audit logging and centralized log management
• Ensure compliance with security policies and regulatory requirements (PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2)
Monitoring & Performance Tuning
• Implement comprehensive monitoring using tools like Datadog
• Configure alerting for critical system events and thresholds
• Monitor system logs using centralized logging solutions (ELK Stack, Splunk, rsyslog)
• Analyze system performance metrics (CPU, memory, disk I/O, network)
• Optimize system performance through kernel tuning and resource management
• Troubleshoot performance bottlenecks and resource contention
• Implement capacity planning based on growth trends
Automation & Scripting
• Develop shell scripts (Bash, Python, Perl) for automation and task scheduling
• Develop monitoring scripts and health check utilities
• Automate backup and recovery procedures
Web & Application Server Management
• Install and configure web servers (Apache, Nginx)
• Manage application servers (Tomcat, JBoss, WebLogic)
• Configure reverse proxies and SSL/TLS termination
• Optimize web server performance and caching
• Implement log rotation and management
• Support development teams with server configurations
Database Server Support
• Install and configure database servers (MySQL, PostgreSQL, Oracle)
• Perform basic database administration tasks and backups
• Monitor database server performance and resource usage
• Coordinate with DBAs for advanced database operations
• Implement database replication and high availability
Troubleshooting & Support
• Diagnose and resolve s ystem issues, crashes, and performance problems
• Troubleshoot boot failures, kernel panics, and hardware issues
• Analyze system logs and error messages for root cause analysis
• Respond to incidents and service requests in a timely manner
• Escalate complex issues to appropriate teams or vendors
• Document troubleshooting procedures and resolutions
Required Qualifications
• 3-5 years of hands-on Linux system administration experience in production environments
• Strong knowledge of Linux distributions (RHEL/CentOS, Ubuntu/Debian preferred)
• Proficiency in shell scripting (Bash) and at least one scripting language (Python, Perl)
• Experience with package management (yum/dnf, apt/dpkg, zypper)
• Strong understanding of networking concepts (TCP/IP, DNS, routing, firewalls)
• Experience with configuration management tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef, or SaltStack)
• Knowledge of virtualization technologies (VMware, KVM, Xen)
• Experience with monitoring and logging tools
• Understanding of security best practices and hardening techniques
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
Preferred Qualifications
• Linux certifications (RHCSA, RHCE, LPIC-1, LPIC-2, CompTIA Linux+)
• Familiarity with infrastructure as code (Terraform, CloudFormation)
• Experience with web servers and load balancers (Apache, Nginx, HAProxy)
• Experience with enterprise backup solutions
• Understanding of storage technologies (SAN, NAS, distributed filesystems)
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and methodologies