Linux Desktop Administrator

University of Wisconsin Madison•Madison, WI

1d•$70,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Linux Desktop Administrator will be responsible for managing, supporting, and optimizing Linux-based desktop environments across the College of Engineering. This role ensures reliable access to academic, research, and administrative systems, while maintaining security, usability, and compliance with higher education standards. The administrator will collaborate with faculty, researchers, IT staff, and students to deliver a stable and innovative computing experience. This position is part of the Computer-Aided Engineering group serving faculty, staff, and students across the College of Engineering. The Linux Desktop Administrator will balance day-to-day support with long-term strategic projects, ensuring that Linux systems remain a reliable and innovative platform for teaching, learning, and research.

Requirements

3+ years of Linux system administration, preferably in higher education or research environments
Experience with multiple Linux distributions (Ubuntu, Fedora, Red Hat, Debian).
Knowledge of scripting languages (such as Bash, Python, Perl, awk, javascript )
Familiarity with configuration management tools (such as Ansible, Puppet, Chef).
Experience with authentication systems (such as LDAP, Kerberos, Active Directory, Shibboleth )
Understanding of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP v4 and v6, DNS, DHCP,
Experience with network storage integration (such as NFSv3/4 and SMB)
Strong communication, problem-solving, documentation, and customer service skills; ability to work collaboratively in a diverse academic environment.
Experience working in teams and negotiating different approaches to problem solving and technical solutions.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting Linux desktops in research labs or computing cluster environments.
Familiarity with virtualization and containerization (such as: VMware, Docker, Kubernetes, incus, or proxmox).
Experience with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)
Knowledge of accessibility standards and inclusive technology practices.
Contributions to open-source projects or Linux community engagement
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience) preferred.

Responsibilities

Install, configure, and maintain Linux desktop operating systems (Ubuntu, Fedora, Red Hat, etc.) across campus labs, faculty offices, and research environments.
Provide technical assistance to faculty, staff, and students, including troubleshooting desktop issues, software installations, and performance optimization.
Implement and monitor security policies, including patch/package management, endpoint protection, and compliance with institutional IT standards.
Package, distribute, and update academic and research applications across Linux desktops using automation tools.
Ensure interoperability between Linux desktops and services (Active Directory, LDAP, file servers, printing, cloud platforms).
Maintain clear technical documentation, user guides, and training materials for Linux desktop usage.
Work closely with IT teams, faculty, and researchers to support specialized computing needs, including research computation resources and tools.
Evaluate emerging Linux desktop technologies and recommend improvements to enhance teaching, learning, and research outcomes.
Creates user training materials and basic technical documentation regarding system operations and changes
Serves as a point of contact for internal stakeholders, communicating issue updates and resolutions
Assists with running, maintaining, and operating technical systems and infrastructure
Integrates, identifies, troubleshoots, monitors, and resolves basic supported services, systems, network, and application problems according to established processes and procedures
Configures, maintains, upgrades, develops, and tests IT systems and services in alignment with industry best practices