Linux Engineer (Classified Environment)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory•Oak Ridge, TN

6d•Onsite

About The Position

The Field Intelligence Operations Division (FIOD) of the National Security Directorate (NSSD), is seeking an exceptional Linux Engineer to help design, build, and advance the secure computing environments behind some of the nation’s most consequential national security, intelligence, and scientific missions. You’ll have genuine ownership over mission-critical accounts and work closely with a small, focused team trusted to execute with minimal supervision. The position requires Top-Secret Clearance with access to Q and SCI. This is not a traditional Linux administration role. You will work at the intersection of advanced Linux engineering, cybersecurity, high-performance computing, emerging technologies, and classified mission systems—solving complex technical challenges in environments where security, reliability, and performance are critical. As a Linux Engineer, you will help architect, implement, automate, operate, and continuously modernize highly secure Linux infrastructure supporting both current missions and rapidly evolving capabilities. You will work across multiple security domains and collaborate with cybersecurity professionals, systems and network engineers, scientists, researchers, and mission partners to turn demanding requirements into resilient, scalable, and secure computing solutions. We are looking for someone who enjoys building, automating, troubleshooting, experimenting, and solving problems others cannot. The ideal candidate brings deep Linux expertise, a strong engineering mindset, curiosity about emerging technologies, and the drive to continually improve how secure computing environments are designed and operated. If you are a Linux engineer who wants more than routine administration—and you want to apply your skills to technically challenging problems with real national impact—this is an opportunity to build systems that matter.

Requirements

BS degree in a related technical field and at least five years of Linux engineering or administration experience. Equivalent education, experience, and certifications may be considered.
Current Top-Secret clearance with Q and SCI eligibility.
Demonstrated expertise with RHEL/Linux engineering, troubleshooting, performance tuning, automation, and scripting.
Experience with Ansible, Python, Bash, enterprise virtualization, identity integration, storage, monitoring/logging, and cybersecurity compliance.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to independently solve complex technical challenges and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.

Nice To Haves

Classified, Intelligence Community, DoD, DOE, or other highly regulated computing environments.
HPC, AI/ML infrastructure, GPU computing, containers, Kubernetes, or advanced computing platforms.
Infrastructure-as-code, advanced automation, CI/CD, or enterprise configuration management.
Enterprise virtualization, storage, backup, and disaster-recovery architectures.
RMF, NIST 800-53, STIG implementation, vulnerability management, or authorization activities.
Designing or modernizing enterprise Linux environments and introducing emerging technologies.
Relevant Linux, automation, cybersecurity, virtualization, or cloud certifications.

Responsibilities

Engineer and modernize secure Linux infrastructure supporting classified national security, intelligence, scientific, HPC, and emerging mission environments, primarily using Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and related distributions.
Design, build, configure, optimize, and sustain physical and virtual Linux platforms across multiple security domains.
Develop automation using Ansible, Python, Bash, and Git-based workflows to improve deployment, configuration, patching, compliance, reliability, and operational efficiency.
Implement cybersecurity requirements including RMF, NIST 800-53, STIGs, DOE directives, and ICD 503, including system hardening, vulnerability remediation, monitoring, and secure logging.
Integrate Linux environments with enterprise identity, virtualization, storage, backup, and monitoring capabilities, including Active Directory, LDAP, Kerberos, PKI, VMware, and KVM.
Troubleshoot complex technical issues and partner with cybersecurity, networking, storage, application, HPC, and mission teams to develop secure, scalable solutions.
Evaluate and introduce new technologies, architectures, and engineering approaches that advance infrastructure modernization and emerging mission capabilities.
Support mission-critical operations, planned maintenance, and occasional after-hours requirements.