Senior Systems Administrator

Saalex • Ridgecrest, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

Saalex is seeking a Senior Systems Administrator in Ridgecrest, CA. Saalex is an Engineering and Information Technology Services company with a focus on Test Range Operations and Management, Engineering and Logistics Services, Data Analytics and Business Intelligence Services and Information Technology Services. About the Opportunity: Are you an experienced Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) looking for high-impact technical work paired with the flexibility of a part-time schedule? At Saalex Solutions, we support vital Department of Defense tactical training systems and test range capabilities. We are actively seeking a Senior Red Hat & Cloud Systems Administrator—while targeting a Senior, motivated Journeyman-level professionals with the right mindset, strong technical foundation, and drive to grow are strongly encouraged to apply! In this role, you will help maintain, automate, and modernize mission-critical systems across hybrid enterprise environments—bridging on-premise high-performance Linux enclaves with AWS cloud architectures. This position offers the ideal blend of high technical autonomy, cutting-edge DevSecOps tooling, and a flexible 20–25 hour workweek.

Requirements

• Active Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE).
• Active DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE, CCNA Security, CySA+, or equivalent).
• Practical experience with core AWS services (VPC, EC2, S3, IAM) and scripting/automation tools (Bash, Python, Ansible, or Terraform).
• Familiarity with DISA STIGs, SCAP compliance tools, and vulnerability remediation.
• Master’s degree with 5–7+ years of relevant experience, OR Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related technical field with 7–10+ years of hands-on experience, OR 8–10+ years of progressive, hands-on Linux system administration experience (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu) and advanced technical proficiency.
• Must possess an active Secret clearance with the ability to gain and maintain a Top-Secret clearance.
• Requirements to obtain a clearance include US Citizenship, security investigation, etc.

Nice To Haves

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect or AWS Certified SysOps Administrator.
• Hands-on experience with containerization technologies (Docker, Podman, Kubernetes/OpenShift).
• Prior experience supporting Navy/DoD test range facilities (NAWCWD China Lake / Point Mugu or similar SSA environments).
• Familiarity with Atlassian tools (Jira, Confluence) or enterprise Git repositories.

Responsibilities

• Perform hands-on administration, hardening, and automation across both classified and unclassified environments.
• Deploy, configure, and administer multi-distribution Linux environments (primarily Red Hat Enterprise Linux [RHEL], CentOS, and Ubuntu) supporting real-time servers, lab environments, and field engineering workstations.
• Support, deploy, and maintain scalable AWS infrastructure utilizing VPC, EC2, EBS, S3, IAM, CloudWatch, RDS, and EFS.
• Automate routine provisioning, configuration, and deployments using Ansible, Terraform, or AWS CloudFormation.
• Apply DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), evaluate Nessus/ACAS scan findings, and remediate vulnerabilities in alignment with DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) controls.
• Support and maintain continuous integration/continuous deployment pipelines (GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, AWS CodePipeline) to enable reliable, secure software releases.
• Proactively monitor server health, perform root-cause analysis on system alerts, and troubleshoot network routing (TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls, and load balancing).
• Administer user accounts, role-based privileges, and group security policies in accordance with DoD and Navy cybersecurity directives.
• Participate in Agile/Scrum sprint coordination, providing dependable infrastructure and deployment support to software developers, test engineers, and cyber leads.
• Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• True Work-Life Flexibility: Guaranteed 20–25 hours per week with adaptable scheduling around core operational windows.
• Alternate Fridays Off (9/80 Schedule): Enjoy standard three-day weekends every other week.
• Modern Tooling & Autonomy: Drive technical solutions across AWS cloud infrastructure, modern CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code automation.
• Direct Mission Impact: Support real-time systems essential to naval air warfare test ranges and national defense readiness.
• Continuous Growth & Mentorship: Full sponsorship for DoD cyber credentials, technical training, and professional development units (CEUs) to help you advance your career.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Senior