Sr. Systems Administrator
About The Position
BigBear.ai is seeking a Senior Systems Administrator to join a mission-focused engineering team supporting the sustainment, reliability, and security of two critical operating environments. This is a full-time, onsite role based in Washington, D.C., requiring a hands-on administrator who thrives in a high-availability setting, partners effectively with developers and cybersecurity stakeholders, and applies strong technical judgment to keep complex systems stable, compliant, and operational. You will help ensure services remain performant and secure, quickly diagnose and resolve issues, and contribute to continuous improvement across build, deployment, monitoring, and configuration practices.
Requirements
- Clearance: Active TS/SCI and CI Poly eligible (must be able to obtain/maintain)
- Education / Experience: Minimum 8 years of systems administration experience, with at least a portion of that experience in the last 2 years, and Master’s degree in a systems administration-related field OR a Bachelor’s degree in a related field plus 2 additional years of senior experience (for a total of 10 years) in lieu of a Master’s degree
- Operating Systems / Platforms: Experience administering Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7/8/9
- Working knowledge of FIPS mode, SELinux, firewalld, fapolicyd, and core Linux administration
- Certifications / Privileged Access: Ability to obtain a Privileged User Access (PUA) account
- CompTIA Security+ or equivalent certification (required for privileged access eligibility)
- Demonstrated proficiency administering Linux-based systems
- Web / Application Infrastructure: Familiarity supporting Apache HTTPD and Apache Tomcat
- Databases: Working knowledge of PostgreSQL, MongoDB, and OracleDB
- Principal technologies (environment-facing): Exposure to ecosystems that may include Java, JCE, Java Web Services, Hibernate, Spring, JavaScript, Apache Ant, and Apache Solr
Nice To Haves
- Proficient experience with cloud computing environments and operational best practices
- Strong Linux administration depth (automation, hardening, troubleshooting at scale)
- Proficient digital security experience (system hardening, compliance, access controls, audit readiness)
- Working knowledge of SQL and strong Bash scripting/automation skills
- Ability to debug Java web applications in partnership with development teams (logs, configs, runtime behavior, dependencies)
Responsibilities
- Administer and sustain Linux-based operating environments supporting critical applications and services
- Apply senior-level systems administration expertise across high-impact assignments, prioritizing uptime, performance, and security
- Plan and lead major technical tasks (e.g., upgrades, patches, hardening, automation, performance tuning) and coordinate execution through completion
- Monitor system health, identify trends, and troubleshoot complex issues across OS, web/application tiers, and databases
- Implement and maintain security controls and configuration baselines (including FIPS mode, SELinux, firewall configurations, and access controls)
- Support web/application infrastructure components such as Apache HTTPD and Apache Tomcat and troubleshoot service-level issues
- Perform system configuration, documentation, and change support to ensure consistent, repeatable operations
- Partner with developers to support and debug Java web applications and related services as needed
- Evaluate outcomes, recommend improvements, and drive changes that improve reliability, maintainability, and operational efficiency
- Serve as a technical expert across multiple assignments; may provide guidance and direction to junior staff
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
