Senior System Administrator
Columbia, MDSystem Administrator – Level III
Location: Columbia, MD
Employment Type: Full-time
Experience Level: Senior (9+ years)
Security Clearance: Active TS/SCI with polygraph required
Position Overview
The selected candidate will serve as a System Administrator supporting mission-critical operational environments. This role involves sustaining, optimizing, and modernizing high-performance computing infrastructure to ensure reliability, scalability, and operational effectiveness.
The candidate will operate as a technical contributor responsible for system ownership, documentation, and continuous improvement of infrastructure and workflows. This position requires direct engagement with users and engineering teams to enhance system performance and streamline operational processes.
Key Responsibilities
System Administration & Hardware Support
- Install, configure, and maintain high-performance computing systems, including GPU-accelerated platforms
- Support installation, relocation, and sustainment of hardware within structured data center or warehouse environments
- Troubleshoot hardware and software issues across networked systems
Infrastructure Operations & Optimization
- Support ongoing system performance tuning and operational reliability
- Identify and address gaps in system support and infrastructure processes
- Partner with engineering teams to optimize workflows and system usage
Documentation & Process Development
- Develop and maintain detailed technical documentation, including configurations, procedures, and system diagrams
- Create repeatable deployment and sustainment processes to improve efficiency
- Capture lessons learned and translate them into standardized operating procedures
Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with on-site support personnel and distributed teams
- Coordinate troubleshooting efforts and escalate issues as needed to meet mission timelines
- Support a collaborative, user-focused operational environment
Modernization & Future Capabilities
- Contribute to virtualization initiatives and infrastructure modernization efforts
- Support evolving requirements, including potential cloud integration and advanced compute environments
- Assist in planning for future scalability and technology adoption
Required Qualifications
- Minimum of 9 years of relevant professional experience
- Strong experience in Linux systems administration within operational environments
- Experience installing and maintaining high-performance or GPU-accelerated computing systems
- Demonstrated ability to document technical processes clearly and effectively
- Experience working in structured data center or warehouse environments
- Familiarity with virtualization technologies and hypervisors
- Strong troubleshooting skills across hardware, software, and networked systems
- Effective communication skills and experience working directly with users
- Ability to work independently while coordinating with distributed teams
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience supporting large-scale compute environments or advanced processing platforms
- Familiarity with cloud platforms and infrastructure integration (e.g., AWS)
- Experience supporting modernization or infrastructure transformation efforts
- Demonstrated ability to improve operational processes and user workflows
Desired Attributes
- Proactive and solution-oriented mindset
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to documentation quality
- Ability to build effective working relationships across teams
- Adaptability to evolving mission requirements and technologies
- Commitment to improving system reliability, efficiency, and user experience
Benefits & Total Compensation
Compensation & Retirement
- Highly competitive base salary
- Performance-based bonus opportunities
- Employee referral bonus program (up to $10,000 per referral)
- 401(k) and Roth retirement plans with up to 10% profit-sharing contribution
Paid Time Off & Leave
- 25 days of paid time off annually
- PTO buy-back program
- 11 paid holidays annually (with flexible scheduling options)
- 3 additional paid site closure days per year
- Paid bereavement leave
- Paid parental leave:
- 8 weeks childbirth leave for birthing parent
- 4 weeks bonding leave for all parents (birth or adoption)
Health & Insurance
- 100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and eligible dependents
- Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Accounts (medical, dependent care, limited purpose)
- Company-paid basic life insurance
- Short-term and long-term disability coverage
Education & Professional Development
- Unlimited company-funded training courses and industry conferences
- Education assistance and continuing education support
- Up to 5 paid training days per year
Additional Benefits
- Company-provided apparel
- Regular company-sponsored events, including family-friendly gatherings and social events
- Annual holiday celebration
Benefits are subject to change based on contract and organizational policies.
Additional Information
- This position requires work to be performed on-site in a secure environment
- Candidates must maintain an active security clearance
- U.S. citizenship may be required based on contract requirements
Equal Opportunity Employer
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability.