Sr. Systems Engineer, Linux

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The Senior Linux Engineer will report to the IT Manager, Cloud & Infrastructure and will be responsible for the reliability, security, performance, and lifecycle management of Linux-based systems and supporting infrastructure. This role will work closely with Information Security, Service Operations, and other IT teams to support production and internal environments. The ideal candidate is self-motivated, comfortable in a fast-paced environment, and experienced in diagnosing complex system-level issues.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, maintain, patch, and monitor Linux servers across multiple environments.
• Manage OS lifecycle activities including upgrades, security hardening, patch compliance, and vulnerability remediation.
• Administer core Linux services such as:
• DNS
• DHCP
• NTP
• SSH
• SFTP
• systemd services
• cron / scheduled tasks
• log management (rsyslog, journald)
• Perform performance tuning and troubleshooting across CPU, memory, disk, filesystem, and network layers using standard Linux tooling (top/htop, iostat, vmstat, strace, lsof, tcpdump, etc.).
• Manage and maintain storage and filesystems (LVM, RAID, ext4/xfs, mounts, quotas, and backups).
• Support server virtualization and/or cloud environments where applicable (Hyper-V, Azure, OCI, etc.).
• Participate in monitoring and alerting improvements (e.g., Zabbix, Prometheus, Grafana, Splunk, ELK, Nagios, etc.).
• Develop and maintain automation for provisioning, patching, and configuration management using scripting and tooling such as:
• Bash
• Python
• PowerShell
• Ansible
• Puppet
• Chef
• Provide Tier 3 escalation support for internal infrastructure issues and service outages.
• Work with third-party vendors and internal teams to coordinate problem resolution and root cause analysis.
• Maintain accurate and timely ticket updates, documentation, and status reporting in the ticketing system.
• Create and maintain internal documentation, standards, runbooks, and procedures.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to Service Operations and other support personnel.
• Participate in a rotating on-call schedule and respond to after-hours incidents as required.
• Travel to other company sites as needed for infrastructure support or deployments.
• Conduct themselves professionally when representing the team and organization.
• Work collaboratively to achieve goals and/or complete assigned tasks.
• Adhere to set directions and guidelines from team leader to support collaboration across teams to complete projects.
• Perform other duties as assigned by management.

Required Skills and Experience

• Typically requires bachelors degree and/or equivalent level of experience with 8 years of hands-on experience in Linux Administration, Systems Administration, or Infrastructure Support in a company of 500+ employees (or equivalent combination of experience and education).
• Strong working experience of Linux administration concepts including:
• user/group management
• permissions
• sudo
• SSH
• package management (yum/dnf/apt)
• repositories
• patching
• system services (systemd)
• startup configuration
• log analysis and troubleshooting
• Solid understanding of networking fundamentals:
• TCP/IP
• routing basics
• DNS
• firewalls
• troubleshooting connectivity using common tools (ping, traceroute, netstat/ss, tcpdump)
• Experience supporting enterprise environments with uptime, security, and compliance expectations.
• Ability to troubleshoot issues independently and drive resolution across multiple teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Strong written communication skills, including documentation and ticket updates.
• Self-starter with the ability to work with little or no supervision.
• Strong time-management skills with the ability to multitask and manage priorities effectively.
• Effective collaborator across IT and other departments.
• Demonstrated commitment to professional development and continuous improvement.
• Experience with configuration management.
• Familiarity with security best practices:
• CIS hardening
• auditing/logging
• vulnerability scanning remediation
• Experience supporting:
• container platforms (Docker, Kubernetes)
• CI/CD pipelines
• cloud Linux workloads
• Experience with backup tooling and disaster recovery practices.
• Scripting/automation background beyond "basic scripts," including reusable tooling, error handling, and version control (Git).
• Ability to communicate in a manner that is timely, respectful, and open to other ideas.
• Demonstrate willingness to adjust thinking and behaviour.

Physical Qualifications

• Must be able to work flexible hours outside of normal business hours.
• Be part of on call rotation.
• Must be able to sit or stand for extended periods.
• Must be a "U.S. person" as defined by the ITAR (22 CFR §120.15).
• Must be able to stoop, bend, crawl, and being able to maneuver in tight spaces.
• Ability to routinely lift 20-30 lbs. and occasionally lift and move 40 lbs (unassisted).

#LI-HS1

The annual U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $99,700.00-$152,075.00. The base pay actually offered will vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, location, and experience and take into account internal equity. Other forms of pay (e.g., bonus or long term incentive) may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a full range of medical, financial, and other benefits, dependent on the position offered. For more information regarding Virgin Galactic benefits, please visit https://vgcareers.virgingalactic.com/global/en/benefits

Who We Are

Virgin Galactic is an aerospace and space travel company, pioneering human spaceflight for private individuals and researchers with its advanced air and space vehicles. We are making the dream of space travel a reality, delivering spaceflight at an unprecedented frequency, with the development of next generation space vehicles.

Export Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. Person (either a U.S. citizen, a lawful permanent resident or a protected individual as defined 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3) or be able to obtain the required authorization from either the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Department of Commerce. The applicant must also not be included in the list of Specifically Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons maintained by the Office of Foreign Assets Control. See list here.

EEO Statement

Virgin Galactic is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Virgin Galactic is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Drug Free Workplace

Virgin Galactic is committed to a Drug Free Workplace. All applicants post offer and active teammates are subject to testing for marijuana, cocaine, opioids, amphetamines, PCP, and alcohol when criteria is met as outlined in our policies. This can include pre-employment, random, reasonable suspicion, and accident related drug and alcohol testing.

Phoenix Employment Requirements

For individuals seeking employment at our Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport facility, employment is contingent upon you obtaining and maintaining a TSA authorized security badge. This includes initial and annual mandatory background checks that are governed by TSA, and conducted by the Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport badging office.