Senior Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Administrator

Company: Tekla Research
Location: Chevy Chase
Posted on: April 2, 2026

Job Description:

Must be a U.S. Citizen Clearance Required: Active TS/SCI with Full Scope Polygraph (or ability to obtain and pass polygraph) Education : Masters degree – OR – 15 years of experience with CompTIA Security or better. Strong preference for RHEL System Administration Certification. Experience: Required Qualifications: Active TS/SCI security clearance with ability to pass a polygraph. 15 years of experience in Linux system administration, with at least 10 years specializing in RHEL. Strong knowledge of enterprise RHEL environments, including clustering, storage, networking, and virtualization. Hands-on experience with Ansible or equivalent automation/configuration management tools. In-depth knowledge of system hardening, auditing, and compliance frameworks (DISA STIGs, NIST, RMF). Strong background in scripting (Bash, Python, or Perl). Experience supporting classified government or defense programs. Excellent communication and documentation skills. Preferred Qualifications: Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) or Red Hat Certified Architect (RHCA). Experience with cloud environments (AWS, Azure, OpenStack) in secure contexts. Familiarity with DevSecOps pipelines and CI/CD tools. Previous leadership or team lead experience. Position Description: Support Naval Research Laboratory Space Systems Development Division (SSDD) in a collaborative, fast-paced environment supporting high-priority national security missions. We are seeking a highly experienced Senior RHEL Administrator to provide enterprise-level administration, security, and support for mission-critical Linux environments. The ideal candidate will have extensive expertise in Red Hat Enterprise Linux, demonstrated success in architecting and managing secure infrastructure, and the ability to ensure compliance with stringent government and DoD/DON cybersecurity standards. This position requires a proven leader with the ability to guide technical teams, collaborate with program managers, and deliver innovative solutions within classified environments. Key Responsibilities: Administer, configure, secure, and optimize Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems across physical and virtual environments. Perform system hardening, patch management, and vulnerability remediation in alignment with DISA STIGs, DoD RMF, and US CYBERCOM directives. Design, implement, and maintain highly available and resilient RHEL infrastructures supporting mission-critical workloads. Manage authentication, authorization, and access control with LDAP, Active Directory integration, and Kerberos. Provide advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis for complex system, application, and network issues. Support containerization (Docker, Podman) and virtualization platforms (VMware, KVM, Hyper-V). Automate tasks and workflows using Ansible, Bash, and Python. Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to maintain compliance with security policies, audits, and incident response. Document system architecture, procedures, and change management processes. Mentor junior administrators and provide technical leadership within the team Benefits: Medical, Dental, & Vision Plan, short- and long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, 401K retirement & matching, Tuition assistance program, direct deposit, leave package and 11 paid federal holidays. Salary: The projected salary range for this position is $160,000-$200,000; however, this is not a guarantee of salary. Salary will be set based on experience and contractual requirements.

Keywords: Tekla Research, Charlottesville , Senior Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) Administrator, IT / Software / Systems , Chevy Chase, Virginia