Sr. System Administrator

Company Description

At Ridgeline, we are pioneers in the fight against Ubiquitous Technical Surveillance, helping government and enterprise organizations protect what matters most in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. We are a company built for people who thrive on curiosity, creativity, and solving challenges no one else has cracked yet. Our culture rewards initiative, values collaboration over ego, and gives you the freedom to experiment and innovate. We offer meaningful work, flexible remote options, a balanced work life rhythm, and a team of talented engineers and experts who support and inspire one another. Joining Ridgeline means contributing to technology that has real impact while growing your career in a place where your ideas and expertise genuinely matter.

Job Description

We're looking for a Sr. System Administrator with 7-10 years of hands-on experience supporting, deploying, and maintaining both Linux and Windows-based systems, as well as managing networking and virtualization infrastructure. You'll play a key role in ensuring stable, secure, and scalable environments across both internal operations and external client-facing systems.

This is a hybrid role with the flexibility to work remotely part of the week, but you'll also be hands-on with hardware in the data center as needed.

What Makes This Role Unique

Tech-forward team: You'll work alongside a sharp, passionate group of engineers who love what they do and love sharing what they know. Peer learning is part of the culture.

Choose your own tools: Linux, macOS, Windows, even Amiga or Commodore 64-pick your workstation OS. (Yes, really.)

Zero fluff, full impact: No red tape. No corporate theater. Just real infrastructure challenges, room to experiment, and support to grow.

High trust, high autonomy: You'll be set up for success with the right tools, team, and environment to do your best work.

In Your First 6 Months, You'll:

• Deploy and configure Linux systems across production and staging environments
• Identify and resolve infrastructure gaps or inefficiencies
• Automate manual tasks in collaboration with DevOps using Bash, Python, or Ansible
• Collaborate with the Network & Security team to improve system monitoring and alerting
• Produce clear and usable systems documentation (we love diagrams more than essays)

Core Technologies You'll Work With

Operating Systems: Red Hat, Ubuntu, CentOS, Windows Server

Networking: Cisco, Juniper, VLANs, routing protocols, VPNs (IPSec, Wireguard, etc.)

Virtualization & Containers: VMware, Docker

Automation & Scripting: Python, Bash, Ansible

Cloud & Hybrid: AWS, Azure

Directory & Authentication: Active Directory, DNS, Group Policy, DFSR

Security Tools: Firewalls (Fortigate, Cisco, Juniper), MACsec, TLS encryption

Endpoint Management: iOS, Android, Apple/Windows/Linux clients

Qualifications

Must Haves:

• Active Secret Clearance at a minimum
• 7-10 years managing Windows and Linux systems in production environments
• Hands-on experience in data centers: cabling, racking, hardware setup
• Solid networking knowledge (TCP/IP, OSI model, routing, switching)
• Experience with firewalls and secure tunneling protocols
• A natural curiosity for solving technical problems and learning new tools
• A collaborative mindset and strong documentation habits

Nice-to-Haves (But Not Required):

• Exposure to compliance-driven or high-security environments (e.g., FedRAMP, DoD)
• Experience managing mixed OS fleets (Apple, Windows, Linux)
• Familiarity with Infrastructure-as-Code principles

Additional Information

Why You'll Love Working Here:

• Impactful Work: Contribute to projects that drive business success and innovation.
• Collaborative Culture: Join a team that values teamwork, innovation, and shared success.
• Career Growth: Access to professional development opportunities, mentorship, and clear advancement paths.

Here are some Perks of being a Ridgeliner!

• Flexible PTO + holidays
• Generous 401k match benefit up to 10%, with an automatic 3% safe harbor contribution and additional matching based on employee contributions.
• Medical (HSA & PPO Plans Available), dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
• Employer Contribution to Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Learning & Development opportunities
• Professional coaching services
• Get the technology you want to do your job
• We have free daily snacks & drinks

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time. The person in this position needs to occasionally move about inside the office
• Constantly work with computers and other information technology equipment
• The ability to communicate information and ideas in a classroom style format, may stand at a podium for long periods of time

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

If you require a reasonable accommodation to apply for a position with Ridgeline International through its online applicant system, please contact Ridgeline's Talent Management Department at (703) 544-2424 or contact us through e-mail at contact_us@ridgelineintl.com