Unix Team Lead (4639)

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Patuxent River, MD DOD SERVICES
SMX is seeking a highly skilled and motivated Unix Team Lead to oversee day-to-day operations of the Unix/Linux Systems Administration team at the Patuxent River Data Center (PRDC).
 
This role combines technical leadership with hands-on system administration responsibilities. The Unix Team Lead will provide mentorship, ensure delivery excellence, and drive adoption of secure, standardized practices across Department of Defense (DoD) environments.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

  • Lead a team of Unix/Linux Administrators supporting RHEL, Solaris, and mixed-environment systems
  • Serve as primary point of escalation for technical and operational issues within the Unix domain
  • Provide mentorship, coaching, and task oversight to junior and mid-level administrators
  • Collaborate with other PRDC teams and leadership to align Unix/Linux solutions with mission objectives
  • Ensure compliance with DoD security policies, STIGs, and RMF requirements
  • Oversee patching, configuration management, and hardening efforts across supported environments
  • Maintain and enhance automation capabilities through Ansible, BASH scripting, and related tools
  • Manage incident and service request queues, ensuring timely and accurate resolution
  • Participate in and contribute to project planning, design reviews, and implementation efforts
  • Support on-call rotation and critical incident response as needed

Required Skills & Experience 

  •  Clearance Required: Interim Secret
    • Must be able to obtain and maintain Top Secret
  • 7+years of relevant IT experience, including leadership or mentorship responsibilities
  • Work Location: On-site two (2) days per week at Patuxent River, MD (PRDC)
  • Security+ (or equivalent IAT Level II certification) required to start
  • Strong experience with Unix/Linux administration, including RHEL 8/9 and Solaris
  • Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage priorities, and foster professional development
  • Proficiency in BASH and Ansible; experience with YAML playbooks preferred
  • Familiarity with Red Hat Satellite, Foreman, or equivalent tools
  • Working knowledge of DoD IA standards, STIGs, and RMF processes
  • Proven ability to resolve complex issues across applications, OS, hardware, and storage
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including with senior leadership and customers

Desired Skills & Experience 

  • Bachelor’s degree in a related technical field
  • Experience with Red Hat Identity Management (IdM) or FreeIPA
  • Broader AWS cloud exposure beyond core services (EC2, S3, VPC, IAM, etc.)
  • Prior experience as a technical lead or supervisor in a DoD data center environment

Application Deadline:  9/15/2025

#cjpost #LI-ONSITE

 

The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.

The proposed salary for this position is:
$105,200—$175,300 USD

 

At SMX®, we are a team of technical and domain experts dedicated to enabling your mission. From priority national security initiatives for the DoD to highly assured and compliant solutions for healthcare, we understand that digital transformation is key to your future success.

We share your vision for the future and strive to accelerate your impact on the world. We bring both cutting edge technology and an expansive view of what’s possible to every engagement. Our delivery model and unique approaches harness our deep technical and domain knowledge, providing forward-looking insights and practical solutions to power secure mission acceleration.

SMX is an Equal Opportunity employer including disabilities and veterans.

Selected applicant may be subject to a background investigation and/or education verification.

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