Senior Linux Specialist - Houston, TX

Our enterprise-level client is looking to add a Senior Linux Specialist to work onsite in Houston, TX. Please see below for full details:

Job Notes:
-1 year contract / extensions and perm conversion possible with good performance
-ASAP start date
-Onsite in Houston, TX
-Drug & Background required.


Responsibilities include:

• Support the operation and maintenance of Linux servers, ensuring operational availability & performance, conducting health checks, managing software upgrades, patching (including testing and implementation), system optimization and administration.
• Monitor server health and performance to identify issues, bugs, or potential improvements
• Strict adherence to change management processes to ensure changes are properly planned, documented, and deployed
• Develop, review, and update existing operational documentation (SOPs, application checklists, playbooks, etc)
• Provide after-hours technical support
• Collaborate with the Security Operations Center (SOC) team for process optimization, tool tuning & integration, information sharing, playbook development and incident response
• Implement automated near real-time monitoring of all tools to ensure proper operation and collection of pertinent data
• Incident and Problem Management; including both during and post-incident, along with Root Cause Analysis
• Application support, issue management and escalation
• Perform incident investigation, diagnosis, and resolution
• Perform system monitoring and remediation

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of experience installing, administering, and maintaining Oracle or Red Hat Linux based servers
• 5+ years of experience designing and implementing redundant systems including data backups/recoveries, high availability, load balancing, and disaster recovery
• 5+ years of experience designing, analyzing, and repairing large-scale distributed systems
• Experience with deploying and maintaining AWS and on-premises Linux servers
• Experience in application deployment automation, modern DevOps practices, and infrastructure as code
• Experience with IT automation tools such as Ansible Automation Platform, Chef, Puppet, or Terraform
• Knowledgeable of core IT infrastructure technologies including virtualization, networking, and storage management
• Technical documentation skills
• Comfortable interacting with management at various levels in a professional manner
• Takes ownership of areas of responsibility and makes recommendations and decisions on the improvement and operation of those areas
• High level of organizational skills
• Knowledge of and experience with Security Design and Implementation
• Ability to participate in after-hours technical support
• Knowledge of backup and recovery methods and verification
• Knowledge of EMC PowerMax and Isilon storage, including snapshots
• Excellent written and verbal communications
• Ability to work in a fast paced, schedule-driven, and customer-oriented environment
• Experience with Bash, Perl, and Python scripting
• Experience with LVM including online expansion of file systems

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting container-based platforms
• SUSE Manager for patching Linux servers
• Red Hat Satellite for patching Linux servers
• Prometheus and Grafana for system performance monitoring

Why Choose Merge IT?
We have a team of talented and ambitious professionals that drive growth by identifying and delivering top quality IT talent for our Fortune 100, enterprise-level clients (aka 'Big Name' - think big banks, big pharma, etc.).

We would love to connect with you! Follow us on social media and be the first to know about open positions, career advice, and insider tips and tricks. Find us by searching @MergeITLLC on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter or paste this link into your browser:

Merge IT is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire. Nothing in this job posting guarantees employment.