Senior Enterprise Linux Systems Engineer

Company Description

The University of Texas at Dallas (UT Dallas) is a prominent public research university in one of the nation's fastest-growing metropolitan areas. Known for its innovative spirit, UT Dallas offers over 140 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs through its seven schools. Established by the visionaries behind Texas Instruments, the university has been a hub for advanced research and innovation for over 50 years. Located in Richardson, Texas, UT Dallas continues to drive progress and nurture future leaders across various disciplines.

Job Summary

The Senior Enterprise Systems Engineer III serves as a senior member of the Systems Administration team, providing enterprise-level support for Linux-based platforms with a focus on containerization, hybrid infrastructure, Infrastructure as Code, automation, and AI-Assisted Engineering. This position is responsible for the architecture, design, and operation of secure, scalable, and highly available systems supporting academic, research, and administrative services. The role emphasizes system hardening, automation, DevOps and DevSecOps practices, and lifecycle management across on premises and cloud environments, while providing technical leadership, project leadership, and mentorship within the team.

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree and four (4) years of related experience or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field and four (4) years of progressive systems administration or infrastructure engineering and security experience with enterprise Linux environments.
• Five (5) years in large scale/complex hybrid infrastructure; higher education experience preferred.
• Advanced certifications (one or more): Red Hat, AWS, Kubernetes
• Proficiency with Ansible, Git, Bash, Python; experience with Terraform or templating frameworks.
• Experience with system hardening, including service policies and security enforcement mechanisms.
• Experience architecting and supporting load‑balanced applications.
• Strong troubleshooting methodology, communication skills, and customer focus.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Advanced knowledge of Linux system administration and enterprise platform operations.
• Advanced knowledge of authentication and identity technologies, including PAM, Kerberos, SSSD, IPA, and secure SSH configuration.
• Advanced knowledge of system provisioning internals, including TFTP, PXE, GRUB, DHCP, and their interactions.
• Proficiency with container platforms and modern application hosting architectures.
• Proficiency with load-balanced and highly available architecture and modern content delivery including relevant web protocols usch as HTTP and SSL/TLS.
• Strong understanding of Infrastructure as Code, automation, and configuration management principles.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Experience managing IT complexity and integrating systems and applications across platforms.
• Strong leadership and project management skills.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and customer service skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a cross functional team.

Other Qualifications

To the extent this position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired and to continue to be employed in the position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and maintain enterprise Linux systems supporting containerized and non‑containerized workloads.
• Architect and support load‑balanced applications, including the creation and management of application and network load balancers.
• Administer and support system provisioning and configuration platforms including Red Hat Satellite.
• Develop, maintain, and improve Infrastructure as Code to support consistent system provisioning, configuration, and lifecycle management.
• Apply advanced system hardening practices, including service policies and mandatory access controls.
• Administer and support authentication and identity services for enterprise Linux environments.
• Support and enhance hybrid infrastructure environments spanning on‑premises and cloud platforms.
• Implement and promote DevOps and DevSecOps practices to improve reliability, security, and delivery of systems.
• Leveraging AI coding assistants like GitHub Copilot
• Building automation scripts enhanced with AI/LLMs
• Using LLM APIs (OpenAI, Anthropic) for operational workflows
• Intelligent runbook automation and self-healing systems
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and root cause analysis for complex system and application issues.
• Collaborate with infrastructure, networking, security, and application teams to ensure secure and reliable system integration.
• Lead or contribute to infrastructure projects, including planning, design, implementation, and operational transition.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to Systems Engineer and Systems Administrator staff.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, standards, and operational procedures.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Additional Information - Remote Work Eligibility Statement

Hybrid Remote Work Available for Texas Residents

Important Message

1) All employees serve as a representative of the University and are expected to display respect, civility, professional courtesy, consideration of others and discretion in all interactions with members of the UT Dallas community and the general public.

2) The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to providing an educational, living, and working environment that is welcoming, respectful, and inclusive of all members of the university community. UT Dallas does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, national origin, disability, genetic information, or veteran status in its services, programs, activities, employment, and education, including in admission and enrollment. The University is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request reasonable accommodation in the employment application and interview process, contact the ADA Coordinator. For inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, contact the Title IX Coordinator.