Job Title: Linux SME
Location: Bethesda, MD, ICC-B – Onsite, SCIF Environment
Eligibility: TS/SCI with CI Polygraph (Full Scope Poly preferred)
Contract Type: Contingent Upon Award, this will be available in the next
few weeks.
Job Description:
We are seeking an experienced Linux Subject Matter Expert (SME) to
provide advanced systems engineering and operational support for
Dedicated Cross Domain Infrastructure within a secure Defense
Intelligence Agency (DIA) environment. This role is embedded with our
Cross Domain Solutions (CDS) team and is responsible for maintaining,
hardening, troubleshooting, and optimizing Linux-based systems across
multiple domains and mission enclaves.
The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of Red Hat Enterprise
Linux (RHEL), system hardening (STIG), cross domain security
architectures, and the accreditation processes necessary to support Top
Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) systems.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead system engineering, patching, configuration, and lifecycle
maintenance of RHEL/CentOS/Oracle Linux systems supporting CDS
environments.
- Implement and maintain DISA STIG-compliant baselines using
automation tools (e.g., Ansible, SCAP, Puppet).
- Collaborate with CDS engineers, Information Assurance personnel, and
enclave leads to meet ATO/RMF compliance.
- Troubleshoot kernel-level issues, performance bottlenecks, and
cross-domain interface stability.
- Provide SME-level support for SE Linux, LDAP/Kerberos, and auditing
solutions (e.g., syslog, Splunk forwarders).
- Manage OS provisioning, virtual infrastructure (e.g., VMware or
KVM), and baseline image creation for cross-domain enclaves.
- Assist with developing and maintaining infrastructure-as-code
configurations and custom scripts (Bash, Python).
- Serve as Tier III escalation for complex OS issues affecting CDS
reliability or availability.
- Support enclave isolation and guard-side interface requirements
under strict security policies.
- Document engineering decisions, operational procedures, and system
configurations for cross-team knowledge sharing and accreditation
packages.
Required Qualifications:
- U.S. Citizen with active TS/SCI clearance and CI Polygraph (or
ability to obtain).
- 8+ years of experience administering Linux systems in a secure,
mission-critical environment.
- 3+ years supporting cross-domain or multi-enclave environments (CDS,
Garrison, SMART.NeXT, CDSSF).
- Advanced knowledge of RHEL 7/8/9, including system hardening and
kernel-level tuning.
- Experience with automation frameworks and scripting languages
(Ansible, Bash, Python).
- Familiarity with RMF/ATO processes and audit log management.
- Strong understanding of networking (TCP/IP, firewalls, VLANs, DNS)
as it relates to Linux systems.
Desired Qualifications:
- DoD 8570 IAT Level II or III certification (Security+ CE, CASP+,
CISSP).
- Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) or similar Linux certification.
- Familiarity with CDS guard technologies (Radiant Mercury, Data
Diode, Garrison, etc.).
- Experience with hypervisors and virtual infrastructure supporting
isolated environments.
- Knowledge of Zero Trust, enclave segmentation, and compartmentalized
architectures.