Junior Systems Administrator – Linux & Server Virtualization

Long Island, NY

On-Site role

$30 - $40 per hour

ABOUT THE ROLE

Join the IT team of a leading fiber optic network provider as a Junior Systems Administrator in a full-time, entry-level role focused on Linux operations and server virtualization. This position is ideal for recent graduates or early-career technologists eager to gain hands-on experience supporting enterprise server environments. You will assist with Linux server administration, virtual machine lifecycle tasks, monitoring, patching, and documentation, while learning the tools, standards, and procedures of a fast-paced infrastructure team. If you are curious, coachable, and ready to build real enterprise skills, this role offers structured growth, mentorship, and exposure to a high-availability environment where your work directly supports one of the region’s most critical fiber networks.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Assist with day-to-day administration of Linux servers, including user access, services, packages, filesystems, logs, and basic troubleshooting.
• Support server virtualization activities such as provisioning, decommissioning, snapshots, resource checks, console access, and basic VM configuration under guidance from senior team members.
• Help monitor server health, capacity, availability, and performance using approved monitoring tools and established runbooks.
• Perform routine operational tasks including patching support, reboot coordination, log review, service validation, and post-maintenance checks.
• Document server configurations, support procedures, troubleshooting steps, and known issues in a clear and audit-friendly manner.
• Use basic scripting (primarily Bash and introductory Python) to automate repetitive tasks and improve operational consistency.
• Work with network, security, database, and application teams to support incidents, changes, and service requests.
• Follow change management, access control, backup, and incident response procedures.
• Participate in after-hours maintenance or on-call support as experience grows and business needs require.

WHAT YOU BRING

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Engineering, or related field; relevant internship, co-op, lab, military, certification, or equivalent hands-on experience considered.
• 0–2 years of experience in Linux, server administration, virtualization, IT operations, help desk escalation, lab support, or infrastructure support.
• Foundational knowledge of Linux distributions (Oracle Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Rocky Linux, Ubuntu, Debian, or similar).
• Basic understanding of virtualization concepts (hypervisors, virtual machines, snapshots, templates/images, resource allocation).
• Basic networking awareness (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, SSH, firewalls, VLAN concepts, troubleshooting commands).
• Comfortable using command-line tools (ssh, systemctl, journalctl, df, du, top, ps, grep, find, tar, curl, ping, traceroute, ncat/nc).
• Strong problem-solving mindset, attention to detail, and ability to follow documented procedures carefully.
• Clear written and verbal communication skills; ability to document work performed and escalate issues appropriately.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities.
• Internship, coursework, home lab, or hands-on exposure to Linux servers or virtualized environments is a plus.
• Exposure to Nutanix AHV/Prism, VMware vSphere, Proxmox, KVM, Hyper-V, or cloud-based VMs is a plus.
• Introductory experience with Bash scripting, Python, Ansible, Git, or infrastructure automation is a plus.
• Familiarity with monitoring or log analysis tools (Nagios, Prometheus, Grafana, Splunk, or similar) is a plus.
• Relevant certifications (Linux+, LPIC-1, RHCSA, VMware VCTA, Nutanix Certified Associate, Network+, Security+) are helpful but not required.

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

• Full-time, entry-level opportunity to build real enterprise infrastructure skills at a leading fiber optic network provider—hands-on Linux and virtualization work from day one.
• Structured growth path across Linux administration, server virtualization, monitoring, and automation, with mentorship from an experienced infrastructure team.
• Exposure to a fast-paced, high-availability environment where your work directly supports one of the region’s most critical fiber networks.
• Collaborative, cross-functional team culture that values curiosity, coachability, and a commitment to doing things the right way.