Journeyman Systems Administrator

Saalex is seeking a
Journeyman Systems Administrator in Ridgecrest, CA. Saalex is an Engineering and Information Technology Services company with a focus on Test Range Operations and Management, Engineering and Logistics Services, Data Analytics and Business Intelligence Services and Information Technology Services.

Part-Time

$36.00-$38.00 Hourly (depending upon experience)

Full-time onsite at China Lake, CA.

Are you an experienced Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) looking for high-impact technical work paired with the flexibility of a part-time schedule?

At Saalex Solutions, we support vital Department of Defense tactical training systems and test range capabilities. We are actively seeking a Senior Red Hat & Cloud Systems Administrator-while targeting a Senior, motivated Journeyman-level professionals with the right mindset, strong technical foundation, and drive to grow are strongly encouraged to apply!

In this role, you will help maintain, automate, and modernize mission-critical systems across hybrid enterprise environments-bridging on-premise high-performance Linux enclaves with AWS cloud architectures. This position offers the ideal blend of high technical autonomy, cutting-edge Dev Sec Ops  tooling, and a flexible 20-25 hour workweek.

• True Work-Life Flexibility:
  Guaranteed 20-25 hours per week with adaptable scheduling around core operational windows.
• Alternate Fridays Off (9/80 Schedule):
  Enjoy standard three-day weekends every other week.
• Modern Tooling & Autonomy:
  Drive technical solutions across AWS cloud infrastructure, modern CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code automation.
• Direct Mission Impact:
  Support real-time systems essential to naval air warfare test ranges and national defense readiness.
• Continuous Growth & Mentorship:
  Full sponsorship for DoD cyber credentials, technical training, and professional development units (CEUs) to help you advance your career.

As our Linux and Cloud systems resource, you will perform hands-on administration, hardening, and automation across both classified and unclassified environments:

• Enterprise Linux Administration:
  Deploy, configure, and administer multi-distribution Linux environments (primarily Red Hat Enterprise Linux [RHEL], CentOS, and Ubuntu) supporting real-time servers, lab environments, and field engineering workstations.
• AWS Cloud Engineering:
  Support, deploy, and maintain scalable AWS infrastructure utilizing VPC, EC2, EBS, S3, IAM, Cloud Watch, RDS, and EFS.
• Infrastructure as Code & Automation:
  Automate routine provisioning, configuration, and deployments using Ansible, Terraform, or AWS Cloud Formation.
• System Hardening & Compliance:
  Apply DISA Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), evaluate Nessus/ACAS scan findings, and remediate vulnerabilities in alignment with DoD Risk Management Framework (RMF) controls.
• CI/CD & Dev Sec Ops  Enablement:
  Support and maintain continuous integration/continuous deployment pipelines (Git Lab CI/CD, Jenkins, AWS Code Pipeline) to enable reliable, secure software releases.
• Performance & Network Tuning:
  Proactively monitor server health, perform root-cause analysis on system alerts, and troubleshoot network routing (TCP/IP, DNS, firewalls, and load balancing).
• Identity & Access Management:
  Administer user accounts, role-based privileges, and group security policies in accordance with DoD and Navy cybersecurity directives.
• Agile
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Participate in Agile/Scrum sprint coordination, providing dependable infrastructure and deployment support to software developers, test engineers, and cyber leads.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Operating System Certification:
  Active Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE).
• Cybersecurity Baseline (DoD 8140 / 8570 Compliant):
  Active DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE, CCNA Security, CySA+, or equivalent).
• Cloud & Automation Exposure:
  Practical experience with core AWS services (VPC, EC2, S3, IAM) and scripting/automation tools (Bash, Python, Ansible, or Terraform).
• Security Hardening:
  Familiarity with DISA STIGs, SCAP compliance tools, and vulnerability remediation.
• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline with 3-5 years of hands-on Linux system administration experience, OR 3-5+ years of practical Linux experience with requisite certifications.

• AWS Certified Solutions Architect…