Principal Linux Infrastructure Engineer
Principal Linux Infrastructure Engineer - Juno Beach, FL – 12-Month Contract
About the Role
Our client is seeking a senior-level Principal Engineer to provide engineering leadership for enterprise Linux platforms, with additional support for AIX and IBM Power Systems during platform transition and lifecycle activities. This role is focused on Linux operating system engineering, including server build standards, automation, hardening, performance, troubleshooting, monitoring, lifecycle management, and operational support.
This is a strategic engineering position centered on platform standards, automation, lifecycle strategy, and complex infrastructure delivery rather than day-to-day server administration. The Principal Engineer will help define the strategy, roadmap, standards, and service model for Linux infrastructure, with Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Amazon Linux as the primary platforms.
The role requires both solution design and hands-on implementation experience. You will work across infrastructure, security, identity, cloud, application, backup, resiliency, and operations teams to deliver secure and supportable Linux infrastructure solutions. This position reports directly to the infrastructure leadership team and may provide technical direction to indirect project resources.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead the design, engineering, and implementation of enterprise Linux infrastructure solutions across on-premises, virtual, and cloud environments.
- Act as the technical product owner for Linux infrastructure services, including standards, roadmap development, lifecycle planning, and platform improvement opportunities.
- Develop and maintain Linux build standards, golden images, hardened templates, security baselines, and configuration standards using tools such as Packer.
- Define and implement Linux automation using Ansible, Terraform, Bash, Python, Git, and CI/CD practices.
- Support Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Amazon Linux as primary enterprise Linux platforms, and provide AIX, IBM Power Systems, PowerVM, and LPAR support during transition and consulting activities.
- Define and manage Linux lifecycle, patching, repository, and maintenance standards using Red Hat Satellite, including cadence, prioritization, exception handling, and compliance reporting.
- Partner with identity, security, backup, resiliency, application, infrastructure, cloud, and operations teams on cross-functional projects, and lead technical workstreams while providing direction to indirect project resources.
Required Qualifications
- 10+ years of infrastructure engineering experience, including 5+ years of hands-on Linux engineering in enterprise environments.
- Deep technical experience with Linux operating systems: build, configuration, troubleshooting, patching, hardening, lifecycle management, and operational support.
- Proficiency with Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Amazon Linux.
- Advanced troubleshooting skills for Linux performance, system logs, services, kernel parameters, filesystems, networking, storage integration, identity integration, and security controls.
- Strong Bash and Python scripting experience.
- Experience with infrastructure-as-code patterns using Ansible, Terraform, Packer, Git, and CI/CD practices for server provisioning and configuration.
- Experience building and maintaining Linux golden images, hardened templates, automated deployment patterns, and configuration baselines.
- Experience with Linux security hardening, vulnerability remediation, configuration compliance, and CIS standards.
- Required experience with Red Hat Satellite for Linux patching, repository management, lifecycle management, and compliance reporting.
- Experience with sudo, LDAP integration, and enterprise identity/access integration patterns (preferably with Quest One Identity).
- Experience defining monitoring requirements, alert thresholds, operational metrics, service catalog offerings, knowledge management, CMDB standards, and related ServiceNow processes.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
Preferred Skills
- Experience with AIX, IBM Power Systems, PowerVM, and LPARs.
- Experience with additional Linux distributions such as Ubuntu, Oracle Linux, or SUSE.
- Experience with Linux workloads in AWS, GCP, or other cloud platforms, including cloud-native images and automated image pipelines.
- Experience with container platforms, Kubernetes, or OpenShift.
- Experience with enterprise monitoring platforms and observability tools.
- Experience working in regulated or security-focused enterprise environments.
- Relevant certifications (Red Hat, AWS, Google Cloud, Terraform, Ansible, ITIL, security, or related infrastructure certifications) are preferred.
Why Join Us
This contract role offers the opportunity to shape enterprise Linux strategy and work with cutting-edge automation and cloud technologies in a collaborative, security-focused environment. Our client values technical leadership and provides a platform for senior engineers to drive meaningful infrastructure transformation. The position is based on-site in Juno Beach, FL, with a 12-month contract duration and competitive compensation.
Apply Today
If you are a seasoned Linux infrastructure engineer ready to lead platform strategy and deliver complex solutions, we encourage you to apply. Join a team where your expertise will directly influence enterprise infrastructure standards and innovation.