Systems Administrator III, IS&T Systems Operations

Boston University Information Services & Technology (IS&T) is seeking applicants with diverse skills and experience to join our innovative and inclusive community.

Join us as a Linux Systems Administrator III where you will contribute to the implementation, operation, and support of IS&T Linux based services. You will have the opportunity to leverage your technical expertise to assess client system's needs, advocate for and implement technology solutions; and refine existing processes and procedures to help ensure the availability, reliability and responsiveness of University systems. As part of the Infrastructure Operations team, you will report to the Manager - Linux Server Team, and collaborate with multiple technology groups across campus to administer and advance the underlying server technology that enables a wide variety of University client services. This position has options for hybrid or remote, to be discussed during the interview. This position includes a rotating 24/7 on-call support, with occasional night and weekend support for critical University business cycles and routine maintenance.

You Will:

• Manage and maintain server operating systems, hardware, and core infrastructure to ensure reliability, performance, and security
• Monitor systems proactively to identify issues, trends, and opportunities for improvement
• Troubleshoot and resolve incidents, partnering with teams and vendors for timely resolution
• Provide Level 2 support for complex technical issues escalated from the Help Desk
• Participate in a 24/7 on-call rotation to support critical operations and incident response
• Apply system upgrades, patches, and maintenance to keep environments current and secure
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to test, implement, and transition systems into production
• Maintain clear system documentation, standards, and recovery procedures
• Support business continuity and disaster recovery planning and testing
• Automate monitoring and operational tasks to improve efficiency and service quality
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance system performance and reliability
• Partner with vendors to troubleshoot issues and optimize support outcomes

Required Skills

You Will Have:

• 5+ years of relevant work experience or relevant post-secondary education, including a combination of these two
• Experience with (CentOS/RHEL) Linux systems administration, demonstrating a good understanding of basic Linux utilities and infrastructure, with ability to diagnose Linux operating system and associated hardware & software issues
• Experience with scripting in a Linux environment and comfortable with working in the CLI Experience with administration skills that include monitoring performance, patching, backup & restore, internal firewalls, and SSL certificate management of Linux servers, as well as the automation of any or all these tasks
• Experience with installing, configuring, and upgrading Linux applications, various specialized third-party applications, and peripherals, and knowledge of TCP/IP LAN networking principles and application protocols (e.g., HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP and FTP)
• Experience with a variety of tools, leveraged in a complex enterprise environment, such as Configuration Management systems, Version Control Systems (e.g., git), remote assistance, image deployment, various native and centrally managed encryption solutions

Bonus Qualifications:

If you do not meet these, you are still encouraged to apply; we value employees with a willingness to learn.

• Experience with, and understanding of, Linux virtualization and containerization technologies (e.g., VMWare, OpenShift, Kubernetes), infrastructure-as-code tools including Ansible and Terraform, and cloud-native deployment practices would be advantageous and would enhance the candidate's ability to contribute to ongoing infrastructure modernization initiatives.

Boston University offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Time Off: In addition to PTO and leave policy, BU employees have a paid intersession break and 13 paid holidays.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with full vesting after 2 years of eligible service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive tuition assistance program for yourself and family members.