Senior Linux Administrator

About the role:

We’re a fast-growing fintech startup on a mission to redefine financial services with cutting-edge technology. As our Senior Linux Administrator, you will be the go-to expert for keeping our Linux-based infrastructure fast, secure, and scalable – the rock-solid foundation of everything we do in fintech. This role is all about ensuring our servers and networks run flawlessly so customers can access our platform anytime, anywhere. In fintech, compliance and security are non-negotiable – they’re the foundation of any trustworthy, sustainable operation. That’s why we need someone passionate about security and reliability to help us maintain the highest standards. If you thrive in a dynamic, innovative environment and love automation and problem-solving, this hybrid/remote role is a chance to make a real impact on a mission-driven team.


What You'll Do (Responsibilities): 

• Linux Server Management: Install, configure, and maintain Linux servers (Ubuntu, Oracle Linux) including OS upgrades, patches, and routine updates to ensure high availability and stability.
• Security & Hardening: Implement robust security measures (firewalls, intrusion detection systems, access controls) and hardening techniques to protect our systems from threats. You’ll regularly apply security patches and proactively fix vulnerabilities to keep our infrastructure locked down.
• Compliance Enforcement: Ensure our infrastructure and processes comply with fintech regulations and security standards such as PCI DSS, SOCII, aligning with industry best practices and audit requirements.
• Automation & Ops: Automate repetitive tasks and deployments using Bash/Python scripting and infrastructure-as-code tools. Leverage Ansible for configuration management, Terraform and Packer for provisioning, and manage CI/CD pipelines with GitLab to streamline our operations.
• Monitoring & Performance: Utilize monitoring tools (like Zabbix, Grafana) to track system performance and reliability. Analyze metrics to pinpoint bottlenecks, then tune systems or allocate resources to optimize performance and respond to issues before they impact users.
• Networking: Configure and maintain network settings on Linux systems, including DNS, IP addressing, routing, and VPN configurations. Ensure reliable connectivity and optimize network performance, working with tools like Cloudflare for DNS and CDN to enhance security and speed.
• Cloud Infrastructure: Manage and optimize our cloud environments on AWS and GCP, provisioning servers and services as needed and implementing best practices for cloud security and cost efficiency. You’ll also oversee integrations with services like Cloudflare and maintain our OpenSearch clusters to ensure high availability of search and logging functionality.
• Dev Team Support: Work closely with our DevOps teams to integrate infrastructure with the development lifecycle. This means ensuring new applications have the right server environments, assisting with container deployments, and smoothing the CI/CD process so code ships seamlessly.
• Backups & Disaster Recovery: Implement and manage backup strategies and disaster recovery plans. Perform regular backup restores and DR drills to guarantee we can recover quickly from outages – protecting critical fintech data and keeping the business online no matter what.
• Documentation & Process Improvement: Maintain clear, up-to-date documentation of system configurations, scripts, and procedures. You’ll create how-tos and runbooks for common tasks and emergencies, helping raise the bus factor and ensure the team can handle issues even when you’re offline. Continuously look for ways to improve our infrastructure and processes, and drive those enhancements.

What You’ll Need To Be Successful In This Role:

• Linux Expertise: Deep experience with Linux systems administration (Ubuntu, Oracle Linux or similar) and comfort working in the terminal. You know the ins-and-outs of the operating system, from kernel tuning to package management.
• Security & Compliance Mindset: Strong understanding of cybersecurity best practices (firewalls, encryption, intrusion detection) and familiarity with compliance standards in finance (e.g. PCI-DSS, ISO27001, SOC2). You’ve implemented hardening techniques and take pride in locking down systems to protect sensitive data.
• Scripting & Automation: Proficiency in scripting languages like Bash and Python for automating tasks, tool-building, and streamlining workflows. (If you’ve written a script to automate it, you’ve probably saved the day!)
• Containerization & Orchestration: Hands-on experience with Docker and container orchestration (Kubernetes) in production environments. You can containerize applications and manage clusters for scaling and resilience.
• Networking Know-how: Solid knowledge of networking concepts – TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, routing, VPNs – and the ability to troubleshoot network issues on Linux systems. Bonus if you’ve managed CDN or DNS services like Cloudflare to improve network performance and security.
• Virtualization & Cloud: Experience with virtualization technologies (e.g. VMware) and managing cloud infrastructure on AWS and/or GCP. You’re comfortable spinning up VMs or cloud instances, and optimizing resource utilization across environments.
• Automation Tools: Familiarity with infrastructure automation – for example, you’ve used Ansible for configuration management, Terraform/Packer for infrastructure as code, and CI/CD platforms like GitLab CI or Jenkins for automated deployments.
• Monitoring & Logging: Experience using monitoring and logging stacks (Zabbix, Prometheus, Grafana, OpenSearch) to keep an eye on system health. You know how to set up alerts and interpret logs/metrics to quickly diagnose issues.
• Documentation & Communication: Excellent documentation habits – you write clear, concise docs and keep them updated. Strong communication skills with an ability to explain technical concepts to non-experts and a collaborative attitude to work with cross-functional teams.
• Problem-Solving: Creative and calm problem-solver with a knack for troubleshooting complex issues under pressure. You enjoy debugging and digging into anomalies until you find the root cause and fix it for good.
• Continuous Improvement: A passion for learning and staying up-to-date with new technologies. You embrace change and continuously seek to improve systems and yourself, bringing fresh ideas to the team.

Qualifications: 

• 5+ years of experience in Linux system administration, managing production servers and mission-critical systems.
• Fintech or Regulated Industry Experience: Prior experience in a fintech, banking, or other highly regulated environment is a big plus (understanding the importance of compliance and security in these contexts).
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field – or equivalent hands-on experience. (We care more about your skills and experience than the specific path you took to gain them.)
• Industry Knowledge: Familiarity with financial industry standards and terminology is beneficial. You should be eager to learn the ropes of fintech if you haven’t worked in it before.
• Certifications (Bonus): Relevant certifications such as RHCE/RHCSA, Linux+, AWS/GCP certifications, or security certifications (CISSP, CISM) are advantageous but not required. We value your practical experience and talent above all.