Job Description Summary:

UCAR is excited to announce the job opening for the role of COSMIC Systems Administrator II. This position will support the COSMIC Program through the administration of Linux-based systems, primarily Red Hat, running on local server cluster hardware and will be responsible for the specification, installation, maintenance, and security of servers, storage, and desktop systems, as well as ensuring compliance with U.S. government and sponsor computer security standards. The COSMIC Systems Administrator II assists users with networking and system configuration issues—primarily on Linux, with occasional support for macOS and Windows—and maintaining high-availability systems for the COSMIC-2 mission. Lastly, this role includes preparing security documentation for government review and participating in a rotating schedule that includes daily and periodic weekend operational support.

The COSMIC Program provides innovative and cost-effective remote sensing observations, data products, and data utilization support, focusing primarily on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), to benefit scientific research, research to operations, and education and training in the atmospheric and related sciences.

Position Details:

Visa Sponsored Job:

No

Relocation Assistance Eligible:

No

Job Location:

Boulder, Colorado

Position Type & Term:

Full time, Term - 6 months or more (Fixed Term)

Compensation Range:

$81,690 - $102,115

*Final salary and rates are based on education, experience, and skills relevant to the role.*

Application Notes

Application Deadline: This position will be posted until 11:59:59 pm MT on Friday, July 18. Applications will not be accepted past this date.

Required application materials (preferably in PDF Format): 

• Resume

• Questionnaire - (to be completed when submitting your application) In lieu of a traditional cover letter, the hiring team wants to learn more about your skills/experiences regarding very specific questions related to the critical skills needed to be successful in this position. Your responses to these questions will be read and weighed equally to your resume, so please ensure you're providing detailed, yet informative, responses based on your previous work experiences. That being said, we encourage you to keep responses to 1 - 3 paragraphs.

  • This role involves significant responsibilities in both Linux systems administration (primarily Red Hat) and U.S. Government security compliance. Describe a specific project or experience where you had to configure, secure, and maintain a Linux-based system, ensuring it met stringent security requirements.

  • Automation and efficient system management are critical for this position. Using concrete personal examples, discuss your experience with configuration management and orchestration tools (e.g. Ansible, Satellite, Git) and your proficiency in BASH/Shell scripting.

Background checks are conducted for candidates selected for hire. Learn more.

Work Location Expectations:  This position is open to candidates seeking in-person and/or hybrid (combination of 3 days in-person and 2 days of remote) opportunities. 

Position Type & Term: This is a full-time, 2 year term position with the possibility of extension.

What You Will Do

Here is a summary of what one would expect to be generally responsible for in this role.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Engineering & Administration

• Define system architecture and contribute to the development of standards and guides for engineering activities, in partnership with the senior system administrator and CDAAC Manager.

• Develop technical specifications, obtain vendor quotes, and coordinate procurement of systems with administrative staff.

• Install, test, and maintain Linux-based systems (primarily Red Hat), ensuring requirements are met in collaboration with software engineering and scientific teams.

• Troubleshoot and resolve system issues across servers, storag