Job Description & Details
This hybrid role sits at the critical intersection of systems administration and compliance, requiring you to manage both Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Windows infrastructure while keeping a strict eye on Risk Management Framework (RMF) guidelines. If you enjoy wearing multiple hats—patching servers in the morning and auditing security controls in the afternoon—this gig offers a genuine challenge inside a secured environment without drowning you in endless corporate meetings.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
Your day-to-day will be a constant balancing act between keeping the lights on and keeping the security posture audit-ready. You will actively manage Windows Server domains, Active Directory, and RHEL environments while simultaneously running vulnerability scans, applying STIG benchmarks, and updating system security plans and POA&Ms. Expect to troubleshoot virtualization layers in VMware, analyze logs for suspicious activity, and coordinate directly with engineering teams to remediate vulnerabilities without breaking mission-critical workflows.
The Core Tech Stack
You absolutely must know your way around Red Hat Enterprise Linux and Windows Server administration, specifically handling group policies, Active Directory, and access control lists. Beyond standard sysadmin chops, a deep, practical understanding of the Risk Management Framework (RMF) is non-negotiable, alongside hands-on experience with enterprise vulnerability scanning tools and applying Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) across diverse operating systems and infrastructure.
Interview Expectations
The hiring team is going to want to see how you handle the friction between operational uptime and strict cybersecurity compliance. They will likely ask you to walk through a scenario where a critical system patch breaks a legacy application in a secure environment and how you would document and mitigate the risk using a POA&M. They are secretly looking for someone who doesn't just blindly follow checklists, but understands the actual risk behind the controls and can communicate technical tradeoffs effectively to non-security stakeholders.
Application Advice
To make it past the ATS and grab the recruiter's attention, your resume needs to explicitly mirror the language found in the job description rather than just listing generic IT tasks. Make sure phrases like 'Risk Management Framework', 'STIG implementation', 'Active Directory administration', and 'Vulnerability Remediation' are prominent and tied to concrete achievements in secure environments. Emphasize any direct experience you have handling system documentation, hardware/software inventories, and audit log analysis to prove you can handle the heavy administrative compliance load alongside the technical sysadmin work.