Data Center & Linux Systems Engineer
Software Engineering
Chicago, IL, USA
USD 70k-115k / year
Posted on Nov 14, 2026
Job Title: Data Center & Linux Systems Engineer
Location: 100% Remote (US Based Only)
- We cannot sponsor or transfer any visas, of any kind, at this time*
Hiring Manager: Senior Service Delivery Engineering Manager
Estimated salary range: $70,000 to $115,000
- The salary offered for this position will be based on a candidate’s experience and skill demonstrated during interviews and other evaluations
Position Overview:
Ocient is searching for a hands-on Datacenter Technician / Linux Systems Administrator with strong troubleshooting skills and a passion for solving hard problems to help build, maintain and scale the server fleet behind Ocient Hyperscale Data Warehouse across our datacenter and colocation sites.
Responsibilities:
- Rack, stack, cable and label servers, storage and network gear to documented standards, including copper and fiber.
- Diagnose and replace failed hardware (drives, NVMe, DIMMs, PSUs, NICs, motherboards) and manage RMAs with vendors.
- Run new capacity builds end to end, from receiving and inventory through burn-in and handoff to production.
- Provision and administer Linux servers (RHEL/Rocky/Ubuntu) using PXE and configuration management, and troubleshoot OS, kernel, storage and host networking issues.
- Roll out BIOS and firmware updates and maintain out-of-band management (IPMI/iDRAC/iLO/Redfish) across the fleet.
- Automate repetitive build, repair and decommissioning tasks with Bash/Python scripts and Ansible playbooks.
- Keep asset records, rack elevations and cabling maps accurate in [DCIM/CMDB tool], and document fixes in runbooks.
- Coordinate with colocation providers on remote hands, access, power and cooling, and with hardware vendors on escalations.
Ideal Qualifications:
- 2–5 years of experience in datacenter, colocation, or infrastructure operations in production environments.
- Solid Linux system administration skills: command line, systemd, package management, logs, users and permissions.
- Hands-on server hardware experience, including component replacement and reading vendor diagnostics.
- Working knowledge of networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, and structured cabling.
- Scripting experience with Bash, Python, or other languages.
- Experience with out-of-band management tools such as IPMI, iDRAC, iLO, or Redfish.
- Ability to travel regularly between [number] sites in [City/Region]; valid driver's license required.
- Ability to lift equipment up to 50 lbs (23 kg) and work on ladders and in tight spaces.
- Ability to pass the background check required for datacenter access.
- Ability to work flexible hours and serve in on-call rotations.
An Exceptional Candidate Will Have:
- Experience with configuration management software such as Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.
- Experience with large-scale, high-density, or NVMe-heavy server fleets.
- Experience with system monitoring and alerting tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, Zabbix, or Nagios.
- Experience with DCIM/CMDB tools (e.g., NetBox) and ticketing systems (e.g., Jira).
- Experience with basic switch configuration (Arista, Cisco, or Juniper).
- Certifications such as RHCSA/RHCE, CompTIA Server+/Linux+/Network+, or vendor hardware certifications.