ASCEND Aerospace & Technology, LLC (ASCEND) is an All-Small Mentor-Protégé Program (ASMPP) Joint Venture (JV) between Aerodyne Industries, LLC and Amentum Technology Inc., that leverages our 12+ year collaboration as award-winning NASA contractors. Through our ASCEND partner companies, we have 62+ years of experience working for NASA and currently manage 5,500 employees across nine NASA Centers. With this foundation of expertise, we are dedicated to helping every mission succeed—today and into the future.
Job Description
This role is as a mid-level Linux Engineer with 5-10+ years of experience. You will be supporting the Operating Systems and DBA Services organization on the Contract for Organizing Spaceflight Mission Operations and Systems (COSMOS) which is NASA’s next-generation mission operations contract located on-site at Johnson Space Center. COSMOS ensures the continuity of critical human spaceflight support by providing Mission Control Center (MCC) systems, advanced Mission Training Center (MTC) systems, and full-scale Space Vehicle Mockup Facility support for astronaut preparation and engineering analysis.
Description of Duties
Working under general direction of the Linux team lead, serve in the capacity of a Systems Administration engineering support. The candidate will be responsible for maintaining the operations, on-going and new IT Initiatives and upgrades, evaluation for new software, and support for all production, staging, development, and disaster recovery environments. While Core Hours are 9am – 3pm, this job does require occasional shifting work hours for evening and weekend support. Additionally, this job will entail being on periodic rotation through our 24x7 on-call support.
Successful candidates will:
- Managing the appropriate configuration baseline of operating systems, software applications, and security compliance including threat detections and investigations
- Working with monitoring and performance tools (SolarWinds)
- Assess and interpret requirements of systems and applications in relation to hardware, software and operational needs
- Implement efficiencies through automation (leverage PowerShell, Power CLI, or Ansible to automate manual and repetitive processes)
- Investigate new technology and provide recommendations on system improvements and life cycle planning
- Possesses strong team-building skills across multi-functional areas that establish a collaborative operational structure including active listening, prompt service and follow-up.
- Exhibits proven track record of working under tight deadlines.
- Have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Exhibit professional behavior that promotes teamwork, fosters cooperation, and enhances productivity in the workplace.
- Be well organized with the ability to coordinate, prioritize and execute multiple tasks simultaneously in a high-pressure environment.
Job Requirements
Must have one of the following combinations of education and experience:
- B.S degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or similar field
- 5-10 years of relevant experience
- Must be able to obtain a NASA Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Badge for NASA credentials
Desired Requirements
- Experienced in Linux Operating System (e.g. Services, Security, Performance Tuning) and VMWare
- Experience in at least one high-level scripting language is a plus (e.g. Perl, Bash, BigFix ActionScript)
- Experience in Red Hat Satellite system management or Red Hat Automation Platform
- Familiar with heterogeneous platform management between Windows and Linux (SSH, Samba, Kerberos, LDAP)
- Familiar with basic TCP/IP networking (addressing, subnetting, routing, firewall rules, DHCP, DNS)
- Experience with ServiceNow, Splunk, SolarWinds, VMWare, DNS, DHCP, PXE, Kerberos, LDAP
- Understanding of container-based applications (Docker or Kubernetes)
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status.
Final compensation is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of several key factors, including the candidate’s educational background, specialized technical expertise, and relevant professional experience. We also consider internal equity, prevailing market data, and specific contractual or funding requirements to ensure competitive and equitable offer alignment.
Skills Required
- Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering, Computer Science, or a similar field
- 5-10 years of relevant experience
- Ability to obtain a NASA Personal Identity Verification badge
- Linux operating system administration experience, including services, security, and performance tuning
- VMware experience
- Experience with a high-level scripting language such as Perl, Bash, or BigFix ActionScript
- Red Hat Satellite or Red Hat Automation Platform experience
- Experience managing heterogeneous Windows and Linux platforms
- Knowledge of TCP/IP networking, DNS, DHCP, PXE, Kerberos, and LDAP
- Experience with ServiceNow, Splunk, and SolarWinds
- Understanding of container-based applications such as Docker or Kubernetes
What We Do
Aerodyne Industries is a Cape Canaveral-based engineering and information technology services firm supporting complex aerospace, defense, and government missions. Its capabilities include systems and software engineering, technology integration, cybersecurity, project and lifecycle management, and safety and quality engineering. The company supports NASA and other federal agencies across spaceflight, spacecraft systems, mission operations, and defense programs, providing specialized technical expertise and program execution.
