Aireon has deployed the world’s first and global space-based air traffic surveillance system, which is revolutionizing the entire aviation industry. The Aireon system provides real-time aircraft monitoring spanning never before covered areas of the planet, including remote, oceanic and polar regions. Aireon’s receivers are hosted on the Iridium constellation, which consists of 66 operational satellites in low-earth orbit and utilizes a unique cross-linked satellite architecture creating a web of coverage around the world. The Aireon system enables safer, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly aviation travel, resulting in significant CO2 emission reductions. Numerous Air Navigation Service Providers have already signed on as customers and are receiving Aireon’s space-based ADS-B data, including NAV CANADA, NATS (UK), Naviair (Denmark), Enav (Italy), the Irish Aviation Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore, Air Traffic and Navigation Services (South Africa) and more.

We are committed to offering an employment experience and benefits package that enables you and your family to grow with us and to share in our success.

Operating within the Aireon Network Engineering Group, the Senior System Administrator is responsible for helping to set up, maintain and manage Aireon’s on-premises infrastructure as an integral part of the team implementing, and maintaining Aireon’s operational networks for distributing data to customers. The Engineer refines requirements, processes and solutions to deploy systems that meet stringent security requirements for maintaining a robust security posture from network, OS and application-level security framework.

They install systems, configure automation to ease system administration, setup and administer centralized authentication solutions and help roll out and maintain a wide range of IP network and Server Security Controls. The Engineer works closely with Aireon’s internal and external security teams, software design, systems engineering, test, and subcontractors to validate and improve system security designs and implementations. They are a subject matter expert providing Tier III support for responding to escalated security incidents at the system administration and network layers. They determine the root cause and work quickly with vendors, engineering, and subcontractors to resolve problems when they occur. They ensure that the continuous monitoring of system resources is maintained to include patch updates and hardware/software configurations as related to maintaining a high level of operational security across the deployed architecture.

The Senior System Administrator also collects and evaluates performance data to identify potential systemic problems, help tune systems for better performance, and to ensure sufficient capacity to support Aireon’s operational needs.

Effective communication and adeptness at working with a variety of personalities and skill sets across multiple organizations, multiple time zones and willingness to contribute broadly in a fast-paced, start-up environment will be a key part of this role.

Aireon is certified to provide surveillance as a service to global customers in a safety-critical industry. This role is an essential part of this service and are required to reach and maintain an acceptable standard of competency. Aireon will provide initial and ongoing training to support competency standards. This is measured through assessment that is renewable annually. 

What You'll Do

• Responsible for design, implementation, and maintenance of operational, test, and development systems with a goal of maintaining system operations
• Reviews and approves subcontractor hardware and software, changes, and implementations for required system or OS security updates
• Conducts or assists with both network and system level network penetration tests
• Contributes to trade studies for evaluating alternative designs based upon IT security risks
• Provides operational Tier II/III support for analyzing and resolving system-level security issues
• Manages backups, off-site archives, and disaster recovery system readiness
• Responsible for implemention, administration, and maintaining centralized user authentication systems
• Maintains deployed hardware and system configuration inventory, licenses, and asset data.
• Develops and refine procedures for identifying and mitigating common system issues
• Supports system-level testing for resilience, redundancy, and performance
• Senior Sysadmin tasks:
  • Responsible for hands-on installation, administration, and patching of RHEL/CentOS and UNIX operating systems
  • Works with user-level applications to help instigate and manage change requests and incidents related to security or authentication issues
  • Uses tools like Ansible, Puppet, etc. to implement automation of sysadmin tasks
  • Conducts or assists with both network and system level network penetration tests
  • Represents Aireon with external vendors for responding to system monitoring for security incidents
    

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated hands-on experience installing, configuring and administering Linux and UNIX systems
• Understanding of Internet protocols, OS security controls, and OS network configuration
• Experience collecting and evaluating OS performance data and identifying security level gaps and improvements
• Experience with network monitoring and configuration capture tools
• Experience administering centralized authentication services like AD or LDAP
• Experience with virtualization and containers is a plus
• Experience working in a configuration-managed operational environment with rigorous security controls is advantageous
• Familiarity with ticketing systems, issue tracking, and collaboration tools
• Ability to handle multiple simultaneous assignments
• Ability to quickly learn and embrace Aireon’s Security and Safety culture
• Ability to work as part of a team comprised of internal and external resources located in multiple geo-graphic locations and time-zones
• Flexibility to take on additional roles related to technical system development, testing, and operations to help where needed
• Proactive communicator with strong written and verbal skills
• General knowledge or experience with IP network operations to include network switching/routing (OSI Layer 2/3)
• General knowledge or experience with Cisco IOS and/or Juniper OS
• US Citizen or U.S. permanent resident
  

Desired Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional sysadmin and/or IT engineering experience
• Experience or current security certifications in one or more of the following (or equivalent)
  • CompTIA Network+
  • CompTIA Security+
  • System Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
  • Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Security
  • Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP)
• Ability to obtain Position of Trust clearance
  

About You

You are a self-starter. Sitting and waiting isn’t an option. You take the initiative to make things happen.

You are comfortable in multi-tasking. Managing and juggling priorities across tasks seems to come naturally in your everyday workload. You have a sense on how to balance priorities and communicate clearly when overloaded for assistance/help.

You love solving problems. You enjoy digging into problems and finding the most efficient ways to solve them. You have a passion for understanding issues and tackling them in a logical fashion.

You are collaborative. You're a team player who puts the interest of the team above your own. You display a positive attitude, are open and enjoy contributing.

Technology is your passion. It doesn’t just provide a paycheck; you are genuinely interested in what you do and the impact that it has on others.

1-3-6-12 Month Plan

In the first month, we'll expect you to...

• Get onboarded and train with your manager
• Get acclimated into the role
• Understand the tools and different stakeholders
• Get to know our current system’s performance of our security Function. As well as, policies, and procedures in place.

In 3 months, we'll expect you to...

• Prioritization of the next three to six months of organizational improvements
• Begin to document a strategic security plan that prioritizes key initiatives for the next quarter
• Gather reporting from 3rd party vendors and advise and communicate findings to leadership
• Deliver actions to focus on correcting the security standing in the organization

At 6 months, we'll expect you to...

• Start providing evidence of impact. Defining a portfolio of security metrics
• Working closely with the Aireon Security Team, develop an automated reporting process so that the team is aligned with expectations
• Address challenges as they emerge

At 12 months, we'll expect you to...

• Start to represent Aireon in matters relating to Information and Cyber Security with external partners and vendors
• Challenge existing practices and controls to drive the continual improvement of information, security, safety, and reliability across the organization

About the Team

The Aireon Network Engineering team is a small team that collaborates closely across both operational and internal test tasks. The team also works closely with other teams and groups within Aireon to include Implementation and Test Engineering, Systems Engineering and Sales/Marketing and Operational groups. Each member of the Network Engineering team draws upon the strengths and skills across the group in both their individual as well as larger projects. Information sharing is encouraged as well as updating and maintaining shared document repositories in Sharepoint and Confluence. The team currently meets on both weekly and bi-weekly basis via MS Teams and video calls, with in office or lab sessions scheduled as required. All the team members are currently locally located within the DC-MD-VA metro area and are available for on-site meetings activities associated with the Aireon Network Engineering group.

Perks and Benefits

• Premium medical, dental and vision plan
• Life Insurance and AD&D
• Short Term and Long-Term Disability
• Health Savings Account (HSA)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
• Retirement 401K plan with Employer Matching
• Education Assistance and Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Time Off, Sick Leave, Floating Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Company Sponsored Events
• Employee Referral Program
  

Aireon is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or status as a protected veteran. EOE of Minorities/Females/Vets/Disability and other protected categories.