Linux Shell Scripting / Ansible Engineer

Job Title: Linux Shell Scripting / Ansible Engineer Job Location- Remote, USA ****** Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future** We are seeking an experienced Linux & Automation Engineer to join our CIS-managed infrastructure team as a Senior Associate. This role focuses on delivering reliable, secure, and standardized Linux operations while driving automation through Shell scripting and Ansible across multiple enterprise client environments. The ideal candidate brings strong technical expertise, a collaborative mindset, and a commitment to inclusive teamwork. You will contribute to operational excellence, mentor junior team members, and support continuous improvement in a diverse, distributed workplace. In this role, you will Linux Administration (RHEL) Administer and support Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL 7/8/9) systems across enterprise environments. Perform OS installation, configuration, patching, upgrades, and system hardening in line with security and compliance standards. Manage users, groups, permissions, sudo access , and critical system services. Handle filesystem management , including LVM, mounts, capacity planning, and storage troubleshooting. Monitor system health, availability, and performance; resolve OS-level incidents within defined SLAs . Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) and contribute to long-term corrective and preventive actions. Shell Scripting & Automation Design, develop, and maintain Shell scripts (Bash/KSH) to automate operational and administrative tasks. Build scripts for: System monitoring and proactive health checks Automation of routine and repetitive operations Cleanup, backup, reporting, and job scheduling Debug, enhance, and optimize existing scripts to improve efficiency, reliability, and maintainability. Document scripts and automation workflows to ensure knowledge sharing and team accessibility . Ansible & Standardization Develop and maintain Ansible playbooks and roles for configuration management, patching, and drift remediation. Promote infrastructure-as-code and standardization across client environments. Collaborate with peers to improve automation maturity and reduce manual intervention. CIS Operations & Support Provide L2/L3 production support for Linux infrastructure in CIS-managed environments. Participate in incident, change, and problem management processes. Engage in on-call rotations using fair scheduling practices. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including network, security, and application teams. Leadership & Collaboration Act as a technical mentor to junior associates and new team members. Share knowledge through documentation, peer reviews, and collaborative troubleshooting. Contribute ideas to improve operational efficiency, resilience, and team workflows. What you'll need to succeed (required skills) 6-8 years of hands-on experience in Enterprise Linux administration (RHEL preferred) . Strong proficiency in Shell scripting (Bash/KSH) . Practical experience with Ansible automation . Solid understanding of Linux internals, system services, filesystems, and performance tuning. Experience supporting production environments with SLA commitments. Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills. Clear written and verbal communication skills. Preferred skills: what will help you stand out Experience in regulated or large-scale enterprise environments. Exposure to security hardening standards (e.g., CIS benchmarks). Familiarity with monitoring tools, job schedulers, and ITSM platforms. Red Hat or automation-related certifications. Salary and Other Compensation: The annual salary for this position is between $90,000 to $105,000 depending on experience and other qualifications of the successful candidate. This position is also eligible for Cognizant's discretionary annual incentive program, based on performance and subject to the terms of Cognizant's applicable plans. Benefits: Cognizant offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: Medical/Dental/Vision/Life Insurance Paid holidays plus Paid Time Off 401(k) plan and contributions Long-term/Short-term Disability Paid Parental Leave Employee Stock Purchase Plan Please note, this role is not able to offer visa transfer or sponsorship now or in the future Work model: At Cognizant, we strive to provide flexibility wherever possible, and we are here to support a healthy work-life balance though our various wellbeing programs. Based on this role's business requirements, this is a remote position in USA. The working arrangements for this role are accurate as of the date of posting. This may change based on the project you're engaged in, as well as business and client requirements. Rest assured; we will always be clear about role expectations. We're excited to meet people who share our mission and can make an impact in a variety of ways. Don't hesitate to apply, even if you only meet the minimum requirements listed. Think about your transferable experiences and unique skills that make you stand out as someone who can bring new and exciting things to this role. Disclaimer: The salary, other compensation, and benefits information is accurate as of the date of this posting. Cognizant reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law. "Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. Your application and candidacy will not be considered based on race, color, sex, religion, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws." Cognizant is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.