Sr. Systems Engineer/Python Developer

We are seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to support mission‑critical infrastructure for government and enterprise environments. This role requires a highly adaptable open‑source technologist with strong systems engineering fundamentals and the ability to build custom software solutions that integrate, extend, and harden complex infrastructure. This is not a traditional DevOps role and not limited to scripting. The right candidate brings deep experience operating Linux environments, deploying open‑source platforms in production, and writing real application‑level code (primarily Python or other OOP languages) to solve integration and operational challenges. The role carries significant autonomy, technical decision‑making responsibility, and long‑term ownership of infrastructure design and maintenance.Key ResponsibilitiesDesign, build, deploy, and operate high‑availability open‑source infrastructure based on internal and customer requirementsDevelop custom applications and services (Python or other OOP languages) to tie systems together, enable observability, and solve integration problemsImplement and maintain Ansible‑based configuration management across Linux environmentsDeploy, configure, and operate open‑source technologies with limited documentation, addressing real‑world operational challengesArchitect and maintain systems involving virtualization, containerization, load balancing, and failoverTroubleshoot complex issues across hardware, networking, operating systems, and applicationsPerform hardware installation, replacement, and diagnostics as needed (servers, disks, RAM, power, cabling)Maintain operational documentation and ticketing rigorProvide technical mentorship and leadership to junior engineers and contribute to architectural best practicesQualifications7+ years as a Systems Engineer working in Linux environments7+ years of development experience in Python or similar object‑oriented language (Java, C++, C#, etc.), with clearly described projects beyond scripting4+ years of hands‑on Ansible experience, including real configuration management and automation workDemonstrated experience deploying and operating open‑source software in productionStrong systems integration background across hardware, software, networking, and securityDeep Linux expertise (Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL/CentOS)Experience with technologies such:HAProxy, NGINX, KeepalivedPostgreSQL / MySQLElasticsearch / OpenSearchKafka / RabbitMQDocker / Podman, KVM/QEMUMonitoring & observability stacks (Zabbix, Grafana, Prometheus, InfluxDB, OpenTelemetry)Familiarity with cloud platforms and CI/CD tooling (Git, GitLab, Jenkins)Self‑starter comfortable operating autonomously with accountabilityActive Secret clearance preferred (or equivalent recent clearance); must be able to obtain Top SecretCompensation$75/hr - $95/hr / PTO/ Holidays/ Cigna Insurance/ 401k #J-18808-Ljbffr