System Administration Specialist IV

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

The Defense Systems Group (DSG) provides analysis-based decision support to senior leaders on space architectures, policy and strategy, developmental planning, system of systems engineering, and threat reduction to help shape future space missions across the national security space enterprise. DSG is unique at Aerospace as it not only directly supports major customers, including, the United States Space Force, the Department of the Air Force, the Missile Defense Agency, U.S. Space Command, U.S. Strategic Command, Air Force Materiel Command, and senior leadership at the Pentagon, but also provides a broad range of services and support across the national space enterprise, maintaining vertical responsibilities with customers but also horizontal, matrixed responsibilities across the corporation.

The Defense Strategic Space Directorate (Project West Wing & Market Intelligence) provides technical intelligence analysis and research for a broad range of national security space and intelligence community customers. DSS is a key leader in corporate efforts to help the U.S. space enterprise outpace the threats to our national space systems.

The System Administration Specialist will join the Data Management directorate to support the Project West Wing program office in providing computing solutions for data processing, data retention, and engineering activities.

The selected candidate will be required to work full-time, on-site at our facility at Los Angeles Air Force Base.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Collaborate with US Space Force, US Air Force, and internal Aerospace partners in developing, operating, and maintaining IT infrastructure (local and wide area networks) to support analysis, modeling and simulation, and engineering activities.
• Work with a team of IT specialists to maintain classified network operability.
• Installs, configures, and maintains performance and security for workstations and servers.
• Performs software installations and upgrades to operating systems and software.
• Coordinates with other support teams including network, security, application, customer, and as applicable vendor teams regarding server, storage, and applications.
• Performs incident resolution, problem root cause investigation, for systems and services.
• Monitors system availability and performance, performs capacity planning.
• Conducts routine hardware, software, account and security audits of workstations and servers to ensure compliance with standards, policies, and configuration guidelines.
• Establishes and maintains a comprehensive operating system hardware and software configuration through updating and supporting documentation.
• Establishes storage allocations, defines backup and archival procedures, and maintains and modifies backup and recovery process.

What You Need to be Successful

Minimum Requirements System Administration Specialist IV:

• High School Diploma or equivalent
• 6 or more years of dynamically responsible professional experience with data. processing, network, and communications infrastructures.
• DoD 8570 IAT Level II Security + CE (or the ability to immediately obtain).
• Experience supporting, configuring, and maintaining operating systems, hardware, applications, and system automation and configuration management technologies.
• System administration experience in a heterogenous computing environment (e.g., Windows, UNIX, Linux, networking).
• Experience working with a diverse team of data management professionals.
• A current Secret clearance with SSBI and possess (or be immediately eligible for) a Top Secret/SCI clearance. Security clearances are issued by the US government. US citizenship is required to obtain a clearance.
• Ability to take and pass USG counterintelligence polygraph.

How You Can Stand Out

It would be impressive if you have one or more of these:

• Bachelor’s degree in technical discipline.
• Experience with classified government computing and network systems
• Previous employment in a classified (SCIF) facility.
• Have a current Top Secret/SSBI/SCI clearance and current Counterintelligence Polygraph.
• Linux/UNIX Systems Administration experience.
• 6 or more years of relevant experience with Associate’s degree in a related discipline, or 10 or more years of relevant experience with High School Diploma or equivalent
• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in Computer Science/Engineering/IT or equivalent experience.
• Red Hat Certified Engineer, Microsoft certification, Cisco certification(s).

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to our business.  The grade-based pay range for this job is listed below.  Individual salaries within that range are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge and skills.

(Min - Max)

Leadership Competencies

Our leadership philosophy is simple: every employee, regardless of level and role, can demonstrate leadership. At Aerospace, our commitment is our people. To cultivate our talent and ensure that we have a strong pipeline of future leaders, we want individuals who:

• Operate Strategically
• Lead Change   
• Engage with Impact   
• Foster Innovation   
• Deliver Results  

Ways We Reward Our Employees

During your interview process, our team will provide details of our industry-leading benefits.

Benefits vary and are applicable based on Job Type.  A few highlights include:

• Comprehensive health care and wellness plans

• Paid holidays, sick time, and vacation

• Standard and alternate work schedules, including telework options

• 401(k) Plan — Employees receive a total company-paid benefit of 8%, 10%, or 12% of eligible compensation based on years of service and matching contributions; employees are immediately eligible and vested in the plan upon hire

• Flexible spending accounts

• Variable pay program for exceptional contributions

• Relocation assistance

• Professional growth and development programs to help advance your career

• Education assistance programs

• An inclusive work environment built on teamwork, flexibility, and respect

We are all unique, from various backgrounds and all walks of life, yet one thing bonds all of us to each other—the belief that we can make a difference. This core belief empowers us to do our best work at The Aerospace Corporation.

Equal Opportunity Commitment

The Aerospace Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, color, religion, genetic information, marital status, ancestry, national origin, protected veteran status, physical disability, medical condition, mental disability, or disability status and any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. If you’re an individual with a disability or a disabled veteran who needs assistance using our online job search and application tools or need reasonable accommodation to complete the job application process, please contact us by phone at 310.336.5432 or by email at peoplemangmnt.mailbox@aero.org . You can also review Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal.