Job Description
Title Principal IT Systems Administrator BELONG. CONNECT. GROW. with KBR. Around here, we define the future. We are a company of innovators, thinkers, creators, explorers, volunteers, and dreamers. But we all share one goal: to improve the world responsibly and safely. KBR is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead technical initiatives for our NASA Virtual Multi-Mission Operations Center (vMMOC). In this role, you will design scalable, mission-critical solutions—leveraging Kubernetes and Cloud technologies—while evaluating existing systems for reuse. Collaborating with cross-functional teams of network engineers, security specialists, and flight ops, you will bridge the gap between high-level requirements and technical execution. Your focus will be on driving innovation and resiliency, ensuring our mission services are secure, compliant, and future-proof. As a lead contributor, you will drive the design, implementation, and quality control of the hosting infrastructure to ensure a secure, highly available environment for critical mission operations. You will define technical standards and baselines for our technology stack while overseeing system maintenance and configuration management. Working collaboratively across support groups, you will ensure all deliverables meet rigorous operational and compliance requirements. U.S. citizenship or U.S. person status is required to be considered for this role. Objectives And Responsibilities Of This Role As a System Engineer, you will manage the full lifecycle of Linux servers and Kubernetes containers in a heterogeneous environment, overseeing everything from initial configuration and installation to ongoing monitoring, patching, and security. As a SE technical lead, you will handle complex troubleshooting, performance tuning, and repairs to ensure the stability and integrity of the mission-critical infrastructure. The SE is responsible for end-to-end operations, collaborating closely with a high-performing engineering team to meet shared goals. As a core member of the engineering team, you will serve as the primary point of contact for all Linux-related activities while providing exceptional customer service. You will act as a proactive advocate for the environment, constantly identifying and implementing opportunities for system improvement, containerization, cost avoidance and cost savings. Deliver technical expertise across the full system lifecycle, including design, installation, and configuration. You will drive performance through precise tuning, proactive capacity planning, and rapid problem resolution for complex technical issues. Establish high-level technical guidance and enforce rigorous operational standards across the team to ensure consistency and performance. Serve as an independent validator within the matrix, testing and verifying solutions to ensure they meet all business requirements, regulatory compliance standards, and quality benchmarks. Drive the end-to-end lifecycle of the infrastructure, oversee the architecture, deployment, and continuous management of both legacy and next-generation systems. Proactively monitor and analyze data center infrastructure and system applications to optimize resource utilization and ensure peak performance. Design and manage comprehensive backup and redundancy strategies to ensure data integrity and continuous system availability. Take full ownership of the security posture for all managed infrastructure, ensuring systems are hardened, compliant, and protected against vulnerabilities. Lead the development and collaboration of comprehensive policies, technical documentation, and standardized procedures—including design reports, maintenance guides, and operational support protocols—to ensure organizational consistency. Drive the continuous development and evolution of automation strategies to streamline operations and enhance system efficiency. Act as a primary liaison to management and key stakeholders, effectively communicating technical requirements, delivering progress reports, and highlighting team achievements and activity summaries. Daily And Monthly Responsibilities Stakeholder Engagement: Consult with stakeholders to translate their vision and operational needs into technical requirements. System Optimization: Apply expert-level administration to optimize hosts and servers, ensuring maximum high availability and efficient resource management. Automation & Standardization: Streamline operations by standardizing processes and implementing advanced automation and monitoring via data center technologies and scripting. Deployment & Documentation: Lead the installation and configuration of OS, software, and