Specialist Linux Support Engineer at Absa Group Limited (Absa)

Job Summary

• Work as part of an integrated (run & build) tribe in highly complex environments to provide enterprise-wide Linux OS support across multiple stakeholder groups by managing, maintaining, and supporting Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) environments, ensuring optimal system performance, security, and reliability. Work closely with other IT teams to develop, implement, and troubleshoot solutions in a fast-paced, complex environment.

Job Description

Key Responsibilities

• Installation & Configuration: Install, configure, and maintain Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) servers in both a physical or virtualized environment.
• System Management: Perform routine system monitoring, administration, and patching of RHEL systems.
• Performance Tuning: Optimize and troubleshoot system performance, addressing bottlenecks and ensuring high availability.
• Security Management: Implement and maintain security policies, including firewalls, SELinux, and user access control, ensuring system integrity.
• Scripting & Automation: Develop and maintain scripts (e.g., Bash, Python) for automating system tasks and routine maintenance.
• Backup & Recovery: Implement and manage backup, disaster recovery, and data replication solutions.
• System Upgrades: Plan and execute system upgrades, ensuring minimal downtime.
• Monitoring, Reporting @ Alerting: Set up monitoring tools (Grafana, Zabbix, etc.) with alerting (UIM / OpsGenie) and generate performance reports to ensure system health.
• Support & Troubleshooting: Provide Tier 2/3 support for system issues, working with internal teams to resolve complex technical problems.
• Documentation: Maintain detailed system documentation and procedures for all Red Hat systems and associated processes.

Application Monitoring & Performance Management

• Monitor application modification requests and ensure best practices are being utilised
• Conduct diagnostic investigations of program errors, and implement or recommend solutions or methodologies for resolution.
• Maintain metrics of operational performance and evaluate trends
• Analyse business systems to determine effectiveness, identify inadequacies, inefficiencies and problems and recommend solutions

Governance, Risk & Control

• Enhance methods and procedures for collecting, analysing, and documenting application issues, and completing user change requests.
• Enhance IT processes for transitioning completed configurations from development to production.
• Plan and coordinate the processes for the provision of user applications and systems necessary for business operations.
• Define and maintain application assessment, development, and support standards, and work with other IT and business stakeholders to establish configuration and use guidelines.
• Provide inputs to availability and capacity management process for effective planning.

Skills and Experience Required

• System Administration: Expertise in installing, configuring, and maintaining Linux-based operating systems, including user management, file system management, and software package management.
• Networking: Strong understanding of network protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, etc.), configuring network interfaces, managing firewall rules, and troubleshooting network-related issues on Linux systems.
• Scripting and Automation: Proficiency in scripting languages like Bash, Python, or Perl to automate routine tasks, manage system configurations, and streamline operations.
• Security Management: Knowledge of Linux security best practices, including implementing firewalls, managing access controls, performing system hardening, and regularly applying security patches.
• Troubleshooting and Performance Tuning: Ability to diagnose and resolve system performance issues, log analysis, and optimize Linux systems for better performance and stability.
• Linux Red Hat Certification Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or Red Hat Certified Engineer (RHCE) certification
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or OpenStack).
• Knowledge of containerization (Docker, Kubernetes) is a plus.
• Experience with DevOps tools like Jenkins, Git, and CI/CD pipelines.
• Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team-oriented environment.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently and prioritize according to business needs.
• Proactive approach to learning new technologies and solving issues.
• Attention to detail with a focus on system reliability and uptime.

Education

• Bachelor's Degree: Information Technology