Data Center & Linux Systems Engineer

About Ocient:

Ocient is building OcientAIQ™ - a complete ecosystem for delivering trusted agentic AI solutions at petabyte scale, for the organizations that can't afford to get AI wrong. Our customers protect networks, secure nations, and power the global economy. The problems we solve are genuinely hard, and the work matters.

Founded in 2016 by the team that built Cleversafe (acquired by IBM in 2015), Ocient is headquartered in Chicago with a remote-first global team. We are a carbon-neutral company backed by leading investors including Greycroft, OCA Ventures, In-Q-Tel, and Buoyant Ventures.

Do not contact Ocient directly to apply for a role. For security purposes, any applications received via email will be deleted.

Job Title: Data Center & Linux Systems Engineer

Location: 100% Remote (US Based Only)

• We cannot sponsor or transfer any visas, of any kind, at this time*

Hiring Manager: Senior Service Delivery Engineering Manager

Estimated salary range: $70,000 to $115,000

• The salary offered for this position will be based on a candidate’s experience and skill demonstrated during interviews and other evaluations

Position Overview:

Ocient is searching for a hands-on Datacenter Technician / Linux Systems Administrator with strong troubleshooting skills and a passion for solving hard problems to help build, maintain and scale the server fleet behind Ocient Hyperscale Data Warehouse across our datacenter and colocation sites.

Responsibilities:

• Rack, stack, cable and label servers, storage and network gear to documented standards, including copper and fiber.
• Diagnose and replace failed hardware (drives, NVMe, DIMMs, PSUs, NICs, motherboards) and manage RMAs with vendors.
• Run new capacity builds end to end, from receiving and inventory through burn-in and handoff to production.
• Provision and administer Linux servers (RHEL/Rocky/Ubuntu) using PXE and configuration management, and troubleshoot OS, kernel, storage and host networking issues.
• Roll out BIOS and firmware updates and maintain out-of-band management (IPMI/iDRAC/iLO/Redfish) across the fleet.
• Automate repetitive build, repair and decommissioning tasks with Bash/Python scripts and Ansible playbooks.
• Keep asset records, rack elevations and cabling maps accurate in [DCIM/CMDB tool], and document fixes in runbooks.
• Coordinate with colocation providers on remote hands, access, power and cooling, and with hardware vendors on escalations.

Ideal Qualifications:

• 2-5 years of experience in datacenter, colocation, or infrastructure operations in production environments.
• Solid Linux system administration skills: command line, systemd, package management, logs, users and permissions.
• Hands-on server hardware experience, including component replacement and reading vendor diagnostics.
• Working knowledge of networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, and structured cabling.
• Scripting experience with Bash, Python, or other languages.
• Experience with out-of-band management tools such as IPMI, iDRAC, iLO, or Redfish.
• Ability to travel regularly between [number] sites in [City/Region]; valid driver's license required.
• Ability to lift equipment up to 50 lbs (23 kg) and work on ladders and in tight spaces.
• Ability to pass the background check required for datacenter access.
• Ability to work flexible hours and serve in on-call rotations.

An Exceptional Candidate Will Have:

• Experience with configuration management software such as Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.
• Experience with large-scale, high-density, or NVMe-heavy server fleets.
• Experience with system monitoring and alerting tools such as Prometheus, Grafana, Zabbix, or Nagios.
• Experience with DCIM/CMDB tools (e.g., NetBox) and ticketing systems (e.g., Jira).
• Experience with basic switch configuration (Arista, Cisco, or Juniper).
• Certifications such as RHCSA/RHCE, CompTIA Server+/Linux+/Network+, or vendor hardware certifications.

Interview Requirements: All interviews are conducted via video and require candidates to have their camera on for the duration of the session. The use of video filters, face-altering effects, or virtual backgrounds is not permitted for security and verification purposes.

We are not open to using an agency or staffing company at this time. We do not accept unsolicited agency or staffing resumes and we are not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.

Ocient is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, creed, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy status), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, citizenship status, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, parental status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, please contact [email protected] for more information.

All official Ocient job postings and recruiting communications will come directly from our team via our Careers page, LinkedIn, or from an ocient.com email address. If you receive communication about a role from any other source, please treat it with caution and direct questions to[email protected] .