From Bluestaq US External's posting. “We” and “our” refer to the employer.
Why This Role Matters
At Bluestaq, mission success depends on systems that are secure, reliable, and always ready. As a Senior Staff Systems Administrator, you won't just keep the lights on — you'll set the technical bar for how we operate and evolve the infrastructure that powers our most critical missions. Your expertise raises the team, your standards shape the environment, and your ownership ensures what we build holds up under real-world pressure.
What You'll Own:
Maintain and support the integrity of enterprise system networks across cloud-hosted and on-premises environments through technical support and configuration management
Perform daily maintenance, monitoring, and troubleshooting of applications, networking, and systems infrastructure to ensure continuous operational readiness
Serve as the senior escalation point for complex infrastructure incidents, outages, and systemic performance issues — empowering the team to resolve routine issues independently
Partner closely with Bluestaq's core teams to troubleshoot, share knowledge, and ensure smooth integration and collaboration across the organization
Perform software and system installations, upgrades, routine automation, cybersecurity risk mitigation tasks, and technical support in coordination with the security team
Design and implement automation workflows using Ansible, Terraform, Docker, Kubernetes, and related tooling to reduce manual effort and improve reliability at scale
Administer and support cloud identity and access management (IAM) across a broad range of systems spanning the AWS component stack and on-premises environments
Collaborate with stakeholders across teams and leadership to understand systemic challenges and drive improvements in system performance and organizational effectiveness
Own documentation standards in Confluence — driving consistent, high-quality runbooks, SOPs, and system records across the team
Manage and communicate work scope, status, and risk effectively through Jira at a program level
Actively mentor and develop junior and mid-level administrators, modeling ownership, accountability, and a growth mindset for the team
Proactively identify systemic issues, anticipate roadblocks, and drive resolution before they impact operations
Independently prioritize and escalate unforeseen issues as needed
Display a strong sense of ownership for ensuring systems are available 24/7
You use modern AI tools with judgment: integrating them into workflows where they're impactful, reviewing their outputs, and handling proprietary or sensitive data responsibly.
What You Bring:
Must Have: Willingness to support 24/7 operations and shift work
Active DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance
Expert-level Linux systems administration in production environments
Advanced experience administering cloud identity and access management (IAM) tools across complex, multi-system environments
Advanced knowledge of system vulnerabilities and security issues
Strong networking expertise — DNS, DHCP, VLANs, firewalls, and routing
Advanced hands-on experience with automation tools — Ansible, Terraform, Kubernetes, Docker, and Packer
Strong experience with cloud computing concepts and the AWS component stack
Exceptional troubleshooting and debugging skills, with a passion and curiosity for problem-solving and investigation
Hands-on experience with Atlassian tools — Confluence and Jira — at a team or program-wide level
Demonstrated experience mentoring and developing team members, sharing knowledge, and supporting professional growth
Strong collaboration and communication skills — able to work across teams and engage stakeholders at all levels with clarity and confidence
Active CompTIA Security+ certification (DoD Directive 8140/8570.01-M)
Bonus: CISSP or CEH certification
Advanced Linux certifications (RHCE, LPIC-3, or equivalent)
Experience with CI/CD pipelines or DevSecOps practices
Required Education: 12+ years of systems administration/information technology experience with a High School Diploma/GED OR an Associate degree with 2 additional years of experience beyond the minimum required OR a Bachelor's degree with 8 years OR a Master's degree with 6 years OR a PhD with 4 years may be substituted in lieu of a degree.
Compensation
Salary Range (CO)
$125,000 — $155,000 USD
Clearance Requirement:
This position may require an active TS/SCI Clearance. Current clearance holders are strongly encouraged to apply. If you don't currently hold one, Bluestaq will sponsor eligible candidates through the clearance process based on program needs.
Relocation:
Relocation assistance is available for full-time positions.
About Bluestaq
At Bluestaq, we build secure data platforms that matter for space missions, national defense, healthcare systems, and commercial innovation. Founded in 2018, we've become a leader in enterprise software and secure data management by staying focused on what counts: modern architecture, operational excellence, and mission impact.
We're engineers, problem-solvers, and builders who take the mission seriously, but not ourselves. We automate the repeatable, question the status quo, and design systems that are as reliable as they are scalable. Whether we're supporting space, defense systems, or healthcare advancements, we build with the same principles: cloud-native solutions, security by design, and relentless simplicity.
What We Offer:
For full-time positions
100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision for you and your dependents
10% total 401(k) contribution from day one, no vesting period — Bluestaq contributes 4% automatically and matches 100% of the next 6%
Every role is eligible for an annual performance bonus
$200,000 employer-paid life insurance, plus short- and long-term disability coverage
$5,000 annual professional development budget per employee
20 days PTO, plus 8 paid holidays
Pet insurance, onsite gym, and flexible schedule
Bluestaq will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities and employees whose work requirements interfere with a religious belief unless doing so would result in an undue hardship to Bluestaq or a direct threat. Employees needing such accommodation are instructed to contact Human Resources immediately at contact.us@bluestaq.com.
Applications will be accepted for 60 days beyond the posting date, or until the position is filled, whichever comes first.
Employer application notice
Equal opportunity and accommodations
Bluestaq is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We prohibit unlawful discrimination against applicants or employees on the basis age 40 and over, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, military or veteran status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by state or local law.
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LAYIQ is an independent job-discovery service. This listing does not imply a partnership with or endorsement by the employer. Review the original posting for current details and availability.
