Space Systems Administrator

Space Systems Administrator
Company: Omitron, Inc.
Location: Vandenberg Space Force Base, CA (on-site, classified)
Reports to: Systems Manager, Vandenberg

Position Overview

Omitron is seeking an experienced full-time Systems Engineer to support system and network administration for large-scale mission critical programs supporting the Space Domain Awareness/Command and Control (SDA/C2) mission. We are company rooted in ensuring mission success across flight operations, trajectory design and analysis, software tools for Space Domain Awareness (SDA), and On-Orbit Spaceflight Safety.

In this role, you will participate in system sustainment, performance monitoring, and platform administration efforts for the Space Mission Platform and its tenant applications. You will play a key role in ensuring systems are secure, reliable, and operating at peak performance in support of critical mission objectives. The work will be in support of the U.S. Space Force’s Space Delta 2 and 18th Space Defense Squadron at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

This position is ideal for an experienced systems engineering professional who can lead technical efforts, work independently or as part of a team, support operational excellence, and drive continuous system improvement.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and maintain the operational platform and tenant applications to ensure high availability and strong system performance.
• Troubleshoot and resolve system issues, outages, and performance concerns, ensuring timely response and minimal downtime.
• Provide technical expertise for system sustainment activities and support daily mission operations.
• Guide end-user support efforts, helping resolve complex issues and promoting system best practices.
• Plan and implement system upgrades, enhancements, patches, and service packs.
• Conduct and oversee routine system audits to evaluate system performance, integrity, and compliance.
• Develop, improve, and maintain system documentation, technical procedures, and standard operating procedures.
• Coordinate with site support teams, administrators, engineers, and mission stakeholders to resolve issues and improve system operations.
• Review system alerts, incidents, and operational trends, and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Prepare performance reports, assess system health, and provide recommendations for improvements and modernization.
• Ensure compliance with ITAR, EAR, and CUI requirements, along with company policies and cybersecurity standards.
• Maintain awareness of emerging technologies, industry trends, and engineering best practices that may improve system performance and mission support.
• Travel occasionally as needed.

Minimum Requirements

• US citizenship required
• Security Clearance: An active DoD Secret clearance is required. Candidates must be willing to complete a background investigation and application for upgrade to a TS/SCI clearance, if necessary.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or a related field — or equivalent combination of relevant experience.
• Experience:

• 6+ years of combined experience across systems administration, DevOps, and/or software engineering (or 4+ years with a graduate degree).
• DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II certification (e.g., Security+ CE, CCNA-Security), or the ability to obtain one within a defined onboarding period.
• Strong proficiency with Linux operating systems, including command-line administration, performance optimization, and troubleshooting.
• Strong experience with system performance monitoring, troubleshooting, and sustainment in an operational environment.
• Strong understanding of network infrastructure, system administration, and data processing pipelines.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical activities and support cross-functional engineering efforts.
• Strong problem-solving skills, sound judgment, and attention to detail.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and documentation skills.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and operate effectively in a mission-focused environment.
• Experience administering VMware vSphere.
• Experience administering Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP.
• Experience administering Windows Server and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.
• Familiarity with scripting and automation (languages vary - Python, MATLAB, C# etc)
• DoD 8570.01M IAT Level 2 certification, such as CompTIA Security+ CE.
• Ability to support 24/7 on-call response on a rotational basis

Preferred Qualifications:

• 2+ years of experience in a DoD, USAF, USSF, or NASA mission environment.
• Experience administering and hardening systems to DISA STIG / RMF standards (SELinux, Secure Boot, air-gapped operations).
• Experience tuning enterprise storage and high-throughput networking for high-performance or latency-sensitive workloads.
• Familiarity with configuration management and automation frameworks.
• Familiarity with Python numerical and scientific libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, Matplotlib, and SciPy.
• Familiarity with monitoring/observability and messaging tooling (e.g., Grafana, message brokers).
• Proficiency in Linux shell scripting; familiarity with Perl a plus for maintaining legacy tooling.
• Understanding of parallel programming concepts such as multiprocessing, multithreading, or async.
• Understanding of DevOps principles and agile methodologies (Scrum or Kanban).
• Experience administering VMware Cloud Foundation.
• Experience with Microsoft SQL Server or Oracle database systems.
• Understanding of Kubernetes and container orchestration platforms.
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) or similar certification.
• Additional certifications such as Network+, VMware, Microsoft, or other relevant infrastructure and systems certifications.
• Experience supporting classified or mission-critical environments.
• Knowledge of the Space Domain Awareness/Command and Control (SDA/C2) mission.

Working Relationships

• Reports to: Systems Manager, Vandenberg
• Collaborates with: Site Orbital Analysts, Systems Administrators, Network Administrators across the Vandenberg Team
• Customer Interface: 18 SDS mission operators and government technical leadership, and Prime program personnel, as delegated

Schedule and Environment

• On-site position in a secured classified facility at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, supporting the 18th Space Defense Squadron
• Primarily standard business hours; periodic support outside normal business hours may be required to support mission operations and high-interest events

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this role is $125K to $165K, depending on education level, relevant experience, and other factors.
Benefits include: