RFQ-ASD-LH-05241 Senior Systems Administrator
Due to the nature of clients we work with here at Kinexus and the projects these roles will be based on, an Australian Government Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2) clearance is essential.
These opportunities do not have the ability to obtain sponsorship for a security clearance (including applicants who currently hold a security clearance seeking to upgrade).
ABOUT THIS ROLE
Due to the nature of clients we work with here at Kinexus and the projects these roles will be based on, an Australian Government Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2) clearance is essential.
These opportunities do not have the ability to obtain sponsorship for a security clearance (including applicants who currently hold a security clearance seeking to upgrade).
ABOUT THIS ROLE
The ASD requires one experienced System Administrator to support the delivery and ongoing operation of a secure, high-availability platform in Linux and AWS environments. The role involves system administration, security implementation, automation, and performance monitoring, ensuring reliability and compliance. Candidates should have strong expertise in Red Hat Linux, AWS services, and automation tools (e.g., Ansible), with desirable experience in Apache NiFi, Essential Eight security controls, and database administration (MySQL/DynamoDB).
Estimated start date: Monday, 02 March 2026
Initial contract duration: 12 months
Extension term: 12 months
Number of extensions: 2
Location of work: QLD, ACT
Working arrangements: Onsite. Candidates must be willing to undergo ASD's Organisational Suitability Assessment (OSA) prior to engagement. Candidates required to have NV2 clearance.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is the federal agency responsible for foreign signals intelligence, cyber warfare and information security. ASD's purpose is to defend Australia from global threats and help advance our national interests.
Situated in Canberra, ASD employs over 2000 TSPV cleared workers. ASD's workforce is growing rapidly. Areas of growth include PMO, cyber security, systems administration and engineering, software development and network engineering.
A top-security, complex and highly technical environment, ASD plays a vital role in the defence of Australia. Long contracts (12 months+) available.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Estimated start date: Monday, 02 March 2026
Initial contract duration: 12 months
Extension term: 12 months
Number of extensions: 2
Location of work: QLD, ACT
Working arrangements: Onsite. Candidates must be willing to undergo ASD's Organisational Suitability Assessment (OSA) prior to engagement. Candidates required to have NV2 clearance.
ABOUT THE COMPANY
Australian Signals Directorate (ASD) is the federal agency responsible for foreign signals intelligence, cyber warfare and information security. ASD's purpose is to defend Australia from global threats and help advance our national interests.
Situated in Canberra, ASD employs over 2000 TSPV cleared workers. ASD's workforce is growing rapidly. Areas of growth include PMO, cyber security, systems administration and engineering, software development and network engineering.
A top-security, complex and highly technical environment, ASD plays a vital role in the defence of Australia. Long contracts (12 months+) available.
JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- Administer, maintain, and monitor Linux-based systems, including patching, configuration, and performance tuning
- Manage AWS infrastructure (e.g. EC2, S3, Lambdas, backups, workloads, security controls) to ensure availability and security
- Implement and maintain security controls in line with organisational policies
- Assist in the continuous improvement process by developing and enhancing procedures
- Document technical processes in accordance with organisational requirements and promote bidirectional knowledge transfer within a team environment
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux (administration, patching, performance tuning)
- AWS Services:
- EC2
- Lambda
- S3
- Backup services
- Automation & Orchestration Tools:
- Ansible
- Semaphore
- Monitoring & Logging Tools:
- Grafana
- ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana)
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE NEEDED
Essential criteria
- Extensive experience administering Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems including patching, performance tuning, and troubleshooting in production environments.
- Extensive experience deploying, configuring, and maintaining applications on AWS, including EC2, Lambda, S3, and backup services, with a focus on reliability and security.
- Hands-on experience with automation and orchestration tools (specifically Ansible and Semaphore) for system provisioning, configuration management, and deployment workflows.
- Extensive experience in monitoring and logging, using tools such as Grafana and the ELK stack, to monitor system health and support incident response
- Australian Citizenship and a NV2 or TSPV security clearance is essential
Desirable criteria
- Experience administering and supporting Apache NiFi clusters, including configuration and troubleshooting of data flows.
- Experience with operating in secure government environments, including compliance with security policies and change management processes.
- Practical experience implementing and maintaining Essential Eight security controls, particularly in Linux and AWS environments.
- Familiarity with administration and tunning of databases like MYSQL and Dynamo DB.
Why work for ASD?
- Work on interesting and prestigious projects vital to the ongoing defence of Australia.
- Flexible work environment; work the hours that suit you between 7am and 7pm.
- Low attrition rate: the great variety of projects and opportunities across different business areas ensure few workers leave ASD.
- Long contracts available.
- Fantastic growth opportunities available at any stage of your career.
- Kinexus has been supplying TSPV contractors to government panels since 2004 and have a strong relationship with them. We are one of just 9 suppliers Australia-wide.
- Our experience in managing contractors in defence/national security industries means we understand the requirements from the Commonwealth, insurances and clearances.
- DISP accredited; we can hold clearances and manage renewals.
- Dedicated account manager (me!) who is your dedicated POC and offer continuous contractor care.
- Rate negotiation guidance in line with the SFIA framework.
- Dedicated payroll assistant who facilitates your taxes and super.
- We proactively chase timesheet approvers to ensure you get paid on-time and error free.
- Regular visits to Canberra for coffee, lunches and quarterly drinks events.
- We can facilitate novated car leases, LAFHA or salary sacrifice.
- We'll keep you up to date with the most appropriate, interesting opportunities in your field.
- Community matters. Kinexus supports women in Defence through our female mentoring program and rewards referrers through our Referral Rewards scheme.
- Support for your health and wellness through counselling support (EAP) available for all contractors and their families.
All applications should include your resume as a word document.
For more information, visit our website, www.kinexus.com.au or contact Cindace Prasad on 0449 511 324.
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