Senior Linux Administrator - Rancher Specialist

Linux Systems Administrator (Rancher & Container Orchestration Specialist)

Company: Vennote Technologies

Location: Lagos (Hybrid)

Type: Full-Time

Role Overview

Vennote Technologies is seeking a senior-level Linux Systems Administrator with deep expertise in Rancher to lead our containerization and infrastructure efforts. In this role, you will be the primary architect and administrator for our Kubernetes ecosystems, leveraging Rancher to manage clusters across diverse environments. You will balance traditional RHEL administration with modern DevOps automation using Ansible and OpenShift to ensure our infrastructure is scalable, secure, and resilient.

Key Responsibilities

1. Rancher & Kubernetes Orchestration (Primary Focus)

• Cluster Management: Deploy, manage, and scale enterprise Kubernetes clusters using Rancher.
• Multi-Cluster Coordination: Use Rancher to provide centralized authentication, security policy enforcement, and inventory management across multiple RHEL-based clusters.
• OpenShift Integration: Administer and optimize Red Hat OpenShift environments, ensuring seamless application deployment and resource allocation.
• Workload Migration: Lead the transition of legacy applications into containerized environments managed by Rancher.

2. Infrastructure Automation & Configuration

• Ansible Automation: Develop and maintain complex Ansible playbooks for automated provisioning, configuration management, and application deployment.
• RHEL Administration: Perform expert-level administration of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), including kernel tuning, LVM management, and performance optimization.
• CI/CD Support: Collaborate with DevOps teams to integrate Rancher/Kubernetes pipelines into existing automation workflows.

3. System Operations & Maintenance

• Lifecycle Management: Lead technology refresh projects for Linux/Unix domains and container platforms.
• Patching & Updates: Utilize Red Hat Satellite and Rancher’s automated tools to perform OS and Kubernetes version upgrades with minimal downtime.
• Monitoring: Proactively monitor cluster health, node resource utilization, and network latency using Prometheus, Grafana, or Rancher’s built-in monitoring tools.

4. Security & Compliance

• Hardening: Implement CIS benchmarks for RHEL and Kubernetes. Enforce Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) within Rancher.
• Network Security: Manage IPTables/Firewalld and Kubernetes Network Policies to secure pod-to-pod communication.
• Auditing: Assist in security investigations and maintain audit-ready configurations for all containerized and standalone Linux environments.

Technical Requirements

• Rancher & K8s: Expert-level knowledge of Rancher (RKE/K3s), including Helm charts, Persistent Volumes, and Ingress controllers.
• Operating Systems: Mastery of RHEL (v7, 8, & 9) and familiarity with Oracle Linux or Solaris.
• Automation: Advanced proficiency in Ansible for "Infrastructure as Code" (IaC).
• Scripting: Robust skills in Bash and Python for custom automation and API integrations.
• Networking: Strong understanding of SDN in OpenShift/Kubernetes and traditional TCP/IP networking.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, or a related Engineering field.
• Experience: 7+ years of hands-on Linux Administration, with at least 2+ years focused on Rancher and Kubernetes.
• Required Certifications:
• RHCSA or RHCE (Red Hat Certified System Administrator/Engineer).
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) or Rancher-specific certifications.
• Preferred Certifications:
• Red Hat Certified Specialist in OpenShift Administration.
• ITIL v4 Foundation.

Why Vennote Technologies?

At Vennote, we are moving toward a cloud-native future. This role offers the opportunity to be the technical lead for our Rancher implementation, giving you the autonomy to design how we scale. You will work in a high-octane environment where automation is the priority, not an afterthought.

How to Apply

Qualified candidates should send their CVs to dave.nwokedi@vennote.com with "Linux Systems Administrator (Rancher Specialist)" as the subject.

Note: Only candidates with demonstrated Rancher and Ansible experience will be contacted.

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