Contract Linux Engineer

Contract Linux Consultant
Contract: 6 months
Location: Cheltenham (Hybrid 2-3 days remote)
Rate: £550 - £600 a day
IR35 - Inside IR35

We are seeking a skilled and proactive Linux Server Migration Specialist to address the obsolescence of our clients current Linux server estate. The organisation has approximately 130 Linux servers running CentOS, Red Hat, and SUSE operating systems that have reached the end of their lifecycle and can no longer be patched. The selected candidate will play a critical role in building, configuring, and migrating to replacement Red Hat virtual servers.

Key Responsibilities:
* Build replacement Red Hat virtual servers using an established template to replace obsolete servers running CentOS, Red Hat, and SUSE operating systems.
* Install and configure standard tools, such as EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response) agent, Tanium, and other security and monitoring software.
* Install and configure application components including Apache, SSL, MariaDB, and related services.
* Work closely with application teams to port their applications from the legacy servers to the new Red Hat virtual servers.
* Troubleshoot any issues that may arise during the migration process, including compatibility, performance, and security challenges.
* Maintain thorough documentation of the server migration process, configurations, and any issues resolved.
* Provide regular updates to stakeholders, including the Linux expert in France, and the Level 1 and Level 2 support teams in India.

Skills
* Strong experience with Linux server administration, particularly with Red Hat, CentOS, and SUSE distributions.
* Experience in creating and managing virtual machines (VMs) in a virtualized environment.
* Proficient in installing and configuring common software components such as Apache, MariaDB, SSL certificates, and other application services.
* Experience in installing and configuring enterprise tools like EDR agents and Tanium, and other security or monitoring tools.
* Proven ability to successfully migrate applications and resolve issues related to compatibility, configuration, and performance.
* Strong communication skills for collaborating with remote teams in France and India.
* Ability to work effectively across different time zones and manage time independently

Nice to have
* Experience with Red Hat-based environments and tools specific to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL).
* Familiarity with the toolset, including EDR, Tanium, and other enterprise management tools.
* Experience with server patching and lifecycle management.