Senior Linux Engineer at BitByBit - Remote Philippines — Columbus
Traveler-Friendly Insight
Schedule Reality Check: This role runs on a strict 8 PM – 6 AM EST night shift, meaning you'll be working overnight Philippine/Indonesian hours (roughly 8 AM – 6 PM WIB/PHT the following day). This is a fixed-schedule role — not async-friendly. If you're a night owl or prefer daytime free time, this can actually work well, but spontaneous travel across time zones will be very difficult.
Location Constraints: The role is explicitly open to candidates in the Philippines and Indonesia only. While it is remote work, you must remain in one of these two countries. This limits nomadic movement significantly.
Salary vs. Cost of Living:
- Philippines ($2,300–$2,900/mo): Well above average local tech salaries. In Manila or Cebu, comfortable living runs ~$800–$1,200/mo, leaving significant savings potential.
- Indonesia ($1,500–$2,300/mo): In Bali or Yogyakarta, $1,500/mo covers a comfortable lifestyle. In Jakarta, budget closer to $1,200–$1,500/mo for comfort.
Nomad Perks: No explicit coworking allowance or equipment stipend is mentioned. The role does not appear to support travel outside of the Philippines or Indonesia, so traditional digital nomad visa strategies (e.g., Bali's E33G visa) may apply for Indonesian candidates staying local. The fixed night-shift hours limit flexibility for sightseeing or travel during the working week.
Work Hours: United States Eastern Time (8 PM – 6 AM EST)
Salary Range Philippines: $2,300–$2,900 (USD) per month + vacation
Salary Range Indonesia: $1,500–$2,300 (USD) per month + vacation + benefits
About BitByBit (BBB)
BitByBit (BBB) is a dynamic Managed Service Provider (MSP) dedicated to helping small and medium-sized businesses overcome their technical challenges. We are seeking a skilled and dedicated Senior Unix/Linux Engineer based in the Philippines or Indonesia to provide outstanding technical support to our US-based clients. Join a fast-paced, technology-driven environment that offers opportunities for growth and skill enhancement.
Position Summary
We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Unix/Linux Engineer to join our team. You will play a key role in installing, upgrading, and migrating servers on Linux, Unix, and AIX platforms, focusing on enhancing application security and performance. Additionally, you will oversee and manage enterprise environments, including Ansible/Puppet automation, Identity Management systems, and Infoblox DNS infrastructure.
Your mission is to ensure the availability, stability, scalability, maintainability, and reliability of our enterprise server environment across both on-premises systems and the Microsoft Azure Cloud. This hands-on technical role demands strong expertise in Unix/Linux systems, coupled with excellent leadership, interpersonal, and communication skills.
Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and maintain automation workflows using Ansible to streamline system administration tasks, deployments, and configurations.
- Manage and optimize Linux-based systems to ensure performance, security, and reliability.
- Install, upgrade, and migrate servers on Linux, Unix, and AIX platforms, with a focus on application security and performance.
- Develop Ansible playbooks, roles, and modules for automating infrastructure provisioning, configuration management, and software deployments.
- Integrate Ansible automation with CI/CD pipelines and other DevOps tools.
- Manage enterprise automation environments using Ansible and Puppet.
- Administer Infoblox and BIND DNS environments.
- Support Unix/Linux server nodes in virtualized environments such as VMware, Hyper-V, Microsoft Azure, OpenStack, and Citrix Xen.
- Implement monitoring and alerting solutions to proactively address system performance issues.
- Troubleshoot and resolve issues related to Linux servers, networking, and automation scripts.
- Maintain comprehensive documentation of automation processes, configurations, and system architecture.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance automation strategies and improve operational efficiency.
- Ensure compliance with security best practices and policies in all automation and system administration tasks.
Requirements
Core Skills
- Proficiency in RHEL 6/7/8/9.
- Strong experience with automation tools like Ansible, Terraform, and Puppet, including creating deployment playbooks for server builds and application deployments.
- Excellent time-management, prioritization, and problem-solving abilities.
- Critical thinking, analytical, and strategic decision-making skills.
- Expertise in Unix/Linux system administration (HPUX, IBM AIX, RHEL, Suse, CentOS, Ubuntu, MacOS).
- Experience with DNS administration (BIND and Infoblox).
- Solid foundation in networking concepts (e.g., Ethernet configuration, NIC bonding, TCP/IP troubleshooting, and packet analysis with Tcpdump/Wireshark).
- Experience with NTP, NFS server/client, SUDO, and LDAP client administration.
- Proficiency in SFTP setup and administration.
- Skilled in scripting (e.g., sh/csh/ksh/bash), automation programming (e.g., sed, awk, Python), and performance tuning.
- Experience deploying Unix/Linux systems in virtualized environments, including: VMware, Hyper-V, Ansible Automation, Microsoft Azure, OpenStack, and Citrix Xen.
- Familiarity with working in ServiceNow environments (preferred).
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.
- Strong problem-solving skills and a passion for automation.
Experience
Minimum of 8 years in Unix/Linux server administration.
Education
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (master's degree preferred).
- Relevant certifications are a plus.
Benefits
- Competitive salary based on experience + bonus.
- Paid vacation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the working hours for this role?
Is this position fully remote?
What is the salary for this role?
How much experience is required for this position?
What automation tools should I know for this role?
