About Forterra
Forterra is a leading provider of autonomous systems for ground-based movement in the working world. Amongst some of the earliest innovators in the field of driverless technology, Forterra is focused on building systems that protect front-line soldiers and enable civilian workers in our industrial base. Forterra is the go-to provider of ground autonomy solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense, which harnesses the technology for asymmetric warfare in critical conditions.
About the role
Forterra is seeking a highly skilled Linux System Administrator to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will be responsible for maintaining software systems on autonomous vehicles, performing network diagnostics, and managing VPN solutions such as OpenVPN and WireGuard. Your primary focus will be to ensure the smooth operation and optimal performance of autonomous vehicle systems, while enhancing network reliability and security.
What you'll do
- Install, configure, deploy, and troubleshoot autonomous vehicle systems for customers both on-site and remotely.
- Configure and maintain Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) tools, including Docker.
- Communicate effectively with both engineering teams and customers.
- Document all work thoroughly to support continuous process improvement.
- Work confidently around both small and large autonomous vehicles.
Qualifications
- Proficiency in Linux system administration, with strong hardware knowledge and expertise in command line tools.
- Experience developing automation tools using Ansible, Bash, and Python.
- Strong diagnostic and troubleshooting skills.
- Ability to work independently and meet program commitments.
- Experience configuring network devices, including wireless radios and switches.
- Commitment to proper documentation of system and configuration changes.
- Ability to collaborate with technicians, engineers, and team members to resolve complex technical issues.
- Experience with version control systems such as Git.
- Solid understanding of networking protocols and technologies, including TCP/IP, DNS, VLANs, VPNs, and routing protocols.
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with version control tools such as ClearCase, Git, Bitbucket, or similar.
- Experience configuring VPNs for secure inter-system communication.
- Experience installing and configuring firmware on embedded hardware (e.g., custom Linux distros, Ubuntu, Android, STM microcontrollers).
- Proficiency with containerization tools such as Docker.
- Familiarity with configuration management tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.
- Experience deploying software to embedded systems and remote platforms.
- Proficiency in analyzing and troubleshooting network traffic for performance and security using tools like Wireshark and tcpdump.
- Experience diagnosing network issues related to connectivity, latency, packet loss, and bandwidth.
- Familiarity with services such as LDAP, Apache, and Nginx.
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field — or equivalent industry experience.
- 0–5 years of relevant professional experience.
US Salary Range
$90,000 — $130,000
Location
Clarksburg, MD - Full-Time In-Office 5 days/week
Up to 25% Travel
The salary range for this role is an estimate and is based on a wide variety of compensation factors. The salary offered to candidates will vary based on a variety of factors including (but not limited to) relevant work experience, education, specialized training, critical expertise, training, and more. Equity in Forterra is included in most of our full-time, high-demand roles and is therefore considered part of Forterra’s overall compensation package. In addition to base salary and equity, Forterra offers competitive benefits for full-time employees including:
- Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
- Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
- Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
- Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
- A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
- A $9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
- Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
- 401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.
Your recruiter will be able to share more information about our salary and benefits offering during the hiring process.
Forterra is an equal-opportunity employer, providing and promoting equal employment opportunity in accordance with local, state, and federal laws. Forterrans are unique, talented individuals who are united through a shared passion to deliver autonomous systems that enable national resilience and a robust supply chain. All qualified applications will receive equal consideration for employment.
