Linux Engineer

About the Role

KTek Resourcing is seeking a Linux Engineer to support a VDI platform layer within a distributed environment. This full-time position is based in Makkah, specifically in Thuwal or Makkah, and requires 5-10 years of relevant experience. The role focuses on maintaining and troubleshooting Linux systems and VDI infrastructure for researchers, faculty, and students.

Role Context and Scope

The Linux Engineer will operate within a distributed environment spanning approximately 20 hypervisors. While the Customer Linux team manages hypervisor monitoring and vulnerability, this role will concentrate on the VDI layer, including user issue resolution, Linux OS troubleshooting, patching, hardening, automation, configuration management, and operational support for containers and VDI. Core VDI technologies include SLURM + AWS DCV and Docker + Kasm Workspaces.

Key Responsibilities

• Resolve incidents and service requests for researchers, faculty, and students.
• Perform OS troubleshooting, including boot/kernel/service failures, package management, dependency failures, and OS upgrades/migrations.
• Drive vulnerability management, OS patching, and OS hardening in alignment with security requirements.
• Deliver performance tuning for CPU, memory, disk, and GPU as applicable.
• Support and maintain configuration management, including ongoing updates to Ansible and Puppet playbooks.
• Administer and manage OS-level agents for visibility and compliance, utilizing tools such as Nessus, Automox, and Puppet.
• Contribute to Root Cause Analysis (RCA) through diagnostics and log analysis.
• Support incident prevention via automation and lifecycle improvements.
• Configure environment modules (*, Lmod/Modules) and ensure correct runtime behavior for scientific environments.
• Perform dependency resolution and enablement of application runtime environments, ensuring reliable access to scientific toolchains.
• Troubleshoot VDI session access and performance issues.
• Support scheduling and workload management interactions at the VDI layer.
• Perform container platform operations at the VDI layer.
• Handle multi-component troubleshooting for cases involving VDI, schedulers, and containers.
• Coordinate with relevant teams for issues crossing into hypervisor-level responsibilities.

Engineering and Automation Functions

• Implement automation-first operational practices using advanced scripting (bash, Python), Ansible, and Puppet.
• Utilize Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and CI/CD practices, including GitLab CI/CD, where applicable.
• Maintain infrastructure lifecycle workflows through automation.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• 5-10 years of experience as a Linux Systems Engineer (L2/L3) or similar role.
• Proficiency in Linux OS troubleshooting, including kernel, service, and package management issues.
• Experience with vulnerability management, OS patching, and hardening.
• Demonstrated experience with configuration management tools such as Ansible and Puppet.
• Familiarity with VDI core technologies, including SLURM + AWS DCV and Docker + Kasm Workspaces.
• Strong scripting skills (bash, Python) and experience with IaC and CI/CD practices.

Location and Work Type

This is a full-time position located in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, with work opportunities in Thuwal or Makkah. The salary for this role will be discussed during the interview process.