STEM OPT Linux Administrator Jobs
Linux Administrator roles in system reliability, cloud infrastructure, and network operations qualify for STEM OPT's 24-month extension under computer science and information technology CIP codes. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and you'll need a training plan that maps your Linux administration work to your STEM degree field.
Find STEM OPT Linux Administrator JobsOverview
Showing 5 of 17+ Linux Administrator jobs
See all Linux Administrator Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new Linux Administrator roles.
Get Access To All JobsCompany Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Information Research at AbbVie partners with pharmaceutical R&D scientists to deliver technical solutions for complex scientific needs. This role offers the opportunity to work alongside scientists and technology professionals, solve everyday challenges, and help advance the digital transformation of drug discovery teams.
We are seeking a collaborative, curious early-career engineer who enjoys learning and applying practical technology to meaningful business problems. Working collaboratively with senior engineers, you will support scientific and Linux technology teams across the business-system life cycle—from identifying needs and defining requirements through implementation, testing, operational support, and change—while contributing ideas and developing within a diverse, energetic, and innovative Linux team.
Responsibilities
- Support Linux engineering activities in enterprise environments, including operations, maintenance, health checks, monitoring, configuration, access and file-system management, and issue resolution, with guidance from senior engineers.
- Assist with operating-system patching, software installs and updates, certificate management, and configuration changes under approved procedures, change controls, maintenance schedules, security requirements, and senior guidance.
- Learn and apply Linux, infrastructure services, automation, and enterprise standards to support secure, reliable, reproducible, and timely outcomes.
- Use Ansible and configuration-management tools to support standardized configurations, repeatable automation, and the maintenance of scripts and workflows; contribute ideas for automation and AI-enabled automation.
- Assist with troubleshooting Linux systems, applications, infrastructure services, and automation workflows using logs, system behavior, performance indicators, and operational results; document findings and escalate significant or recurring issues.
- Contribute to the testing, documentation, implementation, and verification of infrastructure changes and deployments across on-premises, virtualized, and cloud environments.
- Develop and maintain clear technical documentation with guidance, including procedures, runbooks, configuration, and automation records, troubleshooting guides, and support hand-off materials.
- Work closely with senior engineers and infrastructure, cybersecurity, application, platform, and service partners to coordinate maintenance, resolve issues, support projects, and learn practices that improve Linux reliability and security.
- Learn and follow corporate and divisional standards, policies, and procedures for conduct, safety, GxP compliance, data integrity, cybersecurity, access and change control, incident management, and the software development lifecycle.
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree with 2 years of relevant experience; OR Master’s Degree with no additional experience.
- Foundational experience or coursework with Ubuntu, CentOS, Rocky Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or other enterprise Linux distributions.
- Foundational theoretical and practical knowledge of Linux operating systems and standard administration practices, with interest in continuing to develop these skills.
- Exposure to routine Linux administration, including patching, software installs and updates, service management, configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
- Basic understanding of enterprise infrastructure, including servers, storage, networking, virtualization, cloud, authentication, access controls, and system dependencies.
- Ability to review logs, command output, monitoring data, and incident details to help identify issues and contribute to root-cause analysis under guidance.
- Familiarity with security and operational practices, including vulnerability remediation, certificate management, least-privilege access, backups, change control, and system hardening.
- Ability to create clear, accurate technical documentation and operational records with appropriate review.
- Effective communication, collaboration, organization, problem-solving, and teamwork skills; able to work constructively with senior engineers and cross-functional partners.
- Curiosity and willingness to learn and apply new technologies, tools, methods, and procedures as business and technology needs evolve; openness to sharing ideas and learning from feedback.
Preferred:
- Exposure to Ansible Tower/AWX or similar platforms, including playbook execution, troubleshooting, and basic development or maintenance.
- Familiarity with Bash, Python, JavaScript, .NET, Shell scripting, or similar technologies, with interest in developing automation skills.
- Exposure / Familiarity with Git or other source-control tools.
- Exposure to public or private cloud environments; AWS experience is a plus.
- Familiarity with enterprise monitoring, logging, vulnerability-management, or IT service-management tools.
- Exposure to regulated, validated, or GxP environments.
- Foundational knowledge of TLS/SSL certificates, public key infrastructure, DNS, LDAP, Active Directory, and related services.
- Relevant Linux, cloud, automation, or cybersecurity certification or interest in pursuing one.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with an approachable and collaborative working style.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
Company Description
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas including immunology, oncology, and neuroscience - and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please visit us at www.abbvie.com. Follow @abbvie on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.
Job Description
Information Research at AbbVie partners with pharmaceutical R&D scientists to deliver technical solutions for complex scientific needs. This role offers the opportunity to work alongside scientists and technology professionals, solve everyday challenges, and help advance the digital transformation of drug discovery teams.
We are seeking a collaborative, curious early-career engineer who enjoys learning and applying practical technology to meaningful business problems. Working collaboratively with senior engineers, you will support scientific and Linux technology teams across the business-system life cycle—from identifying needs and defining requirements through implementation, testing, operational support, and change—while contributing ideas and developing within a diverse, energetic, and innovative Linux team.
Responsibilities
- Support Linux engineering activities in enterprise environments, including operations, maintenance, health checks, monitoring, configuration, access and file-system management, and issue resolution, with guidance from senior engineers.
- Assist with operating-system patching, software installs and updates, certificate management, and configuration changes under approved procedures, change controls, maintenance schedules, security requirements, and senior guidance.
- Learn and apply Linux, infrastructure services, automation, and enterprise standards to support secure, reliable, reproducible, and timely outcomes.
- Use Ansible and configuration-management tools to support standardized configurations, repeatable automation, and the maintenance of scripts and workflows; contribute ideas for automation and AI-enabled automation.
- Assist with troubleshooting Linux systems, applications, infrastructure services, and automation workflows using logs, system behavior, performance indicators, and operational results; document findings and escalate significant or recurring issues.
- Contribute to the testing, documentation, implementation, and verification of infrastructure changes and deployments across on-premises, virtualized, and cloud environments.
- Develop and maintain clear technical documentation with guidance, including procedures, runbooks, configuration, and automation records, troubleshooting guides, and support hand-off materials.
- Work closely with senior engineers and infrastructure, cybersecurity, application, platform, and service partners to coordinate maintenance, resolve issues, support projects, and learn practices that improve Linux reliability and security.
- Learn and follow corporate and divisional standards, policies, and procedures for conduct, safety, GxP compliance, data integrity, cybersecurity, access and change control, incident management, and the software development lifecycle.
Qualifications
Required:
- Bachelor’s Degree with 2 years of relevant experience; OR Master’s Degree with no additional experience.
- Foundational experience or coursework with Ubuntu, CentOS, Rocky Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or other enterprise Linux distributions.
- Foundational theoretical and practical knowledge of Linux operating systems and standard administration practices, with interest in continuing to develop these skills.
- Exposure to routine Linux administration, including patching, software installs and updates, service management, configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
- Basic understanding of enterprise infrastructure, including servers, storage, networking, virtualization, cloud, authentication, access controls, and system dependencies.
- Ability to review logs, command output, monitoring data, and incident details to help identify issues and contribute to root-cause analysis under guidance.
- Familiarity with security and operational practices, including vulnerability remediation, certificate management, least-privilege access, backups, change control, and system hardening.
- Ability to create clear, accurate technical documentation and operational records with appropriate review.
- Effective communication, collaboration, organization, problem-solving, and teamwork skills; able to work constructively with senior engineers and cross-functional partners.
- Curiosity and willingness to learn and apply new technologies, tools, methods, and procedures as business and technology needs evolve; openness to sharing ideas and learning from feedback.
Preferred:
- Exposure to Ansible Tower/AWX or similar platforms, including playbook execution, troubleshooting, and basic development or maintenance.
- Familiarity with Bash, Python, JavaScript, .NET, Shell scripting, or similar technologies, with interest in developing automation skills.
- Exposure / Familiarity with Git or other source-control tools.
- Exposure to public or private cloud environments; AWS experience is a plus.
- Familiarity with enterprise monitoring, logging, vulnerability-management, or IT service-management tools.
- Exposure to regulated, validated, or GxP environments.
- Foundational knowledge of TLS/SSL certificates, public key infrastructure, DNS, LDAP, Active Directory, and related services.
- Relevant Linux, cloud, automation, or cybersecurity certification or interest in pursuing one.
- Strong interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, with an approachable and collaborative working style.
Additional Information
Applicable only to applicants applying to a position in any location with pay disclosure requirements under state or local law:
- The compensation range described below is the range of possible base pay compensation that the Company believes in good faith it will pay for this role at the time of this posting based on the job grade for this position. Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors including geographic location, and we may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range. This range may be modified in the future.
- We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick), medical/dental/vision insurance and 401(k) to eligible employees.
- This job is eligible to participate in our short-term incentive programs.
Note: No amount of pay is considered to be wages or compensation until such amount is earned, vested, and determinable. The amount and availability of any bonus, commission, incentive, benefits, or any other form of compensation and benefits that are allocable to a particular employee remains in the Company's sole and absolute discretion unless and until paid and may be modified at the Company’s sole and absolute discretion, consistent with applicable law.
AbbVie is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to operating with integrity, driving innovation, transforming lives and serving our community. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled.
US & Puerto Rico only - to learn more, visit https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/equal-employment-opportunity-employer.html
US & Puerto Rico applicants seeking a reasonable accommodation, click here to learn more:
https://www.abbvie.com/join-us/reasonable-accommodations.html
See all STEM OPT Linux Administrator Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new STEM OPT Linux Administrator Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Linux Administrator
Verify your CIP code before applying
Your STEM OPT eligibility depends on your degree's CIP code mapping to an approved STEM field. Computer science, information systems, and computer engineering codes all support Linux Administrator roles, but confirm your specific code with your DSO before starting the application process.
Check E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Before signing an offer letter, search the E-Verify employer database to confirm your employer is actively enrolled. An employer who isn't enrolled can't legally employ you on STEM OPT, and enrollment gaps discovered after you start create immediate status problems.
Build your I-983 training plan around Linux competencies
Your I-983 must connect your day-to-day Linux administration tasks, such as kernel tuning, scripting automation, or managing containerized workloads, to specific learning objectives from your STEM degree program. Vague descriptions like 'manages servers' get flagged during ICE audits.
Target employers with established OPT hiring pipelines
Use Migrate Mate to filter for employers who have previously hired STEM OPT students in Linux or systems roles. Companies with existing OPT processes already have E-Verify enrollment and HR familiarity with I-983 reporting cycles, which cuts onboarding friction significantly.
Negotiate role scope to cover your full 24 months
During offer discussions, confirm the position has enough technical depth to support two annual I-983 evaluations. Linux roles that expand into security hardening, infrastructure automation, or cloud platform management give your DSO clear evidence of ongoing STEM training throughout the extension.
Use OFLC Wage Search to anchor your salary conversation
Look up the prevailing wage for Linux Administrator roles in your target metro using the OFLC Wage Search before negotiating. STEM OPT doesn't impose a wage floor the way H-1B visa does, but knowing DOL wage levels prevents employers from undercutting market rates under the assumption that OPT students have less leverage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a Linux Administrator role qualify for the STEM OPT 24-month extension?
Yes, Linux Administrator positions typically qualify under computer science, information systems, and related STEM CIP codes. The role must involve work that directly applies your STEM degree, such as systems engineering, network architecture, or infrastructure automation. Your DSO confirms eligibility based on your specific degree program's CIP code, not just the job title.
What E-Verify requirements apply to my Linux Administrator employer?
Your employer must be actively enrolled in E-Verify before your STEM OPT employment begins. Enrollment is mandatory under USCIS regulations for any employer hiring a STEM OPT student. You can verify enrollment through the E-Verify employer search tool before accepting an offer. Employers who enroll after you start cannot retroactively authorize your STEM OPT period.
What goes into the I-983 training plan for a Linux Administrator position?
Your I-983 must detail how specific job duties, such as managing Linux server environments, writing Bash or Python automation scripts, configuring network services, or implementing security protocols, connect to your STEM degree's learning outcomes. Both you and your employer sign it, and your supervisor completes evaluations every 12 months. Vague descriptions that don't tie tasks to academic competencies create ICE audit risk.
How does cap-gap protection work if I'm a Linux Administrator on STEM OPT waiting for H-1B?
If your employer files an H-1B petition before your STEM OPT ends and you're selected in the lottery, cap-gap automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that year. USCIS requires your employer to have filed the petition on time and your OPT EAD to still be valid at the time of filing. You can continue working as a Linux Administrator without interruption during the cap-gap period.
Where can I find Linux Administrator jobs where the employer already understands STEM OPT requirements?
Migrate Mate lists Linux Administrator roles filtered for employers with active E-Verify enrollment and prior experience hiring international students on OPT. Searching there lets you focus on companies whose HR teams already know how to handle I-983 reporting cycles and DSO coordination, which reduces the risk of an employer withdrawing an offer once they learn about the paperwork involved.