Linux Systems Engineer - Automation & Cloud Ops Expert

MASOOMA AYAZ

Linux Systems Engineer

201-***-**** ************@*****.***

Jersey City, NJ

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Linux Systems Engineer with seven years of hands-on experience operating and supporting mixed infrastructure environments spanning physical servers and virtual platforms. Demonstrated ability to keep Linux systems stable, secure, and efficient through disciplined configuration practices, continuous monitoring, and targeted automation. Experienced in applying modern DevOps tooling—including Ansible, cloud services on AWS, container technologies, and orchestration platforms—to improve operational consistency and reduce manual effort. Recognized for remaining effective in fast-paced production settings, approaching challenges with strong ethical standards, analytical thinking, and a solution-driven mindset.

CERTIFICATIONS

• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA) EX200

WORK EXPERIENCE:

Linux Systems Engineer

Bank of America, Jersey City, NJ – Jun 2024 - Present

Delivered reliable Linux platforms by building, configuring, and maintaining Red Hat and CentOS systems, aligning system behavior with application and business requirements.

Proactively identify automation opportunities and develop Bash and Python scripts to streamline patching, log analysis, configuration validation, and routine system maintenance.

Developed reusable shell and Python scripts to automate health checks, user provisioning, backup validation, and system reporting, reducing manual administrative effort.

Improved consistency across virtual environments by introducing automation-driven VM provisioning, leveraging Ansible playbooks and command-based execution to eliminate configuration drift.

Deployed and maintained IoT/OT device infrastructure within enterprise environments, supporting configuration management, patching, and operational monitoring.

Performed patch validation and controlled deployments to ensure secure and stable device operations.

Troubleshot end-to-end system failures across device firmware, network connectivity, backend servers, and application platforms.

Execute RHEL server upgrade projects across large-scale production environments using Ansible.

Design, develop, implement, troubleshoot and maintain Ansible playbooks for automation of server upgrades, configurations, and maintenance tasks.

Executed a controlled RHEL 7 to RHEL 8 transition, identifying compatibility issues, resolving upgrade blockers, and ensuring uninterrupted service for dependent workloads.

Partnered with information security teams to evaluate system exposure, apply corrective measures, and reinforce Linux environments against emerging vulnerabilities.

Implemented data protection and recovery workflows using rsync, archival utilities, and AWS object storage, ensuring configuration backups and recoverability during failure scenarios.

Supported container-based application delivery by building and operating Docker containers, enabling faster deployments and consistent runtime environments.

Extensive experience in effectively managing Docker repositories, including handling files, composing Docker configurations, managing images, and running containers, ensuring smooth and reliable deployment and operation of containerized applications.

Experienced in utilizing Git for comprehensive version control of playbooks, scripts, and other infrastructure-as-code artifacts, ensuring efficient management and collaboration in DevOps environments.

Maintained environment configuration history and deployment artifacts using Git-based repositories, supporting coordinated changes and reducing integration conflicts.

Administered cloud-hosted Linux systems on AWS, managing compute instances, storage resources, and monitoring configurations to sustain service availability.

Automated cloud service provisioning and resource deployment within AWS environments using Ansible, enhancing scalability and operational efficiency.

Designed and managed S3 buckets, implementing customized access control policies to enhance security and provide granular access management for shared datasets.

Maintained operational visibility by tracking system metrics and alerts through Nagios and AWS CloudWatch, proactively addressing performance degradation before service impact.

Utilized Splunk universal forwarder for reliable, secure data collection from various sources, delivering data to Splunk Enterprise or Splunk Cloud for indexing and analysis.

Linux Admin

Cigna, Bloomfield, Connecticut – Jun 2020 – May 2024

Built and initialized Red Hat Linux servers through automated provisioning workflows, leveraging Satellite services, network boot mechanisms, and unattended installation frameworks to standardize system deployments.

Maintained software consistency across environments by administering RPM-based package management, synchronizing repositories, and supporting isolated systems through locally hosted YUM sources.

Supported and stabilized RHEL 6 and RHEL 7 platforms, addressing performance constraints, investigating system anomalies, and delivering dependable administration in high-utilization environments.

Administered Linux storage by managing logical volume structures, performing capacity adjustments, filesystem maintenance, and recovery activities to support evolving operational requirements.

Diagnosed and corrected bootloader-related issues, restoring system availability through GRUB troubleshooting and utilizing out-of-band management tools such as iLO and iDRAC for remote recovery.

Configured and maintained essential Linux networking services, ensuring reliable communication through proper setup of DNS, SSH, NFS, DHCP, TFTP, FTP, and related protocols.

Installed and supported Apache HTTP services, reviewing configuration behavior and resolving performance or availability issues affecting production workloads.

Reduced manual administrative overhead by implementing scheduled task execution, automating routine account maintenance, system checks, and housekeeping activities.

Worked closely with infrastructure, application, and engineering teams to coordinate troubleshooting efforts, ensuring seamless system integration and issue resolution.

Safeguarded system data by executing enterprise backup operations using NetBackup and validating recovery readiness for critical environments.

Supported virtualized workloads by managing VMware ESXi-hosted systems, including storage configuration and RAID optimization on Dell and HP hardware platforms.

Maintained flexible storage layouts by managing logical volumes and filesystems, performing resizing, recovery, and optimization activities to support changing capacity demands.

Enabled shared data access across Linux hosts by configuring and maintaining NFS services, improving resource utilization and reducing redundant storage.

Identified and resolved operational issues through system-level diagnostics, analyzing process activity, network paths, and name resolution behavior to prevent service disruptions.

Improved network resilience by configuring interface bonding, providing redundancy and throughput optimization for production systems.

Delivered hands-on Linux support across servers and end-user systems, resolving technical issues affecting daily operations and system accessibility.

Managed identity and access controls, enforcing permission policies and integrating Linux authentication with directory services to enable centralized user management.

Tuned kernel behavior to align with application performance requirements, adjusting runtime parameters in collaboration with application stakeholders.

Tracked incidents, service requests, and change activities through BMC Remedy, ensuring proper documentation, prioritization, and resolution within production timelines.

Linux Support Analyst

Jersey City Medical Center, Jersey City NJ – Sep 2019 – Apr 2020

Carried out day-to-day system checks and fault analysis, identifying configuration errors, and connectivity issues to keep Linux systems operating reliably.

Supported server environment tuning by assisting with configuration adjustments and performance recommendations, contributing to improved system responsiveness and stability.

Observed and analyzed system resource trends using command-line utilities and monitoring dashboards, detecting early signs of performance degradation and reporting risks before outages occurred.

Reviewed operating system and security event logs as part of routine compliance and security reviews, flagging anomalies and assisting in corrective actions to strengthen system defenses.

Maintained software consistency by managing package installations and updates through RPM-based tools, ensuring systems remained current and compliant with internal standards.

Developed simple shell-based automation scripts to handle repetitive operational tasks such as backup execution, system checks, and housekeeping activities.

Worked alongside system administrators and senior support staff to investigate and resolve escalated issues, contributing technical input during complex troubleshooting scenarios.

Supported data protection efforts by executing backup routines and validating backup results to confirm data availability during recovery situations.

Assisted with new server preparation activities, performing baseline configuration steps and verifying readiness prior to deployment.

Delivered initial technical assistance to users experiencing system or hardware issues, resolving standard problems independently and escalating advanced cases appropriately.

Computer Lab Technician

Department of Education, N.J Oct 2018 – July 2019

Installed, configured, and maintained computer hardware, software, and peripherals in the school lab.

Provided technical support to students, teachers, and staff, resolving hardware, software, and network issues efficiently.

Managed lab network connectivity and ensured secure, reliable access to educational resources.

Implemented software updates, patches, and antivirus measures to maintain system security and performance.

Maintained inventory of computers, devices, and software licenses, ensuring compliance with school policies.

TECHNICAL SKILLS:

Capability Area

Details

Linux Environment Expertise

Administration of Red Hat–based Linux systems; OS builds, upgrades, operational support, access control, and troubleshooting

Compute & Platform Operations

Physical server handling, hardware diagnostics, rack/cable coordination; VMware ESXi and vCenter operations; VM lifecycle management

Automation & Task Orchestration

Infrastructure automation using Ansible and Ansible Tower; shell scripting; scheduled execution of maintenance tasks

Cloud & Application Platforms

Support of Linux workloads on AWS; containerized application support using Docker; Kubernetes-based deployment and runtime management

Network & Access Controls

Connectivity analysis, service-level troubleshooting, SSH configuration, firewall rule support, security compliance practices

Observability & Stability

System visibility using Prometheus, Zabbix, Nagios, and CloudWatch; performance trend analysis and early issue detection

Data & Storage Services

Disk and volume handling with LVM and RAID; shared storage support via NFS; backup execution and recovery validation

Source & Change Tracking

Configuration and code tracking using Git; collaboration through GitLab/GitHub; change documentation

Service Operations

Incident and request handling; change coordination; problem investigation using enterprise ticketing tools

Team & Process Alignment

Cross-functional collaboration, technical documentation, operational handover and knowledge sharing

EDUCATION:

Bachelor of Arts

New Jersey City University - 2016

PC AGE Computer Schools NJ

Red Hat System Administration 2018 – 2019

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