Job Description

Linux Engineer – 6-month contract – Outside of IR35 – London/remote

My Banking Customer is migrating its Linux server estate from Ubuntu 18.04 to 24.04 LTS, with CIS Level 2 hardening enforced across all systems. The programme spans a broad and complex application estate — including core banking platforms, identity infrastructure, integration middleware, containerised workloads, and legacy line-of-business applications.

This role requires someone who can build and maintain the hardening automation pipeline and also operate effectively at the application layer — diagnosing why CIS Level 2 breaks a Docker-based app, a legacy SFTP chroot, or a low-code platform, and engineering a compliant resolution. Substantial business engagement is required to discover dependencies, obtain formal sign-off, and manage stakeholder expectations across technical and non-technical teams.

Key skills required from the Linux Engineer:

Linux Expertise: Ubuntu 18.04–24.04 administration and hardening; deep familiarity with systemd, AppArmor, LVM, mount options, and service behaviour under CIS Level 2 constraints

Automation: Ansible Lockdown, Vault, roles, dynamic inventories; Bash scripting to production standard

CIS / Security: Ubuntu Security Guide (USG), SCAP, CIS Level 2 tailoring and exception management; CVSS v3/v2 scoring and patch reporting

Containers: Docker on hardened Ubuntu hosts — diagnosing AppArmor, bridge networking, and kernel parameter conflicts introduced by CIS controls

App Environments: Experience with complex, partially-documented application stacks; ability to trace service failures back to specific CIS controls

Banking/financial experience would be beneficial

Key responsibilities of the Linux Engineer:

Manage and improve Ubuntu 24.04 build and hardening automation using Bash, Ansible, cloud-init, and vSphere tools

Develop CIS Level 2 hardening and OS provisioning playbooks with tailored compliance exceptions

Run monthly patching processes, including vulnerability reporting, approvals, and phased deployments

Troubleshoot hardening-related issues across Docker, AppArmor, kernel settings, filesystems, and legacy applications

Create pre-migration audit scripts to capture server configurations and dependencies

Support and remediate issues across complex application environments including Ping, Netcall, SFTP, syslog, and WordPress

Lead migration discovery sessions with stakeholders to identify risks, dependencies, and compliance impacts

Work across banking, integration, database, and automation platforms while maintaining audit and migration documentation

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