Senior CNO Systems Administrator

Annapolis Junction, MD

System Administrator

An active TS//SCI clearance with polygraph is required for this role

👋🏼 Hey!

Bitwise is a leading provider of mission-focused intelligence solutions that advance national security for the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense. We're a small and growing company, so you can expect to hop in on the ground floor with us and be a consequential member of the team. You'll be more than a contract performer for us — you'll also be asked for ideas to improve our company and improve your career, and you'll contribute to our team culture. We value growth and community above almost all else, so we gather regularly for game nights, happy hours, tech talks, and plenty more. We think you'll like it here!

Remember, Bitwise is not a cult. 🖖🏼

🎯 What We Look For

Bitwise hires talented engineers who are driven by purpose and who value a culture of technical excellence, growth, and overall wellness. We deliver new and innovative intelligence solutions to our customers at the very forefront of our country's national security missions. And we do it every single day. Our work matters, and so will you.

We ask that every new hire be able to:

Contribute meaningful thought leadership — if not right away, over time
Interact with our customers and earn their confidence in your abilities
Be detailed, even if that means taking a little more time to get it right
Contribute their ideas and ideals to improve all aspects of our company
Allow us to invest in their education so we both grow together
Know and live our core values every single day

💡 About this Role

We're looking for a Senior System Administrator who takes real ownership of our operational IT environment supporting critical national security capabilities. This isn't a ticket-only role — you'll be a forward-leaning technical contributor who builds relationships, documents with precision, and actively works to improve how our engineering teams operate every single day.

You will install, configure, and maintain high-performance compute hardware, including NVIDIA H100, H200, and B300 class accelerator platforms. You'll oversee the uninstallation and relocation of existing equipment to our government data warehouse while maintaining configuration integrity and proper tracking throughout the process. Your work will directly support the installation and sustainment of both new and legacy hardware within the warehouse environment.

As a thought leader in our infrastructure, you'll document installation procedures, configurations, and lessons learned — creating repeatable, scalable deployment playbooks that make future efforts faster and more efficient. You'll develop strong working relationships with onsite System Administrators at the warehouse to streamline troubleshooting and escalate priorities when mission timelines demand it. You'll identify gaps in onsite support coverage and recommend improvements to reduce downtime and response time across our operations.

You'll partner directly with our contract engineering teams to optimize system performance and user workflows. You'll maintain detailed technical documentation, diagrams, and standard operating procedures with a level of clarity that allows another engineer to step in seamlessly. Your contributions will extend to virtualization efforts and long-term IT modernization strategies. And as mission requirements evolve, you'll adapt to support AWS cloud integrations, Large Language Model infrastructure, and emerging technologies.

📋 Requirements

9+ years of systems administration experience, with or without a Bachelor's degree
Strong Linux systems administration experience in operational environments
Hands-on experience installing and maintaining GPU-accelerated or high-performance compute systems, particularly NVIDIA enterprise-class hardware
Demonstrated ability to document technical processes clearly and professionally
Experience working within structured data center or warehouse environments
Familiarity with virtualization technologies and hypervisors
Ability to troubleshoot hardware and software issues across networked systems
Strong communication skills and proven experience interacting directly with mission users
Proven ability to operate independently while coordinating effectively with distributed support teams

🌟 Preferred Skills

A forward-leaning mindset with genuine enthusiasm for improving user experience
Comfort working hands-on with hardware in a warehouse environment
Track record as a relationship builder who understands that mission success depends on strong coordination with onsite support teams
Flexible and growth-oriented approach, with interest in expanding into cloud, AWS, and LLM support over time
Commitment to building documentation and processes that make tomorrow's installs faster than today's

🏝️ Benefits at Bitwise

Top salaries because we're top performers
Pick your PTO — Everyone values time and money differently, so we give you the flexibility to choose between 3 and 5 weeks of PTO with a corresponding adjustment to your pay. Your choice, your balance.
All 11 federal holidays, paid!
Up to 2 snow days, paid!
We'll quadruple (4x!) the first 6% you contribute to your 401(k), giving you up to a 24% company match. Contributing less than 6%? Unclaimed matches come right back to you as extra income, giving you a guaranteed 24% that goes to your retirement, to your paycheck, or both. C'mon now! 🚀
100% employer-paid medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurances. That's a lot. Already covered on health insurance? No problem — we'll trade you this benefit for a boost to your salary instead.
$5,250 annual education assistance for training, certifications, tuition, and even student loan repayments.
Spot bonuses for obtained certifications, customer recognition, and just about anything else that makes us go "Hot damn!". We hope to say that many times about you. 🔥

💰 Salary Range

$232,500 – $273,500

This range includes our flex income and depends upon your annual work hours.

Salary is determined on an individual basis following the interview process and considering various factors such as years of experience, skills, education, and certifications.

🛎️ What to Expect After Applying

You'll get an email from us right away to acknowledge your application. After that, we'll:

Send over additional company materials for you to review
Schedule a video call to talk about you, our company, and your place in it
Craft a delightful offer package for you and record a video walkthrough
Work closely with you through onboarding. We'll keep it joyful and easy.

ℹ️ Disclaimers

Bitwise is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected status. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs.

Compensation for this position, including all compensation options, will be determined on an individual basis following the interview process.

If you require accommodations at any stage of the application or interview process, please reach out to us.

Last updated: 4/13/26