Hybrid role in Frederick, Maryland for a senior-level IT Operations Technical Lead. Axle, a bioscience and IT company, focuses on translational research and data science applications. The role involves leading IT operations, managing Linux and Windows environments, and developing automation solutions.
Skills / Requirements
- AI/ML Workloads
- Ansible
- AWS
- Bash
- ELK
- GCP
- GPU Environments
- Grafana
- Incident Management
- ITIL
- Linux
- Nagios
- Networking Fundamentals
- PowerShell
- Prometheus
- Python
- Splunk
- Terraform
- Vibe Coding
- Windows
Why Apply
This role is ideal for someone skilled in AI-assisted development tools like Vibe Coding, as it involves creating automation solutions to enhance operational efficiency. The position also supports AI/ML workloads, requiring experience in GPU-enabled environments.
What You'll Be Doing
You will lead IT operations, manage Linux and Windows systems, and drive incident response and system restoration. You'll develop automation solutions, oversee infrastructure for AI/ML workloads, and mentor a team of systems engineers.
Working in Frederick, Maryland
- Frederick, Maryland offers a growing tech community with proximity to major research institutions like NIH.
- The area provides a balanced lifestyle with access to outdoor activities and a historic downtown.
- Commuting options include easy access to Washington D.C. and Baltimore, enhancing professional networking opportunities.
- Frederick's cost of living is generally lower than nearby metropolitan areas, making it attractive for tech professionals.
Pay and Career Growth
The role offers a competitive salary range of $150,000 to $170,000, with comprehensive benefits including full medical coverage and a 401K match. Axle supports career growth with educational benefits and a focus on emerging technologies.
Benefits and Perks
- 401(k) match
- Dental Coverage
- Dependent Care Program
- Educational Benefits
- flexible spending accounts
- Medical Coverage
- Paid Holidays
- Paid Time Off
- Parking Reimbursement
- Referral Bonus
- Transportation Reimbursement
- Vision Coverage
Is This Role Right for You?
Good fit if you...
- Experienced in Unix/Linux systems administration and ITIL frameworks.
- Skilled in scripting and automation with tools like Ansible and Terraform.
- Comfortable managing hybrid cloud environments and AI/ML workloads.
May not be for you if...
- Lacks experience in IT operations leadership or team management.
- Unfamiliar with AI-assisted development or GPU-enabled environments.
- Prefers roles without hands-on technical responsibilities.
Original Job Description
(ID: 2026-1538)
Axle is a bioscience and information technology company that offers advancements in translational research, biomedical informatics, and data science applications to research centers and healthcare organizations nationally and abroad. With experts in biomedical science, software engineering, and program management, we focus on developing and applying research tools and techniques to empower decision-making and accelerate research discoveries. We work with some of the top research organizations and facilities in the country including multiple institutes at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Benefits We Offer:
100% Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage for Employees
Paid Time Off and Paid Holidays
401K match up to 5%
Educational Benefits for Career Growth
Employee Referral Bonus
Flexible Spending Accounts:
Healthcare (FSA)
Parking Reimbursement Account (PRK)
Dependent Care Assistant Program (DCAP)
Transportation Reimbursement Account (TRN)
Responsibilities:
Lead and manage IT operations aligned with ITIL processes including Incident, Problem, Change, and Release Management
Provide hands-on leadership in managing Linux and Windows environments across cloud and on-premises infrastructure
Own and drive incident response, root cause analysis, and service restoration for mission-critical systems
Design, build, and maintain golden images, patching strategies, and system hardening standards
Lead patch management and vulnerability remediation programs ensuring compliance and system integrity
Develop and implement automation solutions using modern approaches including Vibe Coding (AI-assisted development) to accelerate operational efficiency and reduce toil
Support and optimize infrastructure for AI/ML workloads, including provisioning, scaling, and performance tuning
Manage and maintain GPU-enabled environments and instances for high-performance computing and machine learning use cases
Oversee and optimize infrastructure monitoring, logging, alerting, and observability frameworks
Manage and mentor a team of systems engineers; provide technical guidance and performance oversight
Collaborate with architecture, security, and development teams to improve reliability, scalability, and operational efficiency
Support hybrid environments including cloud platforms and on-premise data centers
Ensure proper documentation, runbooks, SOPs, and operational readiness
Stay abreast of new technologies in your areas but not limited to US Federal Standards, NIST Publications, cloud computing & deployment, site reliability engineering, security standards and compliance best practices etc.
Requirements:
Must have 5+ years of experience leading operations team with hands-on experience in driving operational process improvements and technological advancements.
Proven experience implementing and operating within ITIL frameworks
Must have 10+ years of hands-on Unix/Linux experience that includes specific technical experience with CentOS / Red Hat systems administration support for large scale distributed environments
Hands-on experience with incident management, patching, system hardening, and production support
Experience building and maintaining golden images and standardized environments
Strong scripting/automation skills (e.g., Python, Bash, PowerShell or similar)
Experience with configuration management and automation tools (Ansible, Terraform, Puppet, Chef, or similar)
Strong understanding of networking fundamentals (DNS, TCP/IP, firewalls, load balancing)
Experience with monitoring and logging tools (e.g., Nagios, Splunk, ELK, Prometheus, Grafana)
Must have Cloud Build-Out or Migration experience in at least one of the following providers Amazon AWS, Google GCP and Microsoft Azure
Must have 2+ years with CI/CD and automation tools such as Terraform, Ansible, Chef, Puppet, Jenkins, GitHub
Experience supporting AI/ML workloads or data-intensive platforms
Familiarity with GPU-based compute environments (e.g., NVIDIA GPU instances)
Must be willing to learn new technologies, adopt and adapt to emerging technologies or needs from a project to a project
Knowledge of security best practices and compliance frameworks such as NIST 800-53, FedRAMP, FISMA etc. are preferred
Certifications such as ITIL, Linux, AWS, Azure, or Kubernetes (CKA/CKAD) is preferred
Networking certifications (CCNA/CCNP) are a plus
Disclaimer: The above description is meant to illustrate the general nature of work and level of effort being performed by individuals assigned to this position or job description. This is not restricted as a complete list of all skills, responsibilities, duties, and/or assignments required. Individuals may be required to perform duties outside of their position, job description or responsibilities as needed.
The diversity of Axle’s employees is a tremendous asset. We are firmly committed to providing equal opportunity in all aspects of employment and will not tolerate any illegal discrimination or harassment based on age, race, gender, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, covered veteran status, sexual orientation, status with respect to public assistance, and other characteristics protected under state, federal, or local law and to deter those who aid, abet, or induce discrimination or coerce others to discriminate.
Accessibility: If you need an accommodation as part of the employment process please contact: careers@axleinfo.com
This role has a market-competitive salary with an anticipated base compensation range listed below. Actual salaries will vary depending on a candidate’s experience, qualifications, skills, and location.
Salary Range
$150,000—$170,000 USD