System administrator at ICOS Carbon portal

The Carbon Portal (CP) is the data centre of the International Carbon Observation System (ICOS). ICOS produces long-term top-quality measurements of greenhouse gas yield in the areas of the atmosphere, ecosystems, and oceans. CP develops, among other things, online services that support the use of data in research. CP is located at the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University.

ICOS is a highly distributed research infrastructure that requires coordination and continuous development. The further development of technologies and observation strategies is a strategic objective of ICOS, which is often supported by projects funded by the European Commission. Over the years, ICOS has participated in and run many EU projects. All these projects support the development of ICOS, its scientific target area and the development of CP as a FAIR data repository and a collaborative platform.

We are looking for an experienced Linux server administrator to maintain and optimize our server environment. The ideal candidate will be highly proficient in Linux (Ubuntu in particular), Docker, LXD, and Ansible. You will play a key role in automating server provisioning, deployment, and monitoring, ensuring high availability, scalability, and security for our infrastructure.

Work duties

• Manage and maintain Linux-based servers running Ubuntu, ensuring they are secure, up-to-date, and performing optimally, monitor server health, including uptime, performance, and resource utilization, and take proactive measures as needed.
• Automate server configuration and management tasks using Ansible (https://github.com/ICOS-Carbon-Portal/infrastructure).
• Oversee virtual machines and containerized environments, including managing and deploying Docker and LXD containers.
• Troubleshoot and resolve server-related issues, including network, hardware, and software problems.
• Ensure that important data is backed up.
• Keep some services such as Nextcloud and JupyterHub up-to-date.
• Collaborate with development teams to streamline deployment pipelines and improve infrastructure.
• Maintain documentation for server configurations, processes, and troubleshooting guides.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing Linux servers in a production environment.
• Strong proficiency automating workflows and managing configurations using Ansible.
• Hands-on experience deploying, orchestrating, and managing containers using Docker.
• Familiarity managing Linux containers with LXD.
• Ability to write Python and Bash scripts.
• Knowledge of server performance monitoring tools and best practices.
• Familiarity with networking, firewalls, and VPNs (in particular Nebula).

Other merits

• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.

Terms and conditions

This is a permanent employment of 100% employment with desired start date 1 May 2025 or according to agreement. A probationary period may be applied this position.

At this moment we have more positions open at Carbon Portal, also advertised at the Lund University website. You will need to apply to each position seperately but if you apply for more than one position, please indicate this in your application together with the order of your preference per position.

We will only consider full applications that include a motivation letter, a CV and contactinformation to two references.

The advertised position will be located at the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem, Science the Faculty of Science in 2025, to be transferred to the newly formed Department of Environmental and Earth Sciences within the same faculty from 1 January 2026.

By merging the Centre for Environmental and Climate Science, the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science and the Department of Geology in a joint and co-located organisation, the new department will strengthen the link between different research fields, develop new educational programmes and promote collaboration with society.

Welcome to apply.