Senior Linux Platform Engineer

Job Title: Platform Engineer – Operating Systems and Patch Management

Type: Full Time

Location: San Mateo - Hybrid

Job Description

Our client is seeking a Platform Engineer to design, build, and maintain secure and reliable operating system platforms across Linux and Windows environments. This role is responsible for operating system patch management, image creation, package curation, and validation of updates to ensure systems remain secure, stable, and compliant with internal standards. The ideal candidate has strong experience with Linux-based systems, security updates, automation, and OS-level infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities

• Track, analyze, and manage Linux security advisories and CVEs from upstream sources
• Build, maintain, and release base operating system images using automated tooling
• Package, curate, and maintain Linux patches and updates from upstream repositories
• Build and manage internal Linux package distributions and repositories
• Track, package, and maintain Windows operating system and software updates
• Perform regression and compatibility testing on patched systems
• Validate security fixes and ensure adherence to patching and compliance policies
• Automate build, packaging, testing, and release workflows
• Maintain clear documentation for patch sets, releases, and testing procedures
• Provision and manage bare-metal systems for testing and release environments using infrastructure lifecycle tools

Required Qualifications

• 5 to 8 years of experience in platform engineering, Linux systems administration, or OS-level infrastructure roles
• Strong hands-on experience with Linux systems, preferably Ubuntu or Debian-based distributions
• Experience tracking and applying security updates and CVEs
• Experience building Linux packages and managing repositories using tools such as APT and dpkg
• Experience with operating system image creation tools such as Packer
• Hands-on experience with bare-metal provisioning and lifecycle management systems
• Familiarity with Windows patching and update management processes
• Experience with scripting languages such as Bash or Python
• Understanding of CI/CD pipelines and automated testing practices
• Strong troubleshooting and debugging skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience maintaining custom Linux distributions or internal package repositories at scale
• Familiarity with kernel patching, driver updates, or low-level system troubleshooting
• Experience using automated testing frameworks for operating system validation
• Knowledge of vulnerability management workflows and tooling
• Experience integrating patching and validation workflows into CI/CD platforms
• Familiarity with infrastructure automation and configuration management tools
• Experience working in regulated or security-sensitive environments
• Understanding of package signing, repository security, and software supply chain integrity