Unix Administrator / Engineer
Career Area: Information Technology
Occupation Group: Network and Systems Support
Salary
Percentile wages tell how much a certain percentage of an overall population in a geographic area or within a given industry or field makes. The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall.
An example would be the 25th percentile, 25 percent of workers employed in that occupation earn less and 75 percent earn more than the estimated wage value. At the 75th percentile, 75 percent of workers employed in that occupation earn less and 25 percent earn more than the estimated wage value.
A typical Unix Administrator / Engineer earns the following wages (national and state):
State
The average salary in North Carolina for those pursuing this career is $94,732
National
The average salary in the United States for those pursuing this career is $95,194
What Does a Professional in this Career Do?
Installs, configures, and maintains UNIX operating systems operating within a business. Analyzes and resolves problems associated with the operating system's servers, hardware, applications, and software. Detects, diagnoses, and reports UNIX related problems on servers.
Employment Trends
The job demand and job growth statistics shown here were derived from job posts over the past year. Expected job growth projections are extrapolated from year-over-year job post listing history.
Job demand and job growth is expected at the following rates:
| Location | Growth | |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | 523 | +7.5% |
| Nationwide | 14590 | +4.7% |
Skills
A professional in this position typically utilizes the following skills in the course of everyday work in this exciting and challenging field:
Baseline Skills
The following are baseline skills every Unix Administrator / Engineer is expected to have in order to experience success in this field:
- Troubleshooting: Troubleshooting or dpanneuring is a form of problem solving, often applied to repair failed products or processes on a machine or a system.
- Communication Skills: The ability to convey information to another effectively and efficiently.
- Problem Solving: Problem solving consists of using generic or ad hoc methods, in an orderly manner, for finding solutions to problems.
- Planning: Working experience with the process of thinking about and organizing the activities required to achieve desired goals.
- Teamwork / Collaboration: Experience working in collaborative efforts with a team to achieve a common goal or to complete a task in the most effective and efficient way.
Specialized Skills
These skills are specific to working in this career:
- Linux: Linux (pronounced LIN-ks or, less frequently, LYN-ks) is a Unix-like computer operating system assembled under the model of free and open-source software development and distribution.
- System Administration: A system administrator, or sysadmin, is a person who is responsible for the upkeep, configuration, and reliable operation of computer systems; especially multi-user computers, such as servers.
- Red Hat Linux: Red Hat Linux, assembled by the company Red Hat, was a widely used Linux distribution until its discontinuation in 2004.
- VMware: VMware, Inc. is a subsidiary of Dell Technologies that provides cloud computing and platform virtualization software and services.
- UNIX: Unix (; trademarked as UNIX) is a family of multitasking, multiuser computer operating systems that derive from the original AT&T Unix, developed starting in the 1970s at the Bell Labs research center by Ken Thompson, Dennis Ritchie, and others.
Distinguishing Skills
Any Unix Administrator / Engineer that possesses the following skills will stand out against the competition:
- VMware vSphere: Working experience ofVMware vSphere, which is an enhanced suite of tools for cloud computing utilizing VMware ESX/ESXi 4.
- Splunk: Splunk is a horizontal technology used for application management, security and compliance, as well as business and Web analytics.
- Microsoft Operating Systems: Microsoft Windows, or simply Windows, is a metafamily of graphical operating systems developed, marketed, and sold by Microsoft.
- Ubuntu: Ubuntu (; stylized as ubuntu) is an open source operating system for computers.
- NetApp: Working experience of NetApp, which is an American multinational storage and data management company. NetApp offers software, systems and services to manage and store data, including its proprietary Data ONTAP operating system.
Experience
This position typically requires the following level of experience. The numbers presented in the pie charts below were derived from actual job posts over the past year. Not all job postings list experience requirements.
| Experience Required | % |
| 0 to 2 years | 15% |
| 3 to 5 years | 49% |
| 6 to 8 years | 22% |
Many of the programs offered through NC State are designed for working professionals who need additional credentials to enhance existing work experience.
Students who do not have the expected level of experience may wish to look into internship and employment opportunities.
Common Job Titles
It is possible to find work in this field in positions commonly listed as the following job titles:
- Linux Systems Administrator
- Linux Administrator
- Systems Administrative
- Linux Administrative
- Linux Systems Engineer
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