---
title: 'IT Help Desk Engineer - Linux Level II ~ III at Allen Control Systems'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/it-help-desk-engineer-linux-level-ii-iii-allen-control-systems-austin-d1gq0jxgxjta'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-10-14'
---

# IT Help Desk Engineer - Linux Level II ~ III at Allen Control Systems

- **Company:** [Allen Control Systems](https://feeny.ai/companies/allen-control-systems)
- **Location:** Austin, TX
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Posted:** 2026-10-07
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-10-14
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/allen-control-systems/54fe18db-3e7b-49f1-ba94-28ce15be2840/application

**Skills:** Windows, macOS, IT ticketing systems, Hardware troubleshooting, Software troubleshooting, Networking troubleshooting, System configuration, Laptop installation, Linux, CMMC, ITAR, Vendor security processes, Risk management

> The IT Help Desk Engineer provides first-line technical support, troubleshooting hardware, software, and networking issues. The role involves managing IT tickets, assisting with employee onboarding, performing system maintenance, and supporting compliance initiatives like CMMC and ITAR within a defense startup envir...

## Job description

Company Overview ACS (Allen Control Systems) is a defense technology company building precision robotic systems for the United States and its allies. Founded by two former U.S. Navy electrical engineers with deep experience in robotics and software, ACS brings together AI, computer vision, precision motion, and advanced hardware to solve complex defense challenges across land, air, and maritime environments. Our flagship product, Bullfrog, is an autonomous precision weapon system that transforms existing weapons into highly accurate counter-drone systems — giving warfighters a scalable, cost-effective response to one of the fastest-growing threats on the modern battlefield. Bullfrog is deployed with U.S. forces, and ACS works with organizations throughout the U.S. military and national security community. Following a $200 million Series B at a $2.2 billion valuation, ACS is rapidly expanding manufacturing, accelerating Bullfrog deployments, and developing the next generation of autonomous battlefield systems. This is an opportunity to join a proven, fast-moving team and help scale technology with direct, real-world impact on national security. ACS is headquartered in Austin, Texas, with additional operations in Alexandria, Virginia; Mountain View, California; and Huntsville, Alabama. For more information, visit [allencontrolsystems.com](http://allencontrolsystems.com).

IT Help Desk Engineer - Linux Level II ~ III

Position Overview We are seeking an IT Help Desk Engineer -Linux to provide first-line technical support and ensure the smooth operation of day-to-day IT needs across ACS, including our Windows, macOS, and Linux environments. This role will focus on troubleshooting issues, resolving IT tickets, onboarding new employees, and maintaining systems, while enabling IT leadership to focus on compliance, infrastructure, and long-term security initiatives. The ideal candidate will be highly organized, customer-focused, and eager to grow with a fast-moving defense startup. This role is based in Austin, TX.

What You'll Do:

- Serve as the first point of contact for IT support, troubleshooting hardware, software, and networking issues across Linux and macOS systems.
- Administer and support Linux-based workstations and servers, including user and permissions management, software/package installation, and command-line troubleshooting.
- Manage the onboarding process for new users, including configuring laptops, installing software, and supporting new employee setup.
- Manage and track IT help desk tickets, escalating when necessary to meet SLAs.
- Perform routine system maintenance to ensure all devices remain secure and up to date.
- Assist in documentation efforts, keeping system logs and IT records current, and work with vendors to gather technical and compliance documentation.
- Support compliance-related initiatives, including CMMC Level 2 and ITAR, by maintaining operational standards, and communicate effectively with employees on the status of their IT issues.

What You'll Need:

- 3+ years of IT help desk, technical support, or related experience.
- Strong troubleshooting skills across hardware, software, and networking.
- Build, image, and harden Ubuntu and RHEL-family workstations from a standard baseline, using cloud-init, kickstart, preseed, ansible, or an imaging tool
- Manage packages and repositories including dpkg/rpm, apt/dnf, third-party repos and GPG keys, and resolve dependency conflicts
- Administer users, groups, sudoers, file permissions, ACLs, and SSH key lifecycle and hardening
- Integrate Linux endpoints with central identity (Okta, Entra ID, LDAP) using SSSD/realmd and PAM, and troubleshoot broken authentication
- Root-cause failures from journalctl, dmesg, and syslog: boot failures, service crashes, and driver problems
- Storage work: partitioning, LVM, ext4/xfs, fstab, NFS and SMB mounts, LUKS disk encryption, and recovering a full or damaged disk
- Hardware and drivers: NVIDIA and CUDA driver installs, kernel modules, UEFI and Secure Boot, and GRUB recovery
- Network configuration: static addressing with netplan or NetworkManager, VPN clients, host firewall (ufw/firewalld), and certificate trust stores
- Deploy and verify endpoint security agents on Linux: EDR, patching, disk encryption, and log forwarding, and correct a machine that has drifted out of compliance
- Write and maintain bash scripts, work in Python for automation, and use git
- Run and troubleshoot Docker containers, read a Dockerfile or compose file, and resolve permission and GPU passthrough issues
- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field preferred; knowledge of compliance frameworks (CMMC, ITAR, or similar) is a plus.

You'll Stand Out:

- Experience with owning the Linux endpoint and server baseline end to end: define it, harden it against CIS Benchmarks or DISA STIGs, document it, and keep it patched
- Experience with managing configuration at fleet scale with Ansible (or Salt, Puppet, Chef), with idempotent playbooks kept in version control and peer reviewed
- Design Linux access control: centralized authentication, sudo policy, certificate-based or short-lived SSH credentials, and privileged access management
- Supporting ROS 2 development environments, NVIDIA Jetson or other embedded Linux, or real-time kernel builds
- Supporting engineering workstations with GPUs, CAD, or simulation workloads
- Hands-on experience in compliance-driven environments.
- Background supporting defense or aerospace companies.
- Familiarity with vendor security and risk management processes.

What We Offer:

- Competitive salary
- ACS Equity Package
- Health, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Paid Time Off

Allen Control Systems is an Equal Opportunity Employer, providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment. Allen Control Systems prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. d by federal, state, or local laws.

## About Allen Control Systems

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Allen Control Systems (ACS) is a defense technology company building autonomous robotic weapon stations to counter drone swarms with cost-effective, AI-driven precision.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A; recent $200M round at $2.2B valuation)
- **Headquarters**: Austin, Texas, USA (also office in Alexandria, Virginia)
- **Founded**: 2023 (seed round closed April 2024)
- **Founders**: Luke Allen (CTO), Mike Wior (CEO), and Steve Simoni (President) – all U.S. Navy veterans and nuclear engineers

## Core Business
- **Primary industries**: Defense and space manufacturing, counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS), robotics, AI/computer vision
- **Target customers**: U.S. Department of Defense, allied militaries, national security agencies (B2G)
- **Mission/purpose**: To completely change battlefield economics by lowering the cost per kill of a drone to a few dollars, using existing weapon systems enhanced by proprietary hardware and software.

## Products & Services
- **Bullfrog™ Weapon Stations**: A family of autonomous, remotely operated weapon mounts (variants: M240C, M230, M2, M134, M240) that can be integrated with existing military platforms. Key features:
  - Passive sensing (no radar required) for stealth operations
  - Open architecture for integration with any C2 system
  - AI/ML-based fire control for precise targeting of Group 1–3+ UAS, including swarms and non-jammable drones
  - Effective range up to 1,500m depending on variant
- **Autonomous Fire Control Software**: Machine vision and synthetic data generation engine that continuously updates threat libraries and enables accurate engagement without human intervention.
- **Synthetic Data Training Pipeline**: Generates simulated threat scenarios to keep the system current with evolving drone threats.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: $2.2 billion (per 2026 $200M funding round; reported by company and media)
- **Total Funding**: ~$242M (Seed $12M led by Craft Ventures in 2024; Series A $30M led by Craft Ventures in 2025; undisclosed $200M round in 2026)
- **Notable Investors**: Craft Ventures (lead in multiple rounds)
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Headcount grew 262% year-over-year to 131 employees (LinkedIn, 2026)
  - Active job postings increased 392% year-over-year (64 open roles)
  - Recently won a contract for an "Autonomous Identification and Decision" drone solution (FAF contract)
  - Opened Innovation Lab and expanded to a second office (Alexandria, VA)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Passive sensing**: Operates without emitting radar, preserving battlefield stealth.
- **Cost per kill**: Drives engagement costs down to a few dollars per drone.
- **Open architecture**: Integrates with any existing command-and-control system and legacy weapon platforms.
- **Synthetic data generation**: Continuously trains AI models on emerging threats without needing real-world data.
- **Founders’ deep domain expertise**: Navy nuclear engineers with prior startup experience (Luke Allen co-founded Bbot, acquired by DoorDash).

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling production of Bullfrog systems for land and naval platforms.
- Advancing AI/computer vision to defeat larger (Group 3+) UAS and drone swarms.
- Expanding international customer base and partnering with allied defense forces.
- Building a robust supply chain and manufacturing capability in Austin.

## Why Work Here
- **Mission**: Directly contribute to protecting soldiers and changing the economics of drone warfare.
- **Culture**: Described as a remote-friendly organization with a strong engineering focus; HQ in Austin with a satellite office in Alexandria.
- **Work Model**: Remote core, but many roles require on-site presence in Austin for manufacturing and testing.
- **Growth**: Hyper-growth stage – employees have significant ownership and impact.
- **Tech Stack**: State-of-the-art tools: PyTorch, CUDA, Unreal Engine, ROS, Linux, Docker, Git, MLflow, and more.
- **Team**: High density of talent from SpaceX, Firefly, DoorDash, Lockheed Martin, and Carnegie Mellon.
- **Perks**: Not publicly detailed; typical for defense startups include competitive compensation, equity, and a chance to work on cutting-edge hardware-software integration.

## Sources
1. [Allen Control Systems – Company Page](https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/)
2. [Allen Control Systems – About/Team](https://www.allencontrolsystems.com/company)
3. [Allen Control Systems – Careers Page (Greenhouse)](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/allencontrolsystems)
4. [Allen Control Systems – LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/allen-control-systems)
5. [Allen Control Systems – Built In](https://builtin.com/company/allen-control-systems)

## Other roles at Allen Control Systems

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