Linux DevOps Engineer – Secure Nginx Reverse Proxy Setup & VPS Hardening (Debian/Ubuntu)

Looking for an experienced Linux System Administrator / DevOps Engineer to properly configure and harden a freshly provisioned, high-performance offshore VPS (FlokiNET) running Linux. The server will eventually host a Kernel Video Sharing (KVS) CMS deployment. Your immediate task is to secure the OS, configure user privileges, and set up a highly optimised Nginx reverse proxy architecture sitting behind Cloudflare. Scope of Work: 1. Server Hardening & Security: Configure firewall rules (UFW/NFTables) to only accept incoming web traffic directly from Cloudflare’s IP ranges. Secure SSH: Change default port, disable root login, and enforce key based/secured login parameters for our custom administrative user (⁠jerkadmin⁠). Install and configure Fail2Ban. 2. Nginx Reverse Proxy & Environment Setup: Install and optimise Nginx for media-heavy/streaming traffic parameters. Configure Nginx server blocks to perfectly map ⁠jerkpod.com⁠ and ⁠[www.jerkpod.com](https://www.jerkpod.com)⁠. Set up full SSL termination utilizing Cloudflare’s Origin Certificates (Strict Mode). 3. Prerequisite Stack Prep: Prepare system packages, dependencies and basic optimization needed for a future PHP/MySQL-based media CMS deployment. Requirements: Proven track record with Ubuntu/Debian serveer administration and advanced Ngnx optimisation. Deep understanding of Cloudflare proxy networking, WAF settings, and Origin SSL certificate integration. Excellent communication and adherence to clean documentation practices. Experience setting up environments for heavy video streaming/CMS platforms is a major plus.