Senior Systems Infrastructure Engineer & Architect (Enterprise Mission Systems SME)

About Us:

VT-ARC a technical services and applied research company has built an organizational culture marked by four primary values: Teamwork Integrity Excellence and Service. Integral to our success is our staffs enthusiasm for solving tough problems by working together in teams to get the job done. We foster a culture where every employees contribution is valued and performed with integrity while maintaining a fun work environment. VT-ARC strives for excellence in all that is done for our clients and such achievement is recognized through service/merit awards. Moreover we promote a sense of community larger than VT-ARC alone where staff and institutional resources can be applied in service to our country.

We are proud to be the recipient of the Best Workplace in Defense Award by Emergent Magazine an honor that recognizes companies with positive cultures that not only impact their people but also make a meaningful difference in the community.

About You:

You are a senior systems infrastructure engineer enterprise systems architect or mission infrastructure engineer with deep hands-on experience designing deploying and sustaining secure server virtualization directory storage management and monitoring capabilities in complex environments.

You understand that systems engineering in classified and mission environments does not stop at installing servers. You know how identity DNS certificates patching hardening backups monitoring logs vulnerability scanning network segmentation firewall rules management paths and operational handoff all come together to make infrastructure supportable.

You are comfortable working across Windows Linux virtualization storage core infrastructure services automation cyber tooling and network dependencies. You can translate architecture intent into buildable designs deployment plans validated configurations and sustainment documentation.

You bring enough networking depth to work effectively with WAN/LAN engineers and cyber teams on subnetting routing dependencies ports and protocols load balancers proxies firewalls enclave boundaries and troubleshooting across the system/network/security boundary.

Position Overview:

VT-ARC is seeking a Senior Systems Infrastructure Engineer & Architect (Enterprise Mission Systems SME) to support enterprise systems engineering secure infrastructure modernization classified enclave implementation and operational transition for mission-critical enterprise communications network modernization and cyber programs within TS/SCI environments.

This role is focused on systems infrastructure engineering across the full implementation lifecycle from requirements interpretation and architecture input through detailed design build integration hardening automation validation documentation and transition to operations.

The selected candidate will design implement and sustain secure enterprise systems capabilities across Windows Linux virtualization directory services DNS/DHCP/NTP PKI/certificates storage backup and recovery monitoring patching configuration management and automation. The role will also coordinate closely with network and cyber teams to ensure systems are connected secured monitored scanned accredited and operationally supportable.

Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required.

VT-ARC offers a competitive signing bonus for qualified candidates.

Duties/Responsibilities:

• Design implement integrate maintain and modernize secure enterprise systems infrastructure supporting classified sensitive multi-enclave lab test and mission operating environments.
• Engineer Windows and Linux server environments virtualization platforms storage services backup and recovery capabilities monitoring tools management services and infrastructure automation capabilities.
• Implement and sustain core infrastructure services such as Active Directory/LDAP Group Policy DNS DHCP NTP PKI/certificates file services authentication services administrative access and enterprise management services.
• Build and maintain virtualization and compute environments including host configuration virtual machine templates golden images resource allocation clustering high availability capacity planning performance tuning and lifecycle management.
• Develop scripts and automation using PowerShell Bash Python Ansible Terraform or similar tools to standardize provisioning configuration hardening validation reporting remediation and operational support workflows.
• Apply security hardening DISA STIGs patch management vulnerability remediation configuration baselines system health checks access controls audit logging and continuous monitoring practices across server and infrastructure environments.
• Coordinate network-dependent systems requirements including IP addressing VLANs and subnets DNS records firewall rules ports and protocols routing dependencies load balancers proxies VPN or management access and out-of-band or administrative paths.
• Integrate systems infrastructure with cybersecurity platforms including SIEM log forwarding EDR/XDR agents vulnerability scanning asset inventory configuration monitoring identity services and operational monitoring tools.
• Support lab validation proof-of-concept activities infrastructure builds migration events integration testing failover testing cutovers troubleshooting operational acceptance testing and transition to operations.
• Troubleshoot complex issues across systems virtualization storage identity DNS certificates endpoint management network connectivity firewalls performance logging and security tooling.
• Develop system architecture diagrams build guides configuration records interface control documentation ports and protocols matrices runbooks test procedures migration plans cutover plans and operational handoff materials.
• Coordinate technical dependencies with systems engineering network engineering cybersecurity identity cloud infrastructure operations vendors integrators and Government stakeholders.
• Support RMF ATO STIG security control implementation continuous monitoring asset management vulnerability remediation and compliance evidence activities as they relate to enterprise systems infrastructure.
• Provide mentoring and technical guidance to engineers administrators and operations teams on secure systems design infrastructure automation operational supportability and cross-domain troubleshooting.

Required Education Certification Skills Capabilities:

• Senior-level experience as a systems engineer infrastructure engineer systems architect mission infrastructure engineer platform engineer or equivalent role supporting classified DoD IC federal or high-assurance enterprise environments.
• Strong hands-on experience designing deploying administering and sustaining Windows Server and Linux infrastructure including system build configuration hardening patching monitoring troubleshooting and lifecycle management.
• Strong working knowledge of virtualization compute storage backup and recovery high availability performance tuning capacity planning and enterprise infrastructure operations.
• Experience with core infrastructure services such as Active Directory/LDAP Group Policy DNS DHCP NTP PKI/certificates authentication administrative access and enterprise management services.
• High proficiency with scripting and automation using PowerShell Bash Python Ansible Terraform or similar tools to automate provisioning configuration validation patching reporting and operational support tasks.
• Strong network-adjacent systems knowledge including IP addressing subnets VLANs routing dependencies firewall rules load balancers proxies ports and protocols remote administration paths and troubleshooting across system/network boundaries.
• Experience implementing security hardening DISA STIGs patch management vulnerability remediation access controls audit logging endpoint protection and continuous monitoring for enterprise systems.
• Ability to coordinate technical dependencies across systems network cybersecurity identity cloud infrastructure operations vendors integrators and mission stakeholders.
• Experience supporting RMF ATO STIG security control implementation continuous monitoring asset management or equivalent cybersecurity compliance activities for systems infrastructure.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation including architecture diagrams build guides configuration records runbooks implementation plans ports and protocols matrices test procedures and operational handoff materials.
• Candidates should bring senior systems engineering and infrastructure ownership experience; help desk-only desktop support-only or narrowly scoped administration experience is not sufficient for this role.

Desired Education Certification Skills Capabilities:

• Experience with VMware vSphere/vCenter/ESXi Hyper-V Nutanix KVM SAN/NAS platforms enterprise backup tools or similar virtualization compute and storage technologies.
• Experience with Red Hat Enterprise Linux Windows Server Microsoft MECM/SCCM WSUS Red Hat Satellite Ansible Automation Platform Group Policy DISA STIG automation or equivalent enterprise management tooling.
• Experience with cloud or hybrid infrastructure in DoD or federal environments including AWS GovCloud Azure Government IL5/IL6 environments cloud identity cloud networking dependencies or cloud-native management services.
• Experience with container or platform environments such as Kubernetes OpenShift Docker GitLab artifact repositories secrets management or DevSecOps infrastructure.
• Experience with PKI certificate lifecycle management identity federation MFA privileged access management service accounts secrets handling or secure administrative access patterns.
• Experience integrating systems infrastructure with cyber tools such as Splunk Elastic Microsoft Sentinel EDR/XDR platforms Tenable/ACAS Qualys Rapid7 asset inventory or configuration compliance tools.
• Experience supporting classified enclaves multi-enclave environments air-gapped networks lab/test environments mission partner connectivity or secure infrastructure modernization programs.
• Experience with packet capture log analysis certificate troubleshooting DNS troubleshooting system performance analysis storage troubleshooting backup/restore testing failover testing or operational acceptance testing.
• Professional certifications such as Security CASP/SecurityX CISSP RHCSA RHCE VCP Microsoft AWS Azure CCNA CCNP Linux Server ITIL or equivalent systems security cloud or network credentials.

Primary Work Location: Work is expected to be fully onsite in Arlington VA. The selected candidate must be able to support in-person program customer and technical coordination activities as required.

Special Work Conditions: Travel may be required up to 10%.

Security:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required

Competitive Salary: VT-ARC offers a competitive salary and benefits package designed to attract and retain senior technical talent supporting mission-critical programs.

Salary Range: $200000$275000 annually

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation: VT-ARC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit R&D organization affiliated with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech or VT). Our mission is to provide superior analytic and technology solutions across multiple domains by leveraging Virginia Techs multidisciplinary research and innovation ecosystem. With unique access to the broad and rich research enterprise found at Virginia Tech VT-ARC forms multi-disciplinary teams to apply innovative solutions to the real-world problems that strain our social political industrial and economic foundations.

To learn more about VT-ARCs Benefits Perks Culture & more visit our Careers page: Tech Applied Research Corporation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation gender identity national origin age disability veteran status or any other status protected by law. As a federal contractor we are committed to providing equal employment opportunity and affirmative action for qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If you need a reasonable accommodation to complete the application or interview process please contact Human Resources at

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