Deputy Chief Engineer

Job Title: Deputy Chief Engineer:
Location: Washington, D.C. Area (On-Site)
Travel: Minimal (up to 10%)
Clearance: Active or ability to obtain Public Trust Clearance

Position Overview:
We are seeking a Deputy Chief Engineer to provide hands-on technical leadership and oversight in support of a large-scale IT operations and modernization program for the client. This is a key on-site position responsible for driving engineering quality, systems integration, and the technical execution of services spanning infrastructure, cloud, cybersecurity, application platforms, and enterprise architecture.
This role is ideal for a senior-level engineer or architect who thrives in technically complex environments, can lead multidisciplinary teams, and understands how to balance innovation, stability, and compliance in a mission-critical federal setting.

Key Responsibilities:
Engineering Leadership & Technical Execution

• Serve as a senior technical authority across the program, providing direction and oversight for systems design, integration, and implementation activities.
• Ensure engineering approaches are aligned with the customer's enterprise architecture, security posture, and operational requirements.
• Lead technical planning and execution for modernization initiatives, including cloud adoption, DevSecOps integration, automation, and zero-trust architecture implementation.
• Collaborate with government engineers to define technical strategy, conduct architecture reviews, and support decision-making for new capabilities.
• Drive consistency and best practices across domains including networking, cloud, application development, cybersecurity, and endpoint services.

Cross-Functional Technical Coordination

• Coordinate with service leads and SMEs to ensure end-to-end solution integrity and technical coherence across services.
• Support the design and validation of new systems, tools, and platforms to be transitioned into operations.
• Lead or support system engineering life cycle (SELC) activities, including requirements development, design, testing, and deployment planning.
• Ensure timely delivery of technical deliverables, documentation, and engineering artifacts.

Engineering Governance & Risk Management

• Monitor and enforce adherence to technical standards, security controls, and compliance requirements (e.g., NIST, FISMA).
• Identify and manage technical risks, dependencies, and impacts across engineering efforts.
• Support root cause analysis of complex technical issues and provide resolution strategies.
• Contribute to configuration management, change control, and versioning processes for critical systems.

Documentation & Technical Deliverables

• Oversee the preparation and quality of all engineering documentation, including:
  • Architecture diagrams, integration plans, and as-built documentation
  • SELC artifacts such as technical specifications, test plans, and implementation guides
  • Security documents: risk assessments, waivers, POA&Ms, and interconnection agreements
  • Concepts of operations (CONOPS), use cases, SOPs, and support models
• Ensure deliverables meet established technical standards and contractual quality expectations.

Qualifications:
Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 7 years of hands-on technical experience in engineering leadership roles within complex IT environments.
• Demonstrated experience supporting federal or enterprise-level IT programs involving multiple technical disciplines (cloud, cyber, networking, app dev, etc.).
• Experience with IT modernization efforts including DevSecOps, infrastructure as code (IaC), automation, and cloud-native platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).

Technical Skills & Competencies

• Deep understanding of enterprise systems engineering, integration, and technical delivery practices.
• Familiarity with government security and compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST RMF, FedRAMP, FISMA).
• Excellent analytical, architectural, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to lead and influence technical teams and collaborate across disciplines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience delivering technical briefings and documentation to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.
• On-site presence required in Washington, D.C.
• Minimal travel required (up to 10%).

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have):

• Master's degree in a technical field.
• Certifications such as AWS/Azure Architect, CISSP, ITIL, PMP, or SAFe.
• Experience with federal SELC or SDLC frameworks.
• Familiarity with ServiceNow, JIRA, Confluence, or other collaborative engineering platforms.

Position Details:

• Pay Rate / Range: $75 - $85

The above salary range represents the range expected for the position; however, final salary offers are based on a number of factors such as the position's responsibilities; the candidate's experience, education, and skills; location; travel required; and current market conditions.

This program requires US Citizenship

• Benefits (Regular, Full Time Employees):
• Medical, Dental, and Vision offerings
• Weekly Direct Deposit
• Paid Holidays and Personal Time Off
• 401(k) with match
• Voluntary Life and AD&D, Short / Long Term Disability, plus other voluntary coverages
• Pre-Paid Legal and Employee Assistance Programs
• Northwest Federal Credit Union Membership
• BB&T @ Work Program

ABBTECH is an EOE/Minorities/Women/Disabled Individuals/Veterans

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