Sr. Systems Engineer (Secret Clearance)

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Sr. Systems Engineer - Team Lead to support Naval Intelligence Warfare Command in San Diego, CA. The customer is seeking an individual with expertise across windows integration within secure cloud and automation-first infrastructure, to support a Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation network for the command.

Clearance: Secret required

Location: San Diego, CA (100% on-site)

This job opens for applications on 3/16/2026. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date

Responsibilities of the Systems Engineer:

• Serve as technical leader and operational ream lead, working directly with the customer to ensure mission systems remain secure, resilient, and continuously improving.
• Architect, build, and sustain Windows Server environments within classified IL6 cloud architectures.
• Operate, support, and optimize infrastructure hosted in Azure Government Secret, AWS GovCloud Secret, and comparable IL6 platforms.
• Design and maintain automation-first infrastructure using scripting and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) methodologies.
• Secure and harden systems in compliance with DISA STIGs, RMF requirements, and DoD cybersecurity directives.
• Support containerized workloads and platform services within secure DevSecOps environments.
• Integrate Windows-based systems into CI/CD pipelines, GitOps workflows, and secure build processes.
• Execute vulnerability management activities, including patch automation, compliance scanning, and security validation.
• Ensure system resiliency through high availability design, backup validation, and mission continuity planning.
• Diagnose and resolve issues across compute, storage, identity, networking, and cloud service layers.
• Translate mission objectives and operational priorities into executable engineering tasks.
• Coordinate and prioritize daily engineering activities to ensure timely delivery.
• Track task execution, monitor progress, and maintain clear communication across stakeholders.

Qualifications of the Systems Engineer:

• 10+ years of relevant experience; senior-level role with exposure to complex tasks
• Active Secret clearance required
• One of the following certifications(IAT II; CySA+, Sec+CE, GSEC, GIAC, CCNA-Security, SSCP)
• Experience operating within DoD cybersecurity frameworks (RMF, STIG compliance).
• Experience integrating Windows infrastructure into DevOps/DevSecOps workflows.
• Experience with DevOps practices and technologies (Git, CI/CD, Kubernetes
• Experience with automation (IaC, Ansible, Terraform, etc.)
• Strong scripting ability (PowerShell required; Python or Bash a plus).
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams in customer-facing environments.

Compensation for the Systems Engineer:

• Total compensation based on experience level - $175,000-$195,000+ **based on degree and total years of experience**
• Full Benefits: PTO/Holidays, Medical, Dental, and Vision, 401k with ADP
• Long-term program
• Contract stability and mobility through Zachary Piper Solutions

#LI-MK1 #LI-Onsite

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