NetOps System Administrator

By Light Professional IT Services LLC readies warfighters and federal agencies with technology and systems engineered to connect, protect, and prepare individuals and teams for whatever comes next. Headquartered in McLean, VA, By Light supports defense, civilian, and commercial IT customers worldwide.

Cole Engineering Services (CESI), a By Light company, is recognized as a premier provider of modeling and simulation (M&S) training solutions to the Federal Government and industry. Since 2004, CESI has been at the forefront of developing, maintaining, and integrating simulation-based training, serious gaming, technical services, training and other support in live, virtual, constructive, and gaming (LVCG) domains. CESI also designs, builds and runs infrastructure, platforms, applications and processes that enable cyber training for the integrated multi-domain force. Our vision is to become a worldwide full spectrum LVCG and cyber training/analysis developer, integrator and services provider.

Position Overview

The Network Operations (NetOps) System Administrator is a critical member of the team responsible for providing top-tier IT support in a multifaceted and dynamic environment. This position conducts the daily operations, performance, and availability of network infrastructure and services. The role serves as a primary point of coordination for network operations activities, ensuring the high availability, security, and performance of mission-critical systems across multiple environments. Specifically, the NetOps System Administrator monitors network performance, executes incident response and reporting, collects and analyzes platform metrics, and contributes to the development of operational policies and procedures.

This is a full time position on-site in Fort Meade, MD.

Responsibilities

• Ensure efficient and secure operations across all supported systems and networks.
• Perform day-to-day network performance monitoring.
• Collect & analyze metrics and trending data, develop data standards, policies, and procedures.
• Analyzes data sources, assesses validity, and provides actionable recommendations.
• Conduct incident response activities, ensuring timely triage, escalation, resolution, and documentation of network-related issues.
• Prepare and present operational briefings, status reports, and performance metrics to leadership, ensuring informed decision-making.
• Develop and manage detailed documentation to support standardized operational processes and procedures.
• Maintain awareness of system capacity, utilization trends, and potential performance bottlenecks.

Required Experience/Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline such as IT, computer science, systems or software engineering from an accredited college or university. (5 years' experience in lieu of degree).
• DoD 8140/8570 IAT Level II or greater certification such as Security+, CCNA, CISSP or other equivalent certification within six months of hire.
• 4+ years of directly related experience supporting help desk operations.
• Two to five years of analytics tools such as Metabase and Grafana.
• Experience with VMware, Net App, and RedHat Linux (RHEL).
• Self-starter in a fast-paced environment, collaborating with engineers of varying skills and experience levels.
• Effective written and oral communication with leadership on both business and technical aspects.
• Experience supporting virtualized and cloud-hosted environments.
• Experience using ticketing and incident management platforms such as ServiceNow or Jira.

Preferred Experience/Qualifications

• Knowledge of, or prior experience with PCTE.
• Problem-solving skills for resolving technical issues across diverse integrated software and hardware platforms.
• Experience with database and model design and segmentation techniques.
• Proficiency in generating queries and reports, utilizing data analysis tools such as Excel, Meta Base, and SPSS.
• Strong ability to prioritize multiple tasks, projects, and demands.
• Effective communication with vendors, users, customers, and developers to comprehend needs and operational requirements changes impacting the production environment.
• Proven success in a collaborative, team-oriented environment

Special Requirements/Security Clearance

Please note that pursuant to a government contract, this specific position requires U. S. Citizenship status and a TS/SCI security clearance. Security Clearance requirements will be specified in the Government's Task Order.

Occasional travel may be required (as part of a mobile training team) up to 25% of the time.

Salary Range

Based on the roles, responsibilities, and requirements, the projected pay range for this position is: $110,000 - $130,000.

The annual base salary provided is a guideline for this position and is not a guarantee of compensation or salary. When extending an offer, CESI also considers other variables such as (but not limited to) work experience, education, training, skill set, internal peer equity, clearance level, and market conditions. In addition, CESI provides an extensive selection of benefits and offerings to our employees.

Benefits Overview

CESI recognizes that our strength is our people. We support every employee as an individual to build strong teams across the enterprise. Our benefit package includes:

• Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
• Wellness Program
• 401(k) Matching
• Disability (Short Term & Long Term)
• Employee Assistance Program
• Life Insurance
• Education & Training
• Generous Leave Policy (11 Federal Holidays, PTO, Military Leave, Bereavement and Jury Duty)

CESI is committed to principles of inclusion and equal employment opportunity. We foster a non-discriminatory, professional work environment for all our teams. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, marital status, disability, or veteran status.