4418 Principal Systems Engineer

OVERVIEW:

We are seeking an experienced Principal Systems Engineer & Site Lead to head our Bethesda, Maryland team, specializing in advanced storage solutions and Red Hat Linux environments. With the headquarters in Ashburn, Virginia, this role serves as the on-site technical and operational leader for the Bethesda location. You will lead a team of engineers delivering high-performance storage systems that support critical operations, while serving as the primary point of accountability for site execution, customer engagement, and team development.

GENERAL DUTIES:

• Serve as the site lead for Bethesda operations, representing the company on-site and acting as the senior technical authority and escalation point for the team and customer.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of systems engineers, fostering technical growth, accountability, and a culture of excellence.
• Own site-level execution: workload planning, task assignment, performance management, and coordination with Ashburn HQ leadership.
• Serve as the primary customer-facing leader at the site, building executive-level relationships and translating customer priorities into technical direction for the team.
• Drive hiring, onboarding, and retention efforts in partnership with HQ; identify staffing needs and contribute to team growth strategy.
• Establish and enforce site operational standards, including documentation practices, change management, and security compliance.
• Report site status, risks, and opportunities to executive leadership at HQ.
• Architect, configure, and manage enterprise storage systems, including Storage Area
• Networks (SANs), RAID, JBOD, and clustered file systems, within Red Hat Linux environments (RHEL/CentOS).
• Administer and optimize Red Hat Linux servers, ensuring seamless storage integration and compliance with security standards.
• Automate storage and system tasks using scripting (bash, Python, Perl) to improve efficiency, monitor logs, and implement responsive triggers.
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and optimize storage infrastructure and Red Hat Linux systems for performance, scalability, and reliability.
• Lead storage hardware/software installations, patches, and upgrades, ensuring compatibility with Red Hat Linux ecosystems.
• Direct capacity planning, performance monitoring, and storage provisioning in secure environments.
• Guide storage-focused R&D efforts and maintain a comprehensive site knowledge base (e.g., wiki).
• Oversee deployment and support of systems in secure facilities, adhering to strict protocols.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of relevant experience in systems engineering with a focus on storage and Red Hat Linux administration, including at least 3-5 years in a technical leadership, team lead, or site lead role.
• Demonstrated experience leading technical teams in a customer-facing environment, ideally at a customer site or remote location.
• Proven ability to mentor engineers, manage performance, and develop talent.
• Strong executive presence and the judgment to act as the senior on-site representative of the company.
• Track record of building and sustaining trusted customer relationships at the working and management levels.
• Comfort operating with autonomy while maintaining alignment with HQ leadership and corporate direction.
• Expertise in Red Hat Linux (RHEL/CentOS; RHCE/RHCSA or equivalent preferred) for server and storage management.
• Expertise in Storage Area Networks, RAID, JBOD, hierarchical storage, and advanced file systems.
• Strong scripting skills (bash, Python, Perl) for storage automation and system optimization.
• Experience with VMware, virtualized environments, and cloud storage concepts.
• Knowledge of networking protocols and storage hardware optimization.
• Familiarity with secure facility deployments and open-source tools.
• Ability to travel between the Bethesda site, Ashburn HQ, and other customer sites as needed.
• Dedication to teamwork, innovation, and leading by example in a dynamic environment.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Cisco expertise (e.g., networking or storage integration) is a plus.

CLEARANCE:

• Active TS/SCI with CI polygraph required