Senior Systems Engineer SME

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer SME to support a high-profile federal program in Newington, VA . This position will focus on enterprise identity infrastructure, Active Directory services, PKI modernization, automation initiatives, and systems engineering efforts supporting mission-critical environments. This position is onsite in Newington, VA and requires an active TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities of the Senior Systems Engineer SME include:

• Lead enterprise systems engineering initiatives supporting large-scale identity, access, and infrastructure modernization efforts
• Design, implement, and support Active Directory services including Group Policy, DNS, authentication services, and enterprise directory integrations
• Engineer and maintain Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) environments, including Microsoft-hosted and third-party certificate services
• Develop and implement automation solutions utilizing PowerShell, Ansible Automation Platform, DevOps pipelines, and related technologies
• Perform enterprise-level requirements analysis, solution design, and technical evaluations for infrastructure modernization projects
• Support Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) initiatives across enterprise environments
• Analyze and document enterprise infrastructure components including compute, storage, transport, and end-user services
• Conduct market research and technology evaluations to support future-state architecture decisions
• Develop technical documentation, implementation guides, and operational procedures
• Provide knowledge transfer and technical training to system administrators and operational teams
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering, cybersecurity, and infrastructure teams to deliver secure and scalable solutions
• Support Windows and Linux operating system environments and related enterprise services
• Participate in troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and operational support activities

Qualifications of the Senior Systems Engineer SME include:

• 15+ years of enterprise IT experience
• TS/SCI Clearance Required
• Bachelor's degree in Management Information Systems, Systems Engineering, Computer Information Systems, or a related discipline
• Extensive experience with Active Directory services, including GPO, DNS, authentication services, and enterprise directory management
• Strong experience supporting and administering Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) environments
• Proficiency with automation technologies including PowerShell, Ansible Automation Platform, DevOps pipelines, and infrastructure automation frameworks
• Experience supporting Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) initiatives
• Strong understanding of enterprise infrastructure including compute, storage, transport, networking, and end-user services
• Experience performing systems engineering, requirements analysis, and solution design activities
• Knowledge of Windows and Linux operating systems and enterprise support models
• Security+ certification required
• Experience with enterprise visibility platforms and policy management
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work across technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Ability to document technical solutions and train operational support teams

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active Directory operations and advanced troubleshooting experience
• Log analysis and monitoring experience
• Additional experience with requirements development and systems architecture initiatives
• Experience supporting large-scale federal or national security environments

Compensation for the Senior Systems Engineer SME includes:

• Salary: $180,000 - $220,000 annually (depending on experience)
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), PTO, and Paid Holidays

This job opens for applications on April 2, 2026. Applications for this job will be accepted for at least 30 days from the posting date.

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Keywords: Senior Systems Engineer, Systems Engineer, Active Directory, AD, Group Policy, GPO, DNS, PKI, Public Key Infrastructure, ICAM, Identity and Access Management, IAM, Enterprise Infrastructure, Systems Engineering, PowerShell, Ansible, DevOps, Automation Engineer, Windows Server, Linux Administration, Enterprise IT, Infrastructure Engineering, Security+, Requirements Analysis, Enterprise Architecture, Systems Integration, Technical Documentation, Infrastructure Modernization, Identity Management, Certificate Management, Federal IT, TS/SCI, Newington VA