Systems Engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Systems Engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME)

• Herndon, VA
• Computer/Software

Location: Herndon, VA

Employment Type: Full-Time

Clearance: TS/SCI Poly


Position Overview


We are seeking a highly experienced, hands-on Systems Engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support a complex technical environment in Herndon, Virginia.


This position is ideal for a senior technical leader with broad, practical expertise across enterprise infrastructure, cloud platforms, networking, operating systems, containers, databases, applications, security, and DevSecOps.


The Systems Engineering SME will assess current-state environments, develop future-state architectures, and lead complex implementations and modernization efforts from design through production. This individual will serve as a technical authority and escalation point while working closely with infrastructure, platform, software, DevOps, security, and data teams.


Key Responsibilities

• Perform full-stack systems engineering across network, compute, storage, operating systems, middleware, databases, and application environments.


• Assess and document existing "as-is" architectures and develop detailed "to-be" architectures.


• Develop implementation, migration, modernization, and upgrade strategies.


• Lead complex cloud, hybrid, and on-premises implementations and migrations.


• Design systems for availability, scalability, performance, security, and compliance.


• Integrate infrastructure and platforms with DevOps/DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines.


• Troubleshoot complex technical issues spanning multiple infrastructure and application domains.


• Collaborate with infrastructure, platform, software engineering, DevOps, security, and data teams.


• Develop technical documentation, architecture diagrams, standards, implementation plans, and operational runbooks.


• Serve as a senior escalation point and technical authority for complex system issues and architectural decisions.


• Communicate technical concepts, risks, recommendations, and strategies to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders, including executive leadership.

Required Skills & Experience


Candidates should possess extensive hands-on systems engineering experience across several of the following areas:


Infrastructure & Networking

• Enterprise networking


• Firewalls, load balancers, and DNS


• SAN, NAS, and object storage


• Hybrid and on-premises infrastructure integration

Cloud & Containers

• AWS, Azure, and/or GCP


• Cloud networking and security


• Cloud cost optimization


• Kubernetes


• Docker


• Hybrid cloud architectures

Linux & Systems Administration

• Linux administration, particularly RHEL/CentOS


• Operating system hardening


• System automation


• PKI and identity management

Databases & Application Infrastructure

• Relational and NoSQL database technologies, including experience with platforms such as:
  
  
  
  • Oracle
  
  
  • PostgreSQL
  
  
  • MySQL
  
  
  • SQL Server
  
  
  • MongoDB
  
  
  • Cassandra
  
  
  • DynamoDB
  
  
  • Redis
  
  
  
  


• APIs and web services


• Middleware technologies


• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) fundamentals


• Event messaging technologies such as SQS, SNS, and RabbitMQ

Infrastructure as Code & Automation

• Terraform


• Ansible


• CloudFormation


• Python


• Bash


• PowerShell

DevOps / DevSecOps

• CI/CD concepts and implementation


• Jenkins


• GitLab CI/CD


• GitHub Actions


• ArgoCD


• Integration of systems and platforms into DevOps/DevSecOps workflows

Security & Observability

• Security best practices and system hardening


• Monitoring, logging, and observability technologies such as:
  
  
  
  • Prometheus
  
  
  • Grafana
  
  
  • Splunk
  
  
  • ELK
  
  
  • CloudWatch
  
  
  
  

Architecture & Technical Leadership

• Demonstrated ability to assess complex production environments and create comprehensive as-is and to-be architectures.


• Experience developing detailed implementation and migration plans.


• Ability to move between high-level architecture and hands-on technical implementation.


• Proven ability to design, build, troubleshoot, and take ownership of complex production systems.


• Strong systems-thinking and problem-solving abilities.


• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.


• Ability to collaborate across technical disciplines and communicate effectively with executive-level stakeholders.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing or supporting Zero Trust architectures.


• Exposure to AI/ML or data platforms.


• Experience with big data technologies such as:
  
  
  
  • Hadoop
  
  
  • Databricks
  
  
  • Snowflake
  
  
  • BigQuery
  
  
  
  


• Experience supporting mission-critical systems and environments.


• ITIL and/or Agile delivery experience.


• Relevant cloud, security, DevOps, or architecture certifications, such as:
  
  
  
  • AWS Solutions Architect
  
  
  • AWS DevOps
  
  
  • Azure Administrator
  
  
  • CKA / CKAD
  
  
  • ITIL
  
  
  
  

Ideal Candidate


The ideal candidate is not solely an architect or administrator, but a hands-on technical SME who can operate across the entire technology stack. They should be equally comfortable developing an enterprise architecture, working through a difficult production issue, planning a cloud migration, automating infrastructure, and communicating technical recommendations to senior leadership.


This position is well suited for an experienced Systems Engineer or Architect who enjoys solving complex, cross-domain technical challenges and taking ownership of systems from architecture and design through implementation and production operations.


Benefits


This position offers a highly competitive, employer-supported benefits package, including:

• 
  
  5 weeks of PTO plus birthday leave
  
  


• 
  
  11 floating holidays
  
  


• 
  
  401(k) with 10% employer contribution
  
  


• 
  
  Multiple medical plan options through Anthem, including:
  
  
  
  
  • 
    
    Platinum PPO national plan
    
    
  
  
  • 
    
    Gold PPO national plan
    
    
  
  
  • 
    
    Gold HMO HSA national plan
    
    
  
  
  
  


• 
  
  Employer-paid dental coverage through Delta Dental PPO Plus Premier
  
  


• 
  
  Employer-paid vision coverage through VSP / DeltaVision
  
  


• 
  
  Employer-paid Life and AD&D coverage at 2x salary, up to $400,000
  
  


• 
  
  Optional voluntary Life and AD&D coverage from $10,000 to $500,000, not to exceed 5x salary
  
  


• 
  
  Employer-paid Short-Term Disability, covering 60% of salary up to $2,500
  
  


• 
  
  Employer-paid Long-Term Disability, covering 60% of salary up to $10,000 per month
  
  


• 
  
  Health Savings Account availability, depending on selected health plan
  
  


• 
  
  $1,000 annual Lifestyle Savings Account
  
  


• 
  
  $5,000 annual professional development reimbursement for degrees, training, and certifications
  
  


• 
  
  $1,000 annual technology reimbursement
  
  


• 
  
  Candidate referral bonus program, up to $10,000
  
  


• 
  
  Discretionary profit sharing
  
  


• 
  
  Discretionary performance bonus opportunities
  
  


• 
  
  New contract bonus opportunities, up to $10,000
  
  


• 
  
  Employer-paid access to online training through Udemy and Paylocity
  
  


• 
  
  Optional pet insurance through Pets Best
  
  


• 
  
  Access to Working Advantage employee discounts and rewards programs at no cost
  
  

About the Opportunity


This is an excellent opportunity for a Full Stack Software Developer with strong cloud, data analytics, and application development experience to support high-impact mission work. The selected candidate will contribute to modern, scalable, and secure software solutions that improve data processing, analytics, search, automation, and enterprise digital architecture across a mission-critical environment.

https://www.staffed4u.com/

Apply Now

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