Active TS/SCI w/ FSP required at time of application
Location choice between Warrenton and McLean!
We are seeking a hands-on Systems Engineer (SME) with deep expertise across infrastructure, platforms, and application ecosystems spanning cloud and on-premises environments. This role requires a proven practitioner who can analyze existing ("as is") systems and applications, document current state architectures, design future-state solutions, and implement systems enhancements or technology transformations end-to-end.
The ideal candidate is a technical leader and doer, not just an advisor - someone who can seamlessly collaborate across infrastructure, platform, application, DevSecOps, information systems security, and data teams while maintaining ownership of system reliability, performance, scalability, and security.
Requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science or related technical discipline, or other related technical discipline, or equivalent combination of education, technical certifications, training, and work/military experience
Minimum ten (10) years of related systems engineering experience
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS
Candidates must demonstrate hands-on experience in all the following areas:
Infrastructure & Platforms
Enterprise networking (e.g., routing, switching, firewalls, load balancers, DNS)
Storage technologies (e.g., SAN, NAS, object storage)
Container platforms (e.g., Kubernetes, Docker)
Linux (Redhat, CentOS) operating systems (administration, hardening, automation)
IdAM - Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) hands-on for AuthN and AuthZ
Cloud & On-Prem Technologies
Cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, and/or GCP)
Hybrid and on-prem infrastructure design and integration
Cloud networking, identity, security, and cost optimization
Data & Application Platforms
Relational and NoSQL databases - relational (e.g., Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server) and NoSQL (e.g., MongoDB, Cassandra, DynamoDB, Redis) databases
Web services, APIs, and middleware
Software development lifecycle (SDLC) fundamentals
Event-based messaging systems (e.g., SQS, SNS, RabbitMQ)
Engineering & Automation
Infrastructure as Code - Scripting & Automation: Python, Bash, PowerShell, Terraform, Ansible, or CloudFormation
Configuration management and scripting (e.g., PowerShell, Bash, Python, etc.)
CI/CD integration with infrastructure and platforms (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, GitOps, ArgoCD)
Security best practices and systems hardening
Monitoring & Incident Response: Proficiency with tools like Prometheus, Grafana, Splunk, ELK Stack, CloudWatch
Architecture & Design
Ability to create:
DESIRED SKILLS
Observability and monitoring tools (e.g., logging, metrics, tracing)
Zero Trust and modern security architectures
Data analytics, AI/ML platform exposure
Experience supporting production or mission-critical environments
Relevant certifications (e.g., cloud, systems, security, or architecture)
Knowledge of machine learning platforms (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, SageMaker)
Familiarity with big data ecosystems (e.g., Hadoop, Databricks, Snowflake, Google BigQuery)
Strong background in ITIL processes and agile methodologies
Certifications: AWS Solutions Architect / DevOps Engineer, Azure Administrator, Kubernetes CKA/CKAD ITIL Foundation
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Perform hands-on systems engineering across network, compute, storage, operating systems, middleware, databases, and applications
Analyze and document as-is infrastructure, platform, and application architectures
Work with the System Architect and Cloud Architect to create the detail engineering designs for modernization, optimization, and transformation initiatives
Lead and execute cloud and on-prem system implementations, migrations, and upgrades
Ensure systems meet availability, scalability, performance, security, and compliance requirements
Integrate infrastructure and platforms with DevOps and DevSecOps pipelines
Troubleshoot complex, cross-stack issues spanning infrastructure, platforms, and applications
Collaborate effectively with:
Produce clear technical documentation, diagrams, standards, and runbooks
Benefits
Leading Path is an award-winning Information Technology and Management Consulting firm focused on providing solutions in process, technology, and operations to our government and Fortune 500 clients. We offer a professional and family friendly work environment with a strong work-life balance. Leading Path provides a comprehensive and competitive benefits package including fully paid medical/dental/vision premiums, generous PTO, 11 Paid Holidays, 6% 401K contribution, annual training and tuition reimbursement, SPOT Award bonuses, regular team events, opportunities for professional growth and advancement and much more!