Defense Systems Engineer – Lab Infrastructure & Patching

gdit; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 94,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

GDIT seeks an early-career Systems Engineer for the USCENTCOM enterprise lab in Tampa, FL. You will install hardware, deploy OS, run structured test plans, patch baselines, and support virtualization in a fast-paced defense environment.

You will work under senior engineers, perform validation, and help maintain lab readiness across Windows and Linux systems with a focus on security baselines.

Qualifications

• Foundational knowledge of Windows Server 2019/2022, Windows 10/11, RHEL and virtualization (VMware ESXi/vCenter).
• Experience with physical server racking, cabling, and hardware component replacement.
• Understanding patch management lifecycles and basic networking (TCP/IP, VLANs, routing).
• DoW 8140/8570 IAT II baseline certification or equivalent preferred.

Responsibilities

• Perform physical installation, racking, stacking, cabling, and baseline configuration of servers, workstations, storage, and lab appliances.
• Execute standardized software/hardware test plans and validation scripts for system functionality.
• Identify and track hardware defects, software bugs, and performance bottlenecks; report to senior engineers.
• Apply scheduled patches and OS updates across Windows and Linux environments.
• Validate post-patching stability and ensure lab baselines remain intact.
• Support virtualization environments, including creating and maintaining VMs in VMware and Hyper-V.
• Assist in implementing STIGs and vulnerability remediation efforts.
• Maintain lab documentation, asset inventories, test records, and SOPs.
• Provide Tier I/II troubleshooting for hardware, OS, and network issues.

Skills

Hardware Installations

Patch Management

Security Patch Management

Software Test Planning

Education

BS/BA in CS/IT/Engineering

Tools

VMware ESXi

vCenter

Hyper-V

Windows Server 2019/2022

RHEL

ACAS Nessus

PowerShell

Bash scripting

Job description

GDIT seeks an early-career Systems Engineer for the USCENTCOM enterprise lab in Tampa, FL. You will install hardware, deploy OS, run structured test plans, patch baselines, and support virtualization in a fast-paced defense environment.

You will work under senior engineers, perform validation, and help maintain lab readiness across Windows and Linux systems with a focus on security baselines.