Director, Classified Infrastructure Operations

Mtsi Va; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

MTSI invites applications for the Director of Classified Infrastructure Operations, reporting to the CIO, to provide enterprise leadership for all classified labs, networks, and systems across multiple sites. You will oversee system administrators, set standards, and align with RMF/NIST guidance.

The role partners with ISSMs/ISSOs, FSO/CPSO, and security authorities to maintain accreditation, manage budgets, and drive modernization in virtualization, automation, and infrastructure-as-code where

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, information technology, or a related field; master’s degree preferred.
• 12+ years in IT ops or infrastructure management, with classified environments.
• 7+ years leading system administrators or infrastructure teams.
• Experience with end-to-end accreditation (RMF/NISPOM/JSIG).
• Active TS clearance with SCI eligibility; willingness to obtain program-specific accesses.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day leadership for enterprise classified infrastructure operations across multiple sites and levels (Collateral, Secret, TS/SCI).
• Direct, coach, and performance‑manage system administrators and engineers; set standards and development paths.
• Partner to establish standardized procedures for accreditation, configuration, and decommissioning of labs/enclaves.
• Own enterprise governance: access controls, patching, logging, incident response; oversee eMASS entries where applicable.
• Coordinate accreditation activities, continuous monitoring, and renewal timelines with security stakeholders.

Skills

Classified IT ops

People leadership

RMF/NIST

Accreditation

Vendor management

Budgeting

Staff development

Compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Master's degree preferred

Tools

Windows/Linux admin

VMware/Hyper-V

eMASS

Job description

The Director of Classified Infrastructure Operations reports directly to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and provides enterprise leadership, strategic direction, and governance for all classified labs, networks, and systems across MTSI. The Director oversees the system administrators operating in these environments, establishes standardized processes and controls, and ensures that all enclaves maintain accreditation and compliance. The role partners closely with Program Managers, Business Unit Leaders, the Information System Security Manager (ISSM), Information System Security Officers (ISSOs), Facility/Program Security teams (FSO/CPSO), and IT to consolidate and prioritize requirements, manage the overall budget, and plan technology refresh cycles aligned to mission needs.

Role and Responsibilities

• Provide day‑to‑day leadership for enterprise classified infrastructure operations (labs, networks, systems) across multiple sites and classification levels (Collateral, Secret, TS/SCI).
• Direct, coach, and performance‑manage system administrators and engineers supporting classified environments; set operating standards, staffing models, and development paths.
• Partner with ISSM/ISSOs, FSO/CPSO, and Authorizing Official/SCA stakeholders to establish and maintain standardized procedures for requesting, designing, accrediting, configuring, operating, and decommissioning classified labs and enclaves.
• Own enterprise governance for classified environments: access controls, account and identity management, configuration baselines, patch and vulnerability management, logging and monitoring, change control, media protection, and incident response.
• Partner with ISSM/ISSOs, FSO/CPSO, and Authorizing Official/SCA stakeholders to coordinate accreditation activities and packages (SSP, POA&M, Contingency Plan, Incident Response Plan), continuous monitoring, and renewal timelines; oversee eMASS entries where applicable.
• Partner with ISSM/ISSOs, FSO/CPSO, and Authorizing Official/SCA stakeholders to ensure compliance with RMF/NIST guidance, DCSA/NISPOM (32 CFR Part 117), JSIG/ICD requirements, and contract‑specific directives.
• Define and manage the classified infrastructure budget, including forecasting for hardware, software, licensing, and lifecycle refresh; lead capacity planning for compute, storage, and network.
• Oversee procurement, deployment, and sustainment of classified lab equipment, tools, and systems; ensure supply chain risk management and asset accountability.
• Implement STIG‑aligned baselines and enforce change management for all classified systems.
• Integrate security operations with IT operations: vulnerability scanning, remediation SLAs, SIEM logging, audit trail retention, and compliance reporting.
• Lead strategic planning for modernization (virtualization, hybrid/edge compute, automation, infrastructure‑as‑code where permitted) to increase agility and resilience of classified environments.
• Develop and track KPIs/KRIs for operational health, accreditation posture, incident response, and audit readiness; conduct regular internal reviews and readiness assessments.
• Serve as primary point of contact to the CIO and senior leadership for classified infrastructure status, risks, and investments; provide clear updates and recommendations.
• Coordinate cross‑domain requirements and guard solutions with appropriate security teams and authorizing officials where applicable.
• Ensure proper physical controls for classified labs and systems in coordination with Facilities and Security (access control, TEMPEST considerations, media handling, and destruction procedures).

Required Skills

• Deep expertise operating and governing classified IT environments across multiple levels (Collateral/Secret/TS/SCI), including lab and production enclaves.
• Hands‑on experience leading system administration teams supporting Windows/Linux, virtualization platforms (VMware/Hyper‑V), storage, and network infrastructure.
• Demonstrated success implementing RMF‑based A&A processes and maintaining compliant baselines aligned to NIST SP 800‑53, NIST SP 800‑171, CNSSI 1253, and DISA STIGs.
• Experience with accreditation tooling and workflows (e.g., eMASS), continuous monitoring, and audit preparation.
• Strong understanding of enterprise identity and access management, privileged access controls, and account lifecycle in classified environments.
• Proven ability to build standardized processes and documentation across multiple sites; adept at change management and operational governance.
• Knowledge of Cyber Supply Chain Risk Management (C‑SCRM) principles and government contracting considerations for ICT procurements.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills engaging technical teams, program stakeholders, and security authorities.
• Robust budgeting, forecasting, vendor management, and resource planning capabilities.

Required Competencies

• Collaboration/Teamwork: Engages others across roles through communication and mutual respect, shares insights, enabling effective teamwork to ensure collective success. (teamwork)
• Technical and Functional Skills: Leverages technical and functional expertise to deliver high performance, addresses challenges, and supports business needs while pursuing continuous skill development. (domain knowledge)
• Entrepreneurialism: Fosters innovation, evaluates ideas, and advances initiatives with sound judgment and organizational awareness to drive growth and impact. (innovation)
• Communication: Communicates clearly and effectively, fostering understanding, collaboration, and alignment through active listening and impactful messaging. (effective communication)
• Customer Focus: Prioritizes customer needs, builds trust, and delivers exceptional service by using insights to drive improvements and strengthen relationships. (customer insight)

Manager Competencies

• Recruit and build effective teams: Selects top talent, then fosters collaboration, trust, and belonging to build high‑performing teams that achieve shared success. (team building)
• Develop, coach and care for others: Supports and challenges team members by fostering growth, recognizing contributions, and addressing performance with fairness, courage, and genuine care. (people development, emotional intelligence)
• Drive for performance results: Delivers high‑quality outcomes with urgency and discipline, meeting commitments while driving improvement and advancing organizational success. (driving results, performance management)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, information technology, computer science, or a related field; master’s degree preferred.
• 12+ years of experience in IT operations or lab/infrastructure management roles, including substantial time in classified environments.
• 7+ years of leadership managing system administrators or infrastructure teams.
• Demonstrated experience with multi‑level classified environments and end‑to‑end accreditation/compliance processes (RMF/NISPOM/JSIG).
• Industry certifications preferred (e.g., CISSP, Security+, CASP, PMP, ITIL).

Travel

Travel requirements will be determined based on business needs; periodic travel to classified lab sites for inspections, audits, and accreditation activities is expected.

Clearance

Must possess an active Top Secret security clearance with SCI eligibility; willingness to obtain and maintain program‑specific accesses as required.

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