Infrastructure Deployment Manager

Sphinx Defense; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 123,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

Profit sharing

Employer 401(k) contribution

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Job summary

Sphinx Defense seeks an Infrastructure Deployment Manager to design and maintain mission-critical development infrastructure. You will stand up compute, storage, and networking platforms, validate deliveries, and ensure secure, scalable environments across multiple sites.

You will partner with software engineers, DevOps, and external vendors. The role combines hands-on hardware work with virtualization, storage, and network services, plus collaboration across cybersecurity and engineering teams

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience administering enterprise IT infrastructure, server environments, or data center operations.
• Experience building, configuring, and managing multi-rack server environments supporting software development or automated testing.
• Hands-on experience commissioning enterprise hardware from delivery through deployment.
• Experience configuring virtualization technologies such as VMware ESXi, KVM, or similar hypervisors.
• Experience with enterprise networking concepts including VLANs, switching, routing fundamentals, and storage infrastructure (SAN/NAS).
• Experience supporting infrastructure deployments across multiple locations or geographically distributed environments.
• Collaborating with software engineering, DevOps, and infrastructure teams throughout the deployment lifecycle.
• Documenting infrastructure standards and maintaining consistent system configurations.
• Active Secret Security Clearance and eligible to obtain TS/SCI (or willing to obtain).
• Experience achieving and maintaining accredited classified systems through DoW or RMF frameworks.
• Led teams or other engineers in a technical leadership capacity.

Responsibilities

• Receive, inspect, and validate enterprise hardware deliveries.
• Commission bare-metal servers, storage, and networking into development environments.
• Configure virtualization platforms and establish standardized infrastructure baselines.
• Deploy and configure SAN/NAS, VLANs, OS, and networking services.
• Maintain hardware configuration consistency across locations.
• Collaborate with external systems integrators during procurement, installation, and testing.
• Perform power-on validation and hardware acceptance testing.
• Build production-ready infrastructure for DevOps transition and automation.
• Document infrastructure standards and deployment procedures.
• Collaborate with engineering and cybersecurity teams to maintain secure IT infrastructure.

Skills

Infra administration

Server environments

Data center operations

VMware ESXi

KVM

Networking (VLANs)

Documentation

Security clearance

RMF familiarity

Technical leadership

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

SaltStack

Kubernetes

GitLab Runners

Job description

About Sphinx

Sphinx builds software to solve complex national security problems in Space. Founded by engineers and technologists with deep experience across commercial and defense technology, we were frustrated by the outdated and insecure technology America's service members are forced to rely on. We're here to do better.

We’re focused on building modern, scalable products with an emphasis on using open source technologies. Expect talented, motivated, and interesting colleagues who emphasize collaboration, transparency, and individual responsibility.

About the Role

Sphinx is hiring an Infrastructure Deployment Manager to build and maintain the infrastructure that powers our software development environments. This role is responsible for standing up production‑ready compute, storage, networking, and virtualization platforms that enable our engineering teams to deliver mission‑critical software for national security programs.

You’ll be the technical bridge between infrastructure vendors and our internal engineering teams, ensuring new hardware is received, validated, configured, and ready for software deployment. From commissioning bare‑metal systems to establishing standardized operating environments, you’ll play a key role in building reliable, scalable infrastructure across multiple development sites.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys working hands‑on with enterprise hardware, virtualization, networking, and systems administration while collaborating closely with software engineers, DevOps, and external vendors.

In this role, you’ll work closely with software engineers, DevOps engineers, systems engineers, cybersecurity, and external infrastructure vendors to ensure our development environments are secure, consistent, and ready to support mission success.

Responsibilities

• Receive, inspect, and validate enterprise hardware deliveries, ensuring systems meet procurement and deployment requirements.
• Commission bare‑metal servers, storage, and networking equipment into fully operational development environments.
• Configure virtualization platforms such as VMware ESXi or KVM and establish standardized infrastructure baselines.
• Deploy and configure enterprise storage solutions (SAN/NAS), VLANs, operating systems, and foundational networking services.
• Maintain hardware configuration consistency across multiple development sites and subcontractor environments.
• Partner with external systems integrators throughout infrastructure procurement, installation, and acceptance testing.
• Perform power‑on validation, hardware acceptance testing, and infrastructure verification before deployment.
• Build clean, production‑ready infrastructure environments that can be transitioned to internal DevOps teams for software deployment and automation.
• Document infrastructure standards, configurations, and deployment procedures to support repeatable implementations.
• Collaborate with engineering and cybersecurity teams to maintain secure, reliable, and scalable IT infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Have 8+ years of experience administering enterprise IT infrastructure, server environments, or data center operations.
• Have experience building, configuring, and managing multi‑rack server environments supporting software development or automated testing.
• Have hands‑on experience commissioning enterprise hardware from initial delivery through operational deployment.
• Are experienced configuring virtualization technologies such as VMware ESXi, KVM, or similar hypervisors.
• Have experience with enterprise networking concepts including VLANs, switching, routing fundamentals, and storage infrastructure (SAN/NAS).
• Have experience supporting infrastructure deployments across multiple locations or geographically distributed environments.
• Are comfortable collaborating with software engineering, DevOps, and infrastructure teams throughout the deployment lifecycle.
• Have experience documenting infrastructure standards and maintaining consistent system configurations.
• Hold an active Secret Security Clearance and are eligible to obtain TS/SCI (or are willing and able to obtain one, if applicable).
• Have experience achieving and maintaining accredited classified systems through DoW or Intelligence Community Risk Management Frameworks (RMF).
• Have led teams or other engineers in a technical leadership and/or functional leadership capacity.

Bonus Points If You Have

• Experience supporting government, defense, or classified computing environments.
• Familiarity with infrastructure‑as‑code tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or SaltStack.
• Experience supporting Kubernetes, GitLab Runners, or containerized development environments.
• Previous experience working with enterprise systems integrators or large‑scale infrastructure deployments.
• Familiarity with automated software build environments or “software factory” infrastructure.
• Experience working within secure development environments or multi‑site engineering organizations.

Location

This role can be based out of Chantilly, VA; Colorado Springs, CO; El Segundo, CA; or Seal Beach, CA. The position requires approximately 30% travel, depending on program needs and the candidate’s location.

Compensation

This role is between $123,000 and $165,000 base salary.

Benefits

Compensation includes competitive salary, meaningful equity ownership, profit sharing, employer 401(k) contribution, and 100% employer‑covered medical, dental, and vision insurance for the employee and dependents.

Eligibility

Must be a US Citizen.

Must be able to obtain and hold a U.S. TS/SCI security clearance.

EEO Statement

At Sphinx Defense, we are devoted to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. Sphinx Defense is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity.

Clearance Eligibility

This position requires eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.