Infrastructure Lead

UNAVAILABLE; McLean (VA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Steampunk seeks an Infrastructure Lead to guide the architecture, security, and integration of cloud infrastructure for the U.S. Coast Guard BEACON AI program. You will mentor a delivery team and manage schedule, risk, and client communications for the infrastructure workstream.

You will oversee secure, scalable cloud solutions for AI/ML workloads, IAM, zero-trust, and data protection. Strong CI/CD, IaC, and security scanning experience are essential.

Qualifications

• Requires Bachelor's degree and 10+ years IT experience with cloud/security/DevSecOps roles.
• Proven leadership of technical teams, mentoring, and performance feedback.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS/Azure/GCP) and IaC/CD tooling.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical contact translating mission needs into infrastructure, security, and integration solutions.
• Lead and mentor a cross-functional team of cloud, security, DevSecOps, and integration engineers.

Skills

Team leadership

Project management

Cloud engineering

Cloud security

DevSecOps

Client communication

Infrastructure as code

CI/CD tooling

Threat modeling

Zero-trust concepts

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT or related field

Tools

Terraform

CloudFormation

Ansible

Jenkins

GitLab CI/CD

GitHub Actions

Docker

Kubernetes

SAST/DAST/SCA tools

IAM technologies

Job description

Overview

As the Infrastructure Lead supporting the U.S. Coast Guard's AI program, you will lead the architecture, security, and integration of the cloud infrastructure underpinning BEACON's mission capabilities. You will work within Steampunk's growing DevSecOps practice, guiding a cross-functional team that spans cloud engineering, cloud security, DevSecOps, and systems integration.

We are looking for a technical leader who can translate client needs into infrastructure solutions, lead and mentor a delivery team, and manage the schedule, risk, and client relationship for the infrastructure workstream. You do not need to be the subject-matter expert in every one of these disciplines — you need the judgment and experience to lead a team that collectively is.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for the client, translating mission needs and stakeholder requirements into infrastructure, security, and integration solutions.
• Lead and mentor a cross-functional team of cloud, cloud security, DevSecOps, and integration engineers, including task assignment, technical guidance, and performance feedback

• Own project management of the infrastructure workstream: schedule, staffing, risk/issue tracking, and status reporting to Steampunk and Coast Guard leadership
• Architect and oversee secure, scalable cloud solutions supporting AI/ML workloads, including identity and access management, zero-trust components, and data protection for data at rest and in transit
• Direct the design and implementation of CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure as code, and automated security scanning (SAST/DAST/SCA) to support build, release, and compliance gates
• Guide the design of APIs, microservices, and enterprise integrations that connect data, services, and systems across cloud and on-premises environments
• Oversee monitoring, risk assessment, and threat modeling of cloud environments; ensure systems comply with applicable federal standards (e.g., NIST 800-53, RMF, FISMA)
• Document the as-is state of the environment, perform gap analyses, and produce artifacts (e.g., SSP, POA&M, A&A support documentation) that articulate options and recommendations to the client
• Identify technical and infrastructure risks, perform root cause analysis, and drive remediation across the team
• Present regular status updates to Steampunk leadership and the Coast Guard client, and represent the infrastructure team in client meetings and working groups

Qualifications

Required:

• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Security Clearance

• Bachelor's degree and 10+ years of total IT experience
• 5+ years of experience across a mix of cloud engineering, cloud security, DevSecOps, or integration engineering roles
• Demonstrated experience leading or managing a technical team, including task assignment, mentoring, and performance feedback
• Experience managing project scope, schedule, risk, and client communications
• Experience with one or more cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or GCP)
• Experience with infrastructure as code and CI/CD tooling (e.g., Terraform, CloudFormation, Ansible, Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions)
• Experience with Git SCM providers such as GitHub, GitLab, or Bitbucket
• Working knowledge of cloud security practices, including IAM, zero-trust concepts, and vulnerability/risk management
• Familiarity with enterprise integration patterns, APIs, and microservices
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience engaging directly with clients and stakeholders
• Local to the Washington, DC metro area, with the ability to work onsite at Steampunk's Tysons, VA office and the USCG HQ client site (St. Elizabeths) a few days per week

Preferred:

• Certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect, AWS Certified Security – Specialty, AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Microsoft Certified Azure Administrator/DevOps Engineer Expert, CISSP, or PMP
• Experience supporting a DHS, Coast Guard, or other federal AI/ML or data program
• Familiarity with NIST 800-53, RMF, or FISMA categorization processes
• Experience with containerization and orchestration (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience scripting in Python, Bash, PowerShell, or similar languages