Lead ITPIE Systems Engineer

VAE, Inc.; Springfield (VA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

VAE, Inc. seeks an experienced Lead Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership over a multidisciplinary software development and systems engineering team.

The role blends deep hands-on Linux systems, defensive cyber operations, and DevSecOps with people leadership to deliver secure, scalable infrastructure for mission-critical enterprise environments. The ideal candidate will guide architecture decisions, mentor engineers, and ensure secure, resilient systems across development,

Qualifications

• 15+ years of progressive experience in systems engineering or defending cyber operations, with team leadership.
• Experience securing and administering enterprise Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments at scale.
• Hands-on containerization and orchestration with Docker and Kubernetes; SIEM knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the senior technical lead for a software development team, setting engineering direction, standards, and best practices across the development lifecycle
• Manage and mentor a team of systems engineers and developers, overseeing task assignment, technical growth, and performance
• Architect and administer enterprise Linux systems (RHEL) supporting development, integration, and production environments
• Design and implement secure infrastructure following Deny-All, Permit-by-Exception and defense-in-depth principles
• Lead containerization and orchestration efforts using Docker and Kubernetes to support scalable, resilient application deployments
• Oversee configuration management, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code practices to streamline development and release cycles
• Direct implementation of SIEM, logging, and monitoring capabilities (e.g., Elastic, Splunk) to support system health and security visibility
• Lead incident response, vulnerability management, and remediation efforts, including DISA STIG compliance and patch management
• Coordinate with program management and government stakeholders to translate mission and contract requirements into technical solutions
• Develop and present technical briefings, gap analyses, and system status reports to leadership and customer stakeholders
• Evaluate emerging tools and technologies, recommending adoption where they improve team productivity, security, or system reliability
• Support audits, assessments, and compliance reviews, ensuring documentation and evidence packages meet DoD standards

Skills

Leadership

Systems Engineering

DevSecOps

Cybersecurity

Incident Response

DoD Standards

Tools

Docker

Kubernetes

Elastic

Splunk

ArcSight

RHEL

Job description

OVERVIEW:

VAE, Inc. is a full service IT Infrastructure Solutions Company focused on building, securing and supporting our clients' mission critical enterprises. We provide a distinctive array of design, integration and implementation services as well as fully managed service offerings. VAE is at the forefront of leveraging multi-tenant capable technologies and shared IT services to create secure, reliable and cost-effective end-to-end services and solutions. We deliver exceptional infrastructure solutions with extremely talented employees using a client-focused partnering approach.

JOB TYPE:

Full-time

LOCATION:

VA US (Primary)

JOB DESCRIPTION:

VAE's ITPIE Division is seeking an experienced Lead Systems Engineer to provide technical leadership over a multidisciplinary software development and systems engineering team. The Lead Systems Engineer serves as the senior technical authority for the team, guiding architecture and design decisions, ensuring secure and resilient infrastructure, and mentoring engineers across the software development lifecycle. This role combines deep hands-on systems engineering and cybersecurity expertise with people leadership, translating mission and program requirements into a well-architected, secure, and maintainable technical environment. The ideal candidate brings a strong background in enterprise Linux systems, defensive cyber operations, and DevSecOps practices, along with a proven track record of leading technical teams in a mission-driven environment.

• Serve as the senior technical lead for a software development team, setting engineering direction, standards, and best practices across the development lifecycle
• Manage and mentor a team of systems engineers and developers, overseeing task assignment, technical growth, and performance
• Architect and administer enterprise Linux systems (RHEL) supporting development, integration, and production environments
• Design and implement secure infrastructure following Deny-All, Permit-by-Exception and defense-in-depth principles
• Lead containerization and orchestration efforts using Docker and Kubernetes to support scalable, resilient application deployments
• Oversee configuration management, CI/CD pipelines, and infrastructure-as-code practices to streamline development and release cycles
• Direct implementation of SIEM, logging, and monitoring capabilities (e.g., Elastic, Splunk) to support system health and security visibility
• Lead incident response, vulnerability management, and remediation efforts, including DISA STIG compliance and patch management
• Coordinate with program management and government stakeholders to translate mission and contract requirements into technical solutions
• Develop and present technical briefings, gap analyses, and system status reports to leadership and customer stakeholders
• Evaluate emerging tools and technologies, recommending adoption where they improve team productivity, security, or system reliability
• Support audits, assessments, and compliance reviews, ensuring documentation and evidence packages meet DoD standards

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 15+ years of progressive experience in systems engineering, enterprise Linux administration, or defensive cyber operations, including prior experience leading a technical team
• Demonstrated experience administering and securing enterprise Red Hat Enterprise Linux environments at scale
• Hands-on experience with containerization and orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes)
• Experience with SIEM and log management platforms (e.g., Elastic, Splunk, ArcSight)
• Strong working knowledge of network architecture, defense-in-depth principles, and incident response processes
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop technical teams in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment

CLEARANCE LEVEL:

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

Equal Opportunity Employer:

VAE, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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