Operations Center Specialist

SMS Data Products Group, Inc.; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

SMS Data Products Group, Inc. seeks an Operations Center Specialist to support AFNCR IT Services with an active TS/SCI clearance.

The role covers 24/7/365 mission-critical IT operations and cyber defense across high-sensitivity environments such as HAF, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and NMCC. The position requires on-site work in the National Capital Region at facilities like The Pentagon and Joint Base Andrews.

Qualifications

• Active DoD Top Secret / SCI clearance required.
• Bachelor's degree with 3-5+ years IT/Network Operations Center experience or equivalent military experience.
• IAT Level II baseline certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE or equivalent) required or obtainable.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting modern enterprise hardware, routing protocols, and operating systems.

Responsibilities

• Monitor 24/7/365 mission-critical IT operations and security across highly sensitive environments.
• Serve as the initial point of contact for detecting, triaging, and isolating system performance deviations, cyber alerts, and outages.
• Coordinate with tiered support engineering teams, external defense agencies, and vendors for rapid incident resolution.
• Maintain Master Station Logs and thorough end-of-shift pass-down briefings; mentor junior watch standers.
• Create, update, and validate SOPs and network topology mappings.

Skills

System Monitoring

Incident Response

Liaison & Coordination

Situational Awareness

Network Operations

Education

Bachelor's degree with 3-5+ years IT/Network Operations

Associate degree or high school diploma with equivalent military experience

Tools

Linux

Windows

Job description

SMS is seeking an Operations Center Specialist for the Air Force National Capital Region (AFNCR) IT Services program and requires an active Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. This role supports critical IT operations and cyber network defense across highly sensitive environments like Headquarters Air Force (HAF), the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the National Military Command Center (NMCC).

Since 1976, SMS has specialized in modernizing legacy IT and sustaining complex enterprise environments for federal agencies. With the goal of building long-term partnerships with our customers, we invest in our employees by providing the training, tools, and support they need to keep critical missions operational, improve performance, and reduce risk. SMS is headquartered in McLean, Virginia, with offices and on-site operations at customer locations throughout the United States. For additional information on SMS, visit www.sms.com.

Job Responsibilities

The Operations Center Specialist will provide 24/7/365 mission-critical support for the Air Force National Capital Region (AFNCR) IT Services network environment. Operating out of a centralized Command Center or Network Operations Center (NOC), the specialist ensures maximum uptime, performance, and security of enterprise communications systems utilized by high-visibility leadership, including Headquarters Air Force (HAF), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Key Responsibilities

System Monitoring & Incident Response

• Monitor enterprise IT infrastructure including servers, routers, switches, optical networks, and secure unified communications systems across multiple classification levels.
• Serve as the initial point of contact for detecting, triaging, and isolating system performance deviations, cyber alerts, and network outages.
• Execute rapid troubleshooting and basic configurations using Linux-based and Windows tools to restore network capabilities.

Situational Awareness & Liaison Duties

• Provide timely situational awareness updates and flash alerts to Senior Leadership, the Joint Staff, and the Program Manager during critical outages or cyber incidents
• Function as an escalation liaison to coordinate tiered support engineering teams, external defense agencies, and vendor representatives for rapid incident resolution.
• Maintain rigorous Master Station Logs, complete thorough end-of-shift pass-down briefings, and mentor junior watch standers.

Operations & Facility Support

• Conduct routine health checks of vital command center mission systems (such as specialized emergency communications nodes, backup generators, and HVAC parameters).
• Create, update, and validate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), network topology mappings, and system performance assessments.

Required Qualifications

• Active Department of Defense Top Secret / SCI clearance is strictly required.
• Must be a U.S. citizen.
• Education: Bachelor's degree with 3-5+ years of relevant IT/Network Operations Center experience, OR an Associate degree / high school diploma with equivalent technical military experience.
• Hands-on experience troubleshooting modern enterprise hardware, routing protocols, and operating systems.

Certifications (DoD 8140 / 8570 Compliance)

• Must possess or be able to immediately obtain an Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II baseline certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE or equivalent).

Work Schedule & Environment

• Ability to work a flexible, rotating shift schedule (days, nights, weekends, and holidays) to maintain unbroken 24/7/365 mission support.
• On-site presence is required at designated customer facilities within the National Capital Region (e.g., The Pentagon, Joint Base Andrews, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling).

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

SMS is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.