Senior Systems Engineer Top Secret/SCI w/Poly

Peraton; Laurel (MD); On-site; USD 176,000 - 282,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology and security firm is looking for a Senior Systems Engineer in Laurel, MD. The ideal candidate will lead the design, development, and implementation of enterprise-scale data models and ontologies. Key responsibilities include managing data pipelines with Apache Kafka and mentoring junior engineers in Java/Spring Boot. Candidates must have an active TS/SCI clearance and significant experience in Data Architecture and Kubernetes. The position offers a competitive salary range of $176,000 to $282,000, based on various factors, including location and experience.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph required.
• 20 years of experience in Systems Engineering.
• Extensive experience in Data Architecture and graph modeling.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and implementation of domain ontologies.
• Manage high-throughput data pipelines using Kafka.
• Provide mentorship in Java/Spring Boot development.

Skills

Java/Spring Boot

Apache Kafka

Kubernetes

Graph Modeling

Data Architecture

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related discipline

Master's degree in a related field

Tools

Neo4j

Terraform

Prometheus

Grafana

ELK

Job description

Senior Systems Engineer Top Secret/SCI w/Poly

Job Locations: US-MD-Laurel

• Requisition ID: 2026-165938
• Position Category: Information Technology
• Clearance: Top Secret/SCI w/Poly

Responsibilities

Peraton is seeking a highly experienced Senior Systems Engineer to lead the design, development, and implementation of our enterprise-scale data models and ontologies. This role is critical in transforming disparate data sources into a cohesive, searchable, and semantically rich knowledge graph. You will serve as a technical authority, guiding the evolution of our "Entity-Evidence" frameworks and ensuring the reliability of our distributed data services.

Ontology & Model Engineering

• Lead the design and implementation of complex domain ontologies and logical data models to support advanced analytics and discovery.
• Develop and refine schemas for graph databases (Neo4j), ensuring optimal relationship modeling and query performance.
• Establish standards for entity resolution, taxonomy management, and metadata tagging across the enterprise.
• Oversee the ingestion of "EntitySourceDocuments" and associate evidence into unified semantic structures.

Systems Architecture & Integration

• Design and manage high-throughput data pipelines using distributed streaming platforms like Apache Kafka.
• Implement sophisticated message-key strategies and topic compaction to ensure data integrity and system efficiency.
• Orchestrate containerized services within Kubernetes (K8s), leveraging Custom Resource Definitions (CRDs) and Operators for complex stateful workloads.
• Integrate diverse data assets—from relational stores to unstructured documents—into a synchronized, scalable backend architecture.

Technical Leadership & Governance

• Provide expert-level support for model implementation, ensuring alignment between conceptual models and physical deployments.
• Mentor junior engineers on best practices in Java/Spring Boot development, API documentation (OpenAPI/Swagger), and cloud-native patterns.
• Collaborate with data scientists and stakeholders to translate business requirements into technical specifications and architectural diagrams.

Reliability & Performance

• Conduct deep-dive troubleshooting for complex system bottlenecks, particularly within Kafka clusters and graph database clusters.
• Define and implement monitoring and observability standards using Prometheus, Grafana, and ELK.
• Ensure the long-term scalability and maintainability of the "arbitranch" and "KEA" service ecosystems.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications:

• Active TS/SCI clearance with polygraph
• Twenty (20) years of Systems Engineering experience on programs of similar scope, type, and complexity, with demonstrated expertise in planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts
• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or a related discipline from an accredited institution; in lieu of a degree, an additional five (5) years of relevant Systems Engineering experience may be substituted.
• Extensive experience in Data Architecture, with a focus on graph modeling and semantic technologies.
• Mastery of Java and the Spring Boot ecosystem for building enterprise-grade backend services.
• Deep technical proficiency with Apache Kafka, including cluster management, topic configuration, and performance tuning.
• Proven track record of deploying and managing production workloads on Kubernetes and cloud platforms (AWS).
• Experience with automated CI/CD workflows and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform/CloudFormation).
• Strong communication skills with the ability to convey complex architectural concepts to both technical and executive audiences.

Desired Expertise:

• Expert knowledge of Neo4j (Cypher, APOC, GDS) and graph-based data science.
• Experience with Ontology Web Language (OWL) or Resource Description Framework (RDF).
• Understanding of social media sentiment analysis and its application to financial or predictive modeling.
• Familiarity with large-scale data processing using Apache Spark.
• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, or a related quantitative field.

Peraton Overview

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world's leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies to protect our nation and allies. Peraton operates at the critical nexus between traditional and nontraditional threats across all domains: land, sea, space, air, and cyberspace. The company serves as a valued partner to essential government agencies and supports every branch of the U.S. armed forces. Each day, our employees do the can't be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers. Visit peraton.com to learn how we're keeping people around the world safe and secure.

Target Salary Range

$176,000 - $282,000. This represents the typical salary range for this position. Salary is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, the scope and responsibilities of the position, the individual's experience, education, knowledge, skills, and competencies, as well as geographic location and business and contract considerations. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay.

EEO

EEO: Equal opportunity employer, including disability and protected veterans, or other characteristics protected by law.