Sr Systems Security Engineer / Sr. Database & Storage Administrator

Sierra Nevada Corporation; Englewood (CO); On-site; USD 143,487 - 197,294; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with 150% match

3 weeks paid time off

Tuition reimbursement

Medical, dental, and vision plans

Job summary

Sierra Nevada Corporation in Englewood, Colorado is seeking an experienced Database Administrator to manage SQL Server and PostgreSQL environments, implement backup strategies, and ensure compliance with security standards. The ideal candidate will have over 8 years of experience in IT security, along with a Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance.

The role offers a competitive salary range of $143,487.14 - $197,294.82 along with a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision plans, and 401(k) matching. Join us to be part of a dynamic team focusing on aviation and defense.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in IT security or related field.
• Expert understanding of cybersecurity principles and practices.
• CISSP certification preferred.
• Current/Active Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance required.

Responsibilities

• Administer SQL Server and PostgreSQL environments effectively.
• Design and implement comprehensive backup and recovery strategies.
• Collaborate with DevSecOps and application developers on requirements.
• Monitor storage performance and capacity proactively.

Skills

Database Administration

Storage Administration

Security Compliance

Technical Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Systems Security, Network Engineering, or related field

Tools

SQL Server

PostgreSQL

Oracle Database

MongoDB

Job description

Job Overview

The ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), Aviation, and Security (IAS) business area is a leader in ISR and aviation, it is a leading prime manned and unmanned aircraft systems integrator for innovative, high-performance ISR and aviation systems. Its end-to-end Command, Control, Computers, Communications and Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance (C4ISR) capabilities encompass design, integration, test, certification, ground/flight training and complete logistics support. IAS tailors solutions to customer cost, performance, and schedule requirements and designs to consistently exceed expectations – with an unrivaled record of on time and on (or under) budget deliveries. SNC has led thoughtful and disruptive change in the aerospace and defense industry for the past 60 years and now, we’re applying this tenacity and expertise to the U.S. Air Force’s (USAF) Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) mission. Join the SNC-led SAOC team and be a part of exciting and meaningful work to modernize and deliver the next-generation SAOC aircraft trusted by the President, Secretary of Defense and Chairs of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ensure continued critical command, control and communication during national emergencies. If you’re passionate about building the airborne command post of the future, consider SNC for your next mission. Learn more about NC3 and SAOC here. If you like solving complex IT and security problems using your deep analytical skills, this is the opportunity for you!

Responsibilities

Database Administration — Relational Platforms: Administer SQL Server 2019/2022 environments including instance configuration, patch management, Always On Availability Groups, and failover cluster management. Design and maintain PostgreSQL clusters including streaming replication, logical replication, and high-availability configurations (Patroni, pgBouncer, or equivalent). Manage MySQL/MariaDB deployments including replication topology, InnoDB tuning, and connection pool optimization. Administer Oracle Database environments including RAC, ASM, Data Guard standby configuration, and RMAN backup and recovery strategies. Develop and enforce database standards for naming conventions, object ownership, RBAC, and audit logging across all relational platforms.

Database Administration — NoSQL & Wide-Column Platforms: Architect and administer Apache Cassandra clusters including ring topology, compaction strategy tuning, multi-datacenter replication, and repair operations. Manage MongoDB replica sets and sharded clusters including oplog monitoring, index optimization, aggregation pipeline performance, and schema validation. Configure and maintain Redis deployments for caching, session management, and pub/sub patterns — including Sentinel and Redis Cluster for high availability. Translate application data access patterns into optimal NoSQL schema designs, avoiding anti-patterns that degrade performance at scale.

Database Administration — Cloud & Performance: Design, deploy, and manage cloud-managed database services including AWS RDS/Aurora, Azure SQL Database, Azure Cosmos DB, and Google Cloud Spanner as program requirements dictate. Conduct proactive performance monitoring across all platforms using Query Store, pg_stat, OEM, CloudWatch, DataStax Metrics, or equivalent tooling. Identify and resolve performance bottlenecks including slow queries, locking and blocking, index fragmentation, and resource contention. Establish and maintain database capacity planning processes — forecast growth, monitor utilization trends, and recommend scaling actions proactively.

Storage Administration — NetApp, HPE, and Enterprise Platforms: Administer NetApp ONTAP storage systems including volume management, aggregate configuration, SnapMirror and SnapVault replication, CIFS/NFS share management, and storage efficiency (deduplication, compression, tiering). Manage HPE storage platforms including 3PAR/Primera, Nimble Storage, and Alletra — including virtual volume management, adaptive optimization, QoS policy configuration, and replication setup. Configure and maintain SAN environments including Fibre Channel (FC) and iSCSI fabric management, HBA zoning, LUN provisioning, and multipathing (MPIO) configuration. Manage NAS environments including NFS and CIFS/SMB protocol administration, export policy management, access control, and Active Directory integration. Monitor storage performance and capacity across all platforms — track IOPS, throughput, latency, and utilization trends; identify and resolve bottlenecks before they impact workloads. Administer storage virtualization environments including vSphere datastore management, VMDK/VMFS management, and storage vMotion operations. Support storage procurement and capacity planning — evaluate new storage solutions, develop sizing recommendations, and contribute technical input to acquisition decisions.

Storage Architecture — Integration & Design: Design and implement storage architectures that meet program performance, availability, and capacity requirements — including tiered storage strategies and workload placement decisions. Define data classification and storage tier placement policies aligned with workload performance profiles and cost optimization objectives. Architect and document storage network topologies including FC fabric design, SAN switch configuration, and storage network segmentation. Integrate database storage requirements with storage platform capabilities — align database file layout, log placement, and tempdb configuration with underlying storage architecture.

Backup, Recovery & Business Continuity: Design, implement, and test comprehensive backup and recovery strategies across all database and storage platforms — including snapshot-based, replication-based, and backup-to-disk/tape approaches. Define and validate RTO and RPO targets for all critical data systems; conduct periodic disaster recovery drills and document results. Maintain backup integrity through regular restore testing; document and rehearse recovery runbooks for all critical systems.

Security, Compliance & Data Governance: Implement and enforce database and storage security standards aligned with NIST 800-53, DISA STIGs, CMMC, and program-specific data classification requirements. Manage Transparent Data Encryption (TDE), column-level encryption, and key management across database platforms; enforce storage-level encryption for data at rest. Configure and maintain audit logging, access monitoring, and anomaly detection for both database and storage systems. Support ATO/RMF processes by providing technical evidence and control documentation for database and storage system controls to ISSO/ISSM. Apply DISA STIGs to database platforms and storage management interfaces; manage finding categorization (CAT I/II/III), remediation, and POA&M documentation.

Technical Collaboration & Support: Serve as the technical escalation point for all database and storage-related incidents, performance issues, and architecture questions across the program. Collaborate with systems engineers, DevSecOps teams, application developers, and network engineers on infrastructure integration requirements and data access patterns. Contribute technical input to program architecture decisions that affect database or storage design — including server sizing, network topology, and virtualization platform selection. Develop and maintain technical documentation including architecture diagrams, runbooks, configuration baselines, and standard operating procedures for all managed systems. Provide knowledge transfer and mentoring to junior technical staff on database and storage administration best practices.

Qualifications

You Must Have:

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Security, Network Engineering, Information Technology, or related Engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in IT security or a related field. Relevant experience can be considered as a substitute for the required educational qualifications. In the absence of a degree, a minimum of 12 years of related experience is required. Higher level relevant degree may substitute for experience.
• Expert understanding of cybersecurity principles and practices.
• Experience with security frameworks and standards such as National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), ISO 27001.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Information Technology, Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical field.
• CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) — active certification preferred.
• IAM Level III or IAT Level III baseline certification required per DoD 8570/8140.
• One or more Professional Database Certification: Oracle OCP/OCM, Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate, PostgreSQL Professional Certification, or AWS Certified Database Specialty.
• 8 years of progressive database administration experience with hands‑on production ownership of at least three of the following platforms: SQL Server 2019/2022, PostgreSQL, MySQL/MariaDB, Oracle Database, Apache Cassandra, MongoDB, or a cloud‑managed DBMS.
• 3 years of hands‑on enterprise storage administration experience — including NetApp ONTAP or HPE storage platforms (3PAR, Primera, Nimble, or Alletra) in a production or program environment.
• Demonstrated experience with SAN administration — LUN provisioning, Fibre Channel or iSCSI fabric management, zoning, and multipath configuration — in a production environment.
• Demonstrated experience with NAS administration — NFS and CIFS/SMB share management, export policy configuration, and Active Directory integration.
• Deep working knowledge of relational database design including normalization, indexing strategy, query optimization, stored procedures, and RBAC implementation.
• Proven hands‑on experience with at least one NoSQL platform (Cassandra, MongoDB, or Redis) in a production environment — including schema design, cluster management, and performance tuning.
• Demonstrated experience designing and validating backup and recovery strategies with defined and tested RTO/RPO targets across both database and storage platforms.
• Working knowledge of database and storage security hardening practices including DISA STIG compliance, encryption at rest and in transit, audit logging, and access control in a regulated environment.
• Current/Active Top Secret U.S. Security Clearance with SCI eligibility is required.

Qualifications We Prefer:

• Aerospace & Defense industry background with experience managing databases and storage in classified or air‑gapped program environments.
• NetApp NCDA (NetApp Certified Data Administrator) or NCSE (NetApp Certified Storage Engineer) certification.
• HPE ASE (Accredited Solutions Expert) Storage Solutions or equivalent HPE storage certification.
• Relevant database certifications: Oracle OCP/OCM, Microsoft Certified: Azure Database Administrator Associate, PostgreSQL Professional Certification, or AWS Certified Database Specialty.
• Experience with storage virtualization in VMware environments — vSphere datastore management, vVols, VMFS, and integration with NetApp or HPE storage via VAAI/VASA.
• Experience with Pure Storage FlashArray or Dell EMC PowerStore/PowerMax as an additional storage platform.
• Familiarity with software‑defined storage (SDS) solutions including NetApp StorageGRID, Ceph, or cloud object storage (AWS S3, Azure Blob) as part of a tiered storage strategy.
• Experience with database and storage monitoring tooling — NetApp AIQUM/OCI, HPE InfoSight/CloudPhysics, SQL Server Management Studio, pgAdmin, OEM, or equivalent.
• Understanding of containerized database deployments using Kubernetes (StatefulSets, persistent volumes, CSI storage drivers) and how persistent storage integrates with container orchestration platforms.
• Experience with database migration projects — schema conversion, data validation, and production cutover planning across heterogeneous database environments.
• DISA STIG application experience for database platforms (SQL Server STIG, Oracle STIG, PostgreSQL STIG) and involvement in ATO package development.
• PMP, INCOSE ASEP, or ITIL v4 certification.

Essential Functions:

• Ability to work primarily at a computer for extended periods.
• Capability to participate in on-call rotation for incident response.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 lbs occasionally.
• Ability to work in an office or hybrid environment.
• Occasional travel may be required.

Estimated Starting Salary Range: $143,487.14 - $197,294.82. Compensation varies depending on a wide array of factors, such as candidates' key skills, relevant work experience, and education/training/certifications. The disclosed range estimate may be adjusted for any applicable geographic differential associated with the location at which the position may be filled. SNC offers annual incentive pay based upon performance that is commensurate with the level of the position.

SNC offers a generous benefit package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, 401(k) with 150% match up to 6%, life insurance, 3 weeks paid time off, tuition reimbursement, and more.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This position requires current/active Top Secret with SCI eligibility U.S. Security Clearance. U.S. Citizenship status is required as this position needs an active U.S. Security Clearance for employment. Non-U.S. Citizens may not be eligible to obtain a security clearance.

SNC is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to an environment free of discrimination. Employment decisions are made based on merit without regard to race, color, age, religion, sex, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law.