System Engineer, Level 3

Independent Software; Maryland; On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extensive training and mentorship

Competitive compensation

Generous benefits

Work-life balance

Job summary

Independent Software is seeking a Systems Engineer Level 3 to support the security compliance and administration of critical client/server environments in Maryland. The role demands strong systems engineering skills, including expertise in both Windows and Linux operating systems, security compliance, and networking technologies. You will work on mission-critical projects that enhance national security, and be an integral part of a collaborative team committed to innovation. Opportunities for training and mentoring are provided while enjoying competitive compensation and benefits.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of system security and operational requirements.
• Experience with secure system operations.
• Knowledge of data transport and processing systems.

Responsibilities

• Support systems engineering and administration activities across secure environments.
• Maintain performance and security in Windows and Linux environments.
• Implement automation for system reliability.
• Ensure compliance with security standards.
• Administer identity and access management services.
• Manage system patching and vulnerability remediation.
• Troubleshoot complex systems and network issues.
• Support and optimize mission dataflow systems.

Skills

Strong systems engineering experience

System administration experience

Knowledge of security compliance principles

Understanding of enterprise networking devices

Hands-on experience in Windows environments

Hands-on experience in Linux environments

Familiarity with containerization technologies

Experience with identity and access management

Knowledge of security protocols

Excellent communication skills

Experience troubleshooting distributed systems

Familiarity with real-time data processing

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

High School Diploma or GED

Tools

Cisco

Juniper

Arista

Kubernetes

Job description

What You Will Do:

As a Systems Engineer Level 3 at Independent Software, you will support the administration, automation, and security compliance of critical client/server environments. You will be responsible for maintaining system integrity, performance, and security while working closely with users, customers, and a small, mission‑focused engineering team. This role requires strong technical depth in systems engineering and administration, along with excellent problem‑solving, communication, and escalation skills.

In addition to traditional systems engineering responsibilities, you will support mission‑focused environments that include dataflow processing, RF systems, and real‑time or near‑real‑time data transport. You will work with specialized tools and platforms supporting collection, processing, and analysis of mission data, ensuring system reliability, performance, and security across both enterprise and mission systems.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support systems engineering and system administration activities across secure client/server environments
• Maintain system integrity, availability, performance, and security in both Windows and Linux environments
• Implement and support automation and operational improvements to enhance system reliability and efficiency
• Ensure systems comply with security requirements, policies, and compliance standards
• Administer and support identity and access management services, including Active Directory, LDAP, Centrify, Group Policy, and core network services
• Manage system patching, vulnerability remediation, and secure configuration baselines
• Support containerized and orchestrated environments, including Kubernetes‑based deployments
• Troubleshoot complex system and network issues and elevate risks, outages, or security concerns to management as required
• Work closely with users and customers to resolve issues and support mission requirements
• Support mission dataflow systems, including monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing data pipelines (e.g., Niagara Files, Ephemeris, or similar technologies)
• Assist in the operation and support of RF systems, including antenna hardware, servo mechanisms, and signal transport components
• Utilize and support mission‑specific platforms such as NETMAC or similar systems used in data transport and processing environments
• Support real‑time or near‑real‑time data processing environments, ensuring system performance and data integrity
• Assist with logging, monitoring, and analytics platforms such as ELK / Elasticsearch to support system observability and troubleshooting

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Strong systems engineering and system administration experience
• Demonstrated knowledge of security compliance principles and secure system operations
• Strong understanding of enterprise networking devices and technologies, including Cisco, Juniper, and Arista
• Hands‑on system administration experience in both Windows and Linux environments
• Familiarity with containerization technologies and orchestration platforms such as Kubernetes
• Experience administering identity and access management technologies, including Active Directory, LDAP, Centrify, Group Policy, and network services
• Strong knowledge of security protocols, system hardening, patching, and vulnerability management
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to clearly document issues and elevate technical risks or incidents to management
• Experience troubleshooting complex systems, including distributed systems or dataflow environments
• Familiarity with real‑time data processing, streaming architectures, or mission data transport systems

Education and Experience:

One of the following combinations is required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a qualified engineering field or a related discipline from an accredited college or university, plus six (6) years of systems engineering experience; or
• High School Diploma or GED, plus ten (10) years of general systems engineering experience across any process area; or
• Master’s degree in a qualified engineering field or a related discipline from an accredited college or university, plus four (4) years of systems engineering experience; or
• PhD in a qualified engineering field or a related discipline from an accredited college or university, plus two (2) years of systems engineering experience.

Qualified engineering fields include, but are not limited to: Aeronautics, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Nuclear, Software, Systems, and Engineering Management. Comparable or closely related engineering degrees will be considered.

Related disciplines include, but are not limited to: Chemistry, Computer Science, Information Systems, Mathematics, and Physics. Comparable or closely related degrees will be considered.

Clearance Requirement:

• Must possess an active TS SCI with appropriate Polygraph to be considered for this role

Why Choose Independent Software:

At Independent Software, our people are the mission. We’ve built a company around collaboration, integrity, and innovation and we make sure our team has the tools and support to grow, succeed, and thrive.

When you join us, you will:

• Support critical national security missions that matter
• Be part of a close‑knit, employee‑first culture where your voice is heard
• Expand your skills through ongoing training, mentorship, and career development
• Enjoy competitive compensation, generous benefits, and work‑life balance

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.