Systems Administrator III

Cova Strategies; Fort Meade, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full medical, dental & vision coverage

No payroll deductions

Disability insurance

Life insurance 150% of salary up to $<

401(k) with 6% match

Job summary

Cova Strategies is seeking a skilled System Administrator to join our engineering team at Ft. Meade, MD. You will support, troubleshoot, and maintain IT systems across UNIX and Windows environments, ensuring secure, high-performance operations.

The role requires on-site work five days a week, TS/SCI with FS poly clearance, and extensive SA experience. You will contribute to system design, deployment, monitoring, and rapid issue resolution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline; 5 years SA experience may substitute.
• Active TS/SCI with FS Polygraph clearance.
• Must be willing to work onsite five days/week.
• Fifteen (15) years of SA experience required.
• Unix and Windows Administration and configuration.
• Active Directory, LDAP, and Group Policy management.

Responsibilities

• Provide support for implementation, troubleshooting and maintenance of IT systems.
• Provide Tier 1 (Help Desk) problem identification, diagnosis and resolution of problems.
• Manage the daily activities of configuration and operation of IT systems.
• Provide assistance to users in accessing and using IT systems.
• Provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 problem identification, diagnosis and resolution of problems.
• Provide support for the dispatch system and hardware problems and remains involved in the resolution process.
• Configure and manage UNIX and Windows operating systems and related components.

Skills

Unix administration

Windows administration

Active Directory/LDAP

VMware/Hyper-V

Cloud platforms

Networking fundamentals

Scripting (PowerShell/Bash/Python)

System monitoring

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline

15 years SA experience substitute for degree

Tools

Splunk

SolarWinds

Nagios

Job description

Cova Strategies is seeking talented and System Administrators to join our dynamic, employee-focused engineering team. In this role, you will contribute to the development, enhancement, and maintenance of complex and innovative software systems. These systems span a wide range of applications, including high-performance analytics, cutting-edge algorithm design, large-scale data processing, real-time computing, and enterprise business solutions.

You’ll work in a collaborative environment where creativity, technical excellence, and continuous learning are highly valued. If you're passionate about solving challenging problems and making a meaningful impact through software, we invite you to bring your expertise to our small but rapidly growing team.

In addition to offering highly competitive compensation and an outstanding benefits package, Cova Strategies is a company who prioritizes employee happiness and actively involves team members in shaping the company's future. We are dedicated to creating a workplace culture where employees feel genuinely valued and supported.

We believe that your job should not only challenge you but also bring you joy. We are committed to supporting your career goals and fostering your professional growth. If you would like to hear more, please reach out.

Security Clearance:
Active TS-SCI with FS poly required.

Citizenship:
Due to the clearance requirement, all candidates must be U.S. citizens.

Place of Performance:
Ft. Meade, MD.

Pay Rate
Please note, the compensation range for this position is determined by a comprehensive evaluation of multiple factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s skills, experience, education, certifications, and the specific needs of the organization.

Responsibilities:

• Provide support for implementation, troubleshooting and maintenance of IT systems
• Provide Tier 1 (Help Desk) problem identification, diagnosis and resolution of problems
• Manage the daily activities of configuration and operation of IT systems
• Provide assistance to users in accessing and using IT systems
• Provide Tier 1 (Help Desk) and Tier 2 (Escalation) problem identification, diagnosis and resolution of problems
• Provide support to IT systems including day-to-day operations, monitoring and problem resolution for all of the client/server/storage/network devices, mobile devices, etc.
• Provide support for the escalation and communication of status to agency management and internal customers
• Optimize system operations and resource utilization, and perform system capacity analysis and planning
• Provide in-depth experience in trouble-shooting IT systems
• Provide detailed analysis and feedback to agency management and internal customers for escalated tickets
• Provide support for the dispatch system and hardware problems and remains involved in the resolution process
• Configure and manage UNIX and Windows (or other applicable) operating systems and installs/loads operating system software, troubleshoot, maintain integrity of and configure network components, along with implementing operating systems enhancements to improve reliability and performance
• Support the design of systems, mission architecture and associated hardware
• Possess a working knowledge and understanding of system administration interdependencies as part of the Service Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Analyze and resolve complex problems associated with server hardware, applications and software integration

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Five (5) years of additional SA experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree.
• Active TS/SCI with FS Polygraph security clearance required.
• Must be willing to work onsite five days/week.
• Fifteen (15) years of experience as a SA in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity is required.
• Required Skills:
• Unix and Windows Administration and configuration.
• Active Directory, LDAP, and Group Policy management
• Experience with virtualization technologies (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V)
• Knowledge of cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, or similar) and hybrid integrations
• Familiarity with storage administration (SAN/NAS) and backup/restore processes
• Strong networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, routing, switching, VPN)
• Experience with security protocols, STIG compliance, and system hardening
• Scripting and automation (PowerShell, Bash, Python, or similar)
• System monitoring and performance optimization tools (e.g., Splunk, SolarWinds, Nagios)
• Patch management and vulnerability remediation
• Troubleshooting complex issues across server, network, and application layers
• Documentation and change management following ITIL or similar frameworks

Joining Cova means joining a team that values your expertise and well-being.

We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you personally and professionally.

Our benefits include:

• 100% Paid Medical, Dental & Vision with CareFirst (for you & your family)
• No Payroll Deductions or Deductibles
• Short- & Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Life Insurance – 150% of Salary (up to $200K)
• 401(k) with 6% Match – Fully Vested Immediately