Systems Administrator - Vulnerability Mitigation

Via Logic LLC; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 116,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and Wellness programs

Income Protection

Paid Leave

Retirement

Job summary

Leidos in Reston, Virginia, is seeking a Senior Systems Administrator to lead vulnerability remediation and system hardening across a Windows-dominated enterprise, with Linux familiarity.

You will work with INFOSEC, implement patches, configure Group Policy, support ATO, and drive remediation to completion with minimal oversight.

Qualifications

• Clearance: Must have a Top Secret/SCI w/Poly to be considered
• Bachelor’s degree and at least 12 years of experience OR a Master’s degree and at least 10 years of prior relevant experience preferred OR 16 years of relevant career experience in lieu of degree.
• Client/Server experience.
• Linux and Windows
• You will be required to pass both a customer required and administered medical and psychological screening, as a condition of employment

Responsibilities

• Lead remediation of vulnerabilities based on direction and prioritization from the INFOSEC team
• Research remediation options and assess potential system and operational impacts prior to implementation
• Translate vulnerability findings into system-level fixes (patching, configuration changes, registry updates, etc.)
• Execute and guide remediation efforts across Windows systems, with support for Linux where applicable
• Independently drive remediation efforts to completion and remove blockers as they arise
• Track remediation progress and provide clear status reporting to stakeholders
• Research, validate, and recommend hardening changes with full awareness of system and application dependencies
• Implement and refine security configurations based on established baselines and INFOSEC guidance
• Disable or restrict insecure protocols, ports, and services (e.g., SMBv1, legacy TLS)
• Configure and maintain secure cipher suites and encryption standards
• Apply and interpret STIGs, CIS Benchmarks, or organizational hardening standards across Windows systems, with awareness of equivalent practices in Linux environments
• Design, implement, and manage Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to enforce security settings
• Evaluate and test policy changes to understand enterprise-wide impact prior to deployment
• Support domain-level security configurations and account policies
• Troubleshoot complex policy application issues and ensure consistent enforcement
• Support and contribute to activities required to achieve and maintain Authorization to Operate (ATO) and system accreditation
• Ensure systems meet remediation timelines aligned with accreditation and compliance requirements
• Provide detailed evidence and documentation for patching, hardening, and remediation activities
• Assist with audits, assessments, and validation of security controls
• Partner with INFOSEC and Client/Server teams to coordinate and execute remediation efforts
• Communicate implementation strategies, risks, and system impacts to technical stakeholders
• Participate in Windows patching activities in coordination with the WUS team
• Validate patch applicability and remediation impact prior to deployment
• Support testing and post-deployment validation of Windows updates
• Troubleshoot complex update issues in collaboration with WUS and server teams
• Ensure systems meet patch compliance requirements as defined by organizational standards

Skills

Windows

Linux

Active Directory

Group Policy

Vulnerability remediation

System hardening

Patching

Compliance (ATO)

Education

Bachelor's degree

12+ years of experience or 10+ years with Master’s

Job description

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers' success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainable. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business.

If this sounds like the kind of environment where you can thrive, keep reading!

We are seeking a Senior Systems Administrator to lead execution of vulnerability remediation and system hardening activities across a primarily Windows-based enterprise environment. This role works in close coordination with the Information Security (INFOSEC) team, which is responsible for vulnerability identification and prioritization. The Senior Systems Administrator is responsible for researching, validating, and implementing remediation actions, including assessing potential system impacts prior to deployment. This role plays a key part in achieving and maintaining system Authorization to Operate (ATO) and ongoing system accreditation efforts. While this is a Windows-heavy position, familiarity with Linux systems and basic administration is beneficial. We are looking for a proactive, execution-focused individual who takes ownership of assigned responsibilities and consistently drives remediation efforts to completion with minimal oversight.

Your greatest work is ahead!

Vulnerability Remediation Execution

• Lead remediation of vulnerabilities based on direction and prioritization from the INFOSEC team
• Research remediation options and assess potential system and operational impacts prior to implementation
• Translate vulnerability findings into system-level fixes (patching, configuration changes, registry updates, etc.)
• Execute and guide remediation efforts across Windows systems, with support for Linux where applicable
• Independently drive remediation efforts to completion and remove blockers as they arise
• Track remediation progress and provide clear status reporting to stakeholders

System Hardening & Configuration

• Research, validate, and recommend hardening changes with full awareness of system and application dependencies
• Implement and refine security configurations based on established baselines and INFOSEC guidance
• Disable or restrict insecure protocols, ports, and services (e.g., SMBv1, legacy TLS)
• Configure and maintain secure cipher suites and encryption standards
• Apply and interpret STIGs, CIS Benchmarks, or organizational hardening standards across Windows systems, with awareness of equivalent practices in Linux environments

Group Policy & Active Directory

• Design, implement, and manage Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to enforce security settings
• Evaluate and test policy changes to understand enterprise-wide impact prior to deployment
• Support domain-level security configurations and account policies
• Troubleshoot complex policy application issues and ensure consistent enforcement

Compliance & Reporting

• Support and contribute to activities required to achieve and maintain Authorization to Operate (ATO) and system accreditation
• Ensure systems meet remediation timelines aligned with accreditation and compliance requirements
• Provide detailed evidence and documentation for patching, hardening, and remediation activities
• Assist with audits, assessments, and validation of security controls

Collaboration

• Partner with INFOSEC and Client/Server teams to coordinate and execute remediation efforts
• Communicate implementation strategies, risks, and system impacts to technical stakeholders

Windows Patching & Updates

• Participate in Windows patching activities in coordination with the WUS team
• Validate patch applicability and remediation impact prior to deployment
• Support testing and post-deployment validation of Windows updates
• Troubleshoot complex update issues in collaboration with WUS and server teams
• Ensure systems meet patch compliance requirements as defined by organizational standards

Required Qualifications

• Clearance: Must have a Top Secret/SCI w/Poly to be considered
• Must have a Bachelor’s degree and at least 12 years of experience OR a Master’s degree and at least 10 years of prior relevant experience preferred OR 16 years of relevant career experience in lieu of degree.
• Client/Server experience.
• Linux and Windows
• You will be required to pass both a customer required and administered medical and psychological screening, as a condition of employment

Pay Range

Pay Range $116,350.00 - $210,325.00

The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Pay and Benefits

• competitive compensation
• Health and Wellness programs
• Income Protection
• Paid Leave
• Retirement

More details are available at www.leidos.com/careers/pay-benefits.

Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $16.7 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2025. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

#MSBA

If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo - because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 - and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.