Systems Administrator - Vulnerability Mitigation

Leidos; 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 Intelligence Group in Chantilly, Virginia seeks a Senior Systems Administrator to lead remediation, system hardening, and Active Directory governance across a Windows-heavy enterprise.

You will partner with INFOSEC and client/server teams to implement patches, configure secure baselines, and report remediation progress, ensuring alignment with ATO requirements and security controls.

A Top Secret/SCI w/Poly clearance is required for consideration.

Qualifications

• Clearance: Top Secret/SCI w/Poly required for consideration.
• Bachelor’s degree with 12+ years or Master’s with 10+ years of relevant experience; or 16 years of experience in lieu of degree.
• Experience with Client/Server architectures and both Linux and Windows environments.
• Must pass customer-required and administered medical and psychological screening.

Responsibilities

• Lead vulnerability remediation across Windows systems; assess impacts before changes.
• Perform system hardening and configuration changes per baselines and STIGs.
• Design, implement, and manage Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and AD security settings.
• Support ATO and accreditation efforts through evidence, documentation, and reporting.
• Collaborate with INFOSEC and Client/Server teams to coordinate remediation activities.

Skills

Client/Server experience

Linux

Windows

Top Secret/SCI w/Poly clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Job description

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!

Leidos Intelligence Group

Leidos Intelligence Group uses a wide range of capabilities in Digital Modernization, Mission Software Systems, and enabling technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to support our customers’ mission to defend against evolving threats around the world. Our team’s focus is ensuring our intelligence customers have the right tools, technologies, and tactics to keep pace with an ever-evolving security landscape and succeed in their pursuit to protect people and critical assets.

Your greatest work is ahead! 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.

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 ariseTrack 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.

About Leidos

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.

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.

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.