Systems Engineer Expert

Cornerstone Defense LLC; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental and Vision Plans

Generous PTO Policy

401(k)

Tuition Reimbursement

Fitness Reimbursement Program

Job summary

Cornerstone Defense LLC in Herndon, VA is seeking a Systems Engineer Expert to tackle complex challenges within national defense. The ideal candidate will possess a Bachelor's degree and over eleven years of relevant experience, demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of Windows and Linux systems, along with proficiency in scripting languages like PowerShell and Python.

This role requires strong communication skills and the ability to operate in high-pressure environments. The position includes diverse responsibilities, from system performance analysis to emergency support duties.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and minimum of eleven (11) years' experience.
• Strong knowledge of Windows and Linux (RHEL based) operating systems.
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as PowerShell, Python, and Bash.

Responsibilities

• Conduct root cause analysis of noted system performance and operational issues.
• Monitor performance systems to identify areas of improvements.
• Provide emergency after-hours engineering support as needed.

Skills

Windows operating systems

Linux (RHEL based)

Scripting languages (PowerShell, Python, Bash)

Communication skills

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

AWS

Splunk

Jenkins

Docker

Kubernetes

Job description

Systems Engineer Expert

Location: Herndon, VA

Clearance: Active TS/SCI w/ Polygraph needed to apply

Company Overview

Cornerstone Defense is the Employer of Choice within the Intelligence, Defense, and Space communities of the U.S. Government. Realizing early on that our most prized assets are our employees, we continually focus our attention on improving the overall work/life experience they have supporting the mission. Our Team is pushed every day to use their industry leading knowledge to provide end-to-end solutions to combat our nation’s toughest and most secure problems. If you are looking for a place to not only be professionally challenged, but encouraged and supported by a company that cares, don’t look any further than Cornerstone Defense.

Benefits Overview

• Medical, Dental and Vision Plans
• Generous PTO Policy
• 401(k)
• HSA and FSA options
• Life and Disability Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement and Training
• Perks at Work Discount Program
• Referral Program
• Leads Generation Program
• CollegeAmerica 529
• Fitness Reimbursement Program
• Travel Assistance
• Norton Lifelock Benefit Solutions
• Life Planning Financial & Legal Services

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Bachelor's degree and a minimum of eleven (11) years' experience.
• Strong knowledge of Windows and Linux (RHEL based) operating systems.
• Familiarity with system hardening, security hardening, remote desktop, patch management, and configuration management tools.
• Experience supporting RMF or other accreditation frameworks (FedRAMP, NIST 800-53B, A&A, etc.).
• Proficiency in scripting languages such as PowerShell, Python, Bash, Apache Web Services.
• Amazon Web services experience (EC2 instances, CloudFormation, S3 Storage, RDS (MySQL)).
• Ability to work in a high profile fast‑paced environment.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Conduct root cause analysis of noted system performance and operational issue.
• Monitor the performance systems to analyze the metrics produced to identify areas of improvements and report potential anomalies.
• Emergency after hours engineering support as needed.
• Communicate to both technical and non‑technical audiences.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Database Administrator (DBA).
• Networking experience/ Automation.
• API Engineer.
• Experience working in air‑gapped environments or with classified systems.
• Experience with Agile methodologies and working in sprint‑based development cycles.
• Familiarity with security in CI/CD pipelines and container security (e.g., Docker, Kubernetes).
• Knowledge of zero trust architecture and identity/access management strategies.

Toolsets & Platforms

• Security Tools: Splunk, Rapid 7.
• Operating Systems: Windows Server, RHEL/CentOS, Ubuntu.
• Compliance Tools: Rapid 7, Greenlight, Illuminate.
• Cloud Platforms: AWS, Azure, GCP.
• Automation/Scripting: PowerShell, Python, Bash, Ansible.
• DevSecOps: Jenkins, Git, Docker, Kubernetes.

Soft Skills

• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent communication and documentation abilities.
• Self‑starter with ability to manage multiple tasks.