Systems Engineer II - TS/SCI, Zero-Downtime Secure Ops

Karthik Consulting, LLC; Falls Church (VA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

KARTHIK CONSULTING, LLC is seeking a Systems Engineer to drive continuous software sustainment and operational stability across secure production environments. You'll provide architectural oversight, hands-on server administration, and a strong command of cybersecurity compliance in a mission-critical defense setting.

The role emphasizes agile workflows, zero-downtime updates, and managing scalable Linux/Windows servers with virtualization (VMware vSphere, AWS).

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI or TS/SCI Eligible with Tier 5 investigation completed.
• 3+ years in systems engineering and software sustainment using Agile methods.
• 2+ years enterprise server administration for Linux and Windows.
• Experience with secure production environments and compliance.

Responsibilities

• Drive continuous software sustainment and operational stability in secure environments.
• Provide architectural oversight and hands‑on server administration.
• Apply Agile methodologies to defense software projects.
• Push updates with zero or near‑zero downtime and enforce DISA STIGs.

Skills

Systems engineering

Agile methodologies

Operational stability

Tools

VMware vSphere

AWS

Linux

Windows Server

DISA STIG

Job description

Position Summary

We are looking for a Systems Engineer to drive continuous software sustainment and operational stability across secure production environments. You'll bring architectural oversight, hands-on server administration, and a strong command of cybersecurity compliance to a mission-critical defense environment.

This position is contingent upon contract award, with an anticipated salary range of $120k-$130k based on candidate qualifications and final contract requirements.

Work Environment:

Clearance Required: Active Top Secret/SCI

Location: San Diego, CA

Program: NIWC-PAC Application Arsenal Enterprise Engineering and Lifecycle Support

Salary: $120 - $130K

Compensation:

Karthik Consulting is committed to providing competitive compensation based on the responsibilities of the role, required qualifications, security clearance level, relevant experience, certifications, customer requirements, geographic location, and overall business needs. The salary range listed for this position represents a good-faith estimate of the current compensation range for this role.

At Karthik Consulting, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the salary range. Final compensation decisions are based on the facts and circumstances of each candidate’s experience, qualifications, certifications, clearance level, contract requirements, and overall alignment with the role.

Employees may be eligible for company benefits and additional compensation programs, subject to company policy, contract requirements, and individual eligibility.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform systems engineering activities including architectural oversight, requirements traceability, and system integration within secure environments
• Conduct continuous software sustainment, including operational support, proactive vulnerability management, and technical debt remediation
• Actively apply Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, or SAFe) tailored to defense software environments
• Push software updates to live production environments with zero or near-zero downtime and minimal operational disruption
• Administer and maintain scalable Linux and Windows enterprise server environments, including virtualized platforms (e.g., VMware vSphere, AWS)
• Execute continuous monitoring and enforce DISA STIG compliance to meet cybersecurity and Information Assurance (IA) mandates

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI or TS/SCI Eligible with completed Tier 5 investigation
• 3+ years of demonstrated experience in systems engineering and continuous software sustainment using modern Agile methodologies, with proven ability to deliver zero/near-zero downtime production updates
• 2+ years of recent (within the last 5 years), demonstrated operational experience in enterprise server administration for both Linux and Windows, including deployment, configuration, and maintenance of scalable virtualized environments (e.g., VMware vSphere, AWS)
• Demonstrated proficiency in continuous monitoring and DISA STIG compliance
• Must satisfy 'Intermediate Proficiency' for the '451 - System Administrator' role per the DoD 8140 Dashboard and maintain eligibility for privileged/administrative system access at all times