Systems Engineer III, Senior

Alex-alternative Experts, Inc; Fort Meade (MD); On-site; USD 185,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

ALEX – Alternative Experts, LLC seeks a Senior System Engineer (Level 3) to support a mission-critical IC program at Fort Meade, MD. This on-site role operates in an SCIF and requires TS/SCI with FSP clearance.

You will drive system lifecycle activities, produce architectural docs, and lead cross-team integration in a small, mission-focused environment. Responsibilities include Linux administration (RHEL/CentOS/ROCKY), GOTS software support, STE/STN provisioning, and automation with Bash/Python.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of systems engineering in classified DoD/IC environments.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a technical field.
• DoD 8140/8570 IAT Level II certification or equivalent (Security+/CASP+).

Responsibilities

• Oversee all phases of the system engineering lifecycle from concept to sustainment.
• Produce documentation and drawings including ICDs and test plans.
• Lead integration efforts and interface with users, customers, and cross-functional teams.
• Configure, secure, and maintain Linux server environments in classified enclaves.
• Install and manage STE/STN infrastructure in connected and air-gapped environments.

Skills

Situational awareness

Senior engineering

System lifecycle

Technical communication

Team interface

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/SE/IT/EE

Tools

RHEL/CentOS/ROCKY Linux

FreeIPA/AD on Linux

GOTS software

Bash/Python scripting

Docker/Kubernetes/VMware

Job description

Fort Meade, MD • Clearance Level: TS/SCI with FSP

Job Type

Full-time

Description

ALEX is seeking an experienced Senior System Engineer (Level 3) to support a mission‑critical program within the Intelligence Community at Fort Meade, MD. This is an on‑site position in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) environment.

The SE Level 3 is a senior technical authority who works across all phases of the system engineering lifecycle from concept development through sustainment. This role carries responsibility for producing documentation and drawing packages, leading technical integration efforts across a small mission‑focused team, and serving as the primary interface with users, customers, and adjacent technical teams. The successful candidate must have strong situational awareness (SA) and GOTS product experience and must be comfortable operating in both connected and disconnected/air‑gapped classified environments.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Engineering Lifecycle

• Work across all phases of the system engineering lifecycle: concept development, requirements analysis, design, integration, testing, deployment, operations, and sustainment.
• Produce comprehensive technical documentation and drawing packages including system architectures, interface control documents (ICDs), test plans, and as‑built configurations.
• Translate user and mission requirements into actionable system designs; participate in requirements reviews, design reviews, and technical interchange meetings (TIMs).
• Serve as a senior technical authority within a small, mission‑focused team; interact frequently with users, customers, and cross‑functional teams across the program.
• Support system trades analysis, configuration management, and technical baseline management throughout the lifecycle.

Linux Systems Administration and Engineering

• Perform advanced installation, configuration, hardening, and management of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, and Rocky Linux server environments.
• Administer authentication and authorization infrastructure including FreeIPA identity management and Active Directory integration in classified environments.
• Manage system performance, patch cycles, package management, and OS lifecycle operations across classified enclaves.
• Configure and maintain system services, logging frameworks (rsyslog/journald/auditd), scheduled tasks, and security controls.
• Provide expert‑level Tier 2/3 troubleshooting across Linux‑based systems; diagnose complex failure scenarios and drive resolution.

STE/STN Infrastructure

• Install, configure, and manage Secure Telephone Equipment (STE) and Secure Telephone Network (STN) infrastructure in both connected and disconnected/air‑gapped classified environments.
• Support STE/STN provisioning, moves, adds, and changes (MACs); coordinate with communications and security personnel.
• Troubleshoot STE/STN connectivity, interoperability, and integration issues in complex classified facility environments.
• Maintain accurate inventory and technical documentation for all STE/STN endpoints and associated infrastructure.

GOTS Software Support

• Install, configure, and maintain Government Off‑the‑Shelf (GOTS) software products in support of program requirements.
• Perform routine maintenance, patching, and lifecycle management of GOTS applications within classified environments.
• Coordinate with program stakeholders and developers on GOTS software integration, compatibility testing, and issue resolution.

Scripting and Automation

• Create, read, modify, and maintain automation scripts in Bash and Python to support system administration, deployment, and operational tasks.
• Automate repetitive operational workflows including system monitoring, configuration enforcement, log analysis, and health checks.
• Support team adoption of automation and scripting best practices.

Testing and Troubleshooting

• Design and execute system‑level test plans, acceptance test procedures, and regression tests.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts across complex, multi‑component classified systems; document findings and remediation actions.
• Participate in operational readiness reviews and system validation activities prior to deployment.

Requirements

• Strong, hands‑on situational awareness (SA) experience in an IC program context.
• Deep Linux proficiency across RHEL, CentOS, and Rocky Linux: installation, configuration, management, and security hardening.
• Experience with authentication and authorization systems: FreeIPA identity management and/or Microsoft Active Directory integration on Linux.
• Hands‑on STE/STN installation, configuration, and management experience in both connected and disconnected classified environments.
• Demonstrated GOTS software experience: installation, configuration, and ongoing maintenance of government‑provided software products.
• Proven ability to create, read, and modify automation scripts in Bash and/or Python.
• Strong testing and troubleshooting skills across complex, multi‑component systems.
• Ability to produce technical documentation and drawing packages (system designs, ICDs, test plans, as‑builts).
• Comfortable operating within a small, agile, mission‑focused team that interfaces regularly with users, customers, and adjacent technical teams.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in a security‑controlled environment.

Desired Skills

• Familiarity with shared storage solutions (NAS, SAN, distributed storage such as Ceph).
• Virtualization and containerization experience: VMware vSphere, KVM, Docker, Kubernetes, or Podman.
• Data flow design experience in classified or sensitive network environments.
• Familiarity with IT automation and configuration management tools: Ansible, SaltStack (SALT), or equivalent.
• Familiarity with Helm Charts and YAML‑based configuration management for containerized workloads.
• DevOps experience including CI/CD pipeline design, GitOps workflows, and infrastructure‑as‑code practices.
• Experience with air‑gapped or disconnected network environments and offline software lifecycle management.

Experience

• 8+ years of systems engineering experience in classified DoD/IC environments, with demonstrated expertise across the full system engineering lifecycle.

Certifications

• DoD 8140/8570 IAT Level II certification (Security+, CASP+, or equivalent).

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Systems Engineering, Information Technology, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Or equivalent experience (4+ additional years of direct systems engineering experience in lieu of degree) may be considered.

About Us. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Marshall, VA, ALEX – Alternative Experts, LLC (ALEX) is an ISO 9001:2015‑certified Women Owned Small Business that's changing the way government does business by delivering a powerful, industry‑leading array of core services to help its clients achieve mission‑critical objectives. ALEX provides a variety of benefits designed to help meet the needs of our employees. See a summary of ALEX's Employee Benefits for more information.

ALEX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, protected veteran status, or disability. Applicants must be able to perform the essential functions of the job.

In order to comply with the Equal Pay for Equal Work Act, we reasonably believe the pay range for this position is between $185k-$200k. Multiple factors are taken into account with any offer of employment by ALEX, including experience, education, and skills.

Reasonable accommodations will be made to allow employees to meet the essential functions of the job unless those accommodations cause undue hardships to the employer. To request a reasonable accommodation, contact the Human Resources Department at [e-mail].