Systems Engineer - Level 4 (TS/SCI Clearance with Full Scope Polygraph)

J&T Business Consulting; Elkridge (MD); On-site; USD 138,000 - 167,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Paid Time Off

Job summary

J&T Business Consulting in Elkridge, MD is seeking a senior Systems Engineer (Level 4) with an active TS/SCI clearance and a full-scope polygraph to drive high-level system architecture for mission-critical defense and intelligence systems. The role leads architectural trade-offs, supports cloud/platform engineering, and integrates AI/ML workflows into secure operations.

Requires extensive systems engineering experience and current clearance; location is Elkridge, MD with a comprehensive

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI with Polygraph (CI Polygraph dated within the last 5 years)
• Minimum years of systems engineering experience per education path as specified in the ad
• Experience with cloud engineering, platform engineering, and AI/ML workflows

Responsibilities

• Architect, analyze, and integrate complex, large-scale systems across all phases of the systems engineering lifecycle.
• Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams and customer stakeholders to capture requirements and define technical baselines.
• Evaluate system performance, identify bottlenecks, and implement modernization solutions.
• Collaborate on cloud engineering, platform design, and MLOps/DevOps pipeline integrations.
• Ensure architectures and networks adhere to classified security standards and information assurance mandates.
• Support data engineering workflows, data lifecycle management, and end-to-end system interoperability.

Skills

Systems Engineering

Architecture

Cloud AWS

MLOps

DevOps

AI/ML lifecycle

Education

HS Diploma +14y exp

Bachelors +10y exp

Masters +8y exp

PhD +8y exp

Tools

AWS

SageMaker

Job description

Systems Engineer - Level 4 (TS/SCI Clearance with Full Scope Polygraph)

Elkridge, United States | Posted on 10/16/2026

Clearance Requirement: Active TS/SCI with Polygraph (CI Polygraph within the last 5 years)

Salary Range: $138,000 – $167,000 / year (dependent on experience, education, and skill set)

About the Role

Seeking a senior Systems Engineer (Level 4) to drive high-level system architecture, platform modernization, and technical integration for mission-critical defense and intelligence systems in Elkridge, MD.

In this role, you will collaborate with cross-functional technical teams and customer stakeholders to translate complex mission requirements into scalable, secure system designs. You will lead architectural trade-off evaluations, support cloud and platform engineering initiatives, and help integrate emerging capabilities—including AI/ML workflows and automated pipelines—into secure operational environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Architect, analyze, and integrate complex, large-scale systems across all phases of the systems engineering lifecycle.
• Proactively engage with multi-disciplinary engineering teams and customer stakeholders to capture requirements, define technical baselines, and inform system architecture decisions.
• Evaluate system performance, identify architectural bottlenecks, and implement modernization solutions.
• Collaborate on cloud engineering, platform design, and MLOps/DevOps pipeline integrations.
• Ensure system architectures and network configurations strictly adhere to classified security standards and information assurance mandates.
• Support data engineering workflows, data lifecycle management, and end-to-end system interoperability.

Required Qualifications & Experience

Security Clearance: Active TS/SCI with a current Polygraph (Counterintelligence / CI Polygraph dated within the last 5 years).

Education & Experience

• High School Diploma / GED plus at least 14 years of general systems engineering experience, OR
• Bachelor’s degree in a Qualified Engineering Field or related discipline plus at least 10 years of systems engineering experience, OR
• Master’s degree in a Qualified Engineering Field or related discipline plus at least 8 years of systems engineering experience, OR
• Ph.D. in a Qualified Engineering Field or related discipline plus at least 8 years of systems engineering experience.

Core Competencies: Proven track record in complex systems engineering, requirement synthesis, baseline management, and stakeholder technical communication.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with Cloud Architecture, Cloud Engineering, or Platform Engineering (specifically within AWS).
• Background in AI/ML system design, implementation, and a strong understanding of the AI lifecycle (development, training, inference, monitoring).
• Hands-on experience with ML pipeline development, model deployment, DevOps/MLOps practices, and Amazon SageMaker.
• Expertise in classified systems security engineering, secure network implementation, and data lifecycle management.

Benefits & Compensation

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support employees both personally and professionally:

• Comprehensive Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Basic Life and Disability Insurance
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with Company Match
• Tuition Reimbursement for continued education and professional certifications

An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under federal, state, or local law.