Systems Engineer, Level 5 – Lab Manager

Independent Software, Inc.; Annapolis, Northern (MD, KY); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Independent Software, Inc. seeks a System Engineer Level 5 (Lab Manager) to lead a two-person contractor team and oversee multiple mission-critical machine rooms, labs, and lab spaces.

You will coordinate with System Admins, Network Engineers, facilities, and vendors to support hardware deployments and ensure secure, compliant operations. You will monitor power, space, and cooling, manage access, rack and cabling activities, troubleshoot hardware and fiber, and maintain machine room drawings to

Qualifications

• Experience supporting mission-critical machine rooms or similar environments.
• Experience racking and cabling systems for deployments.
• Hands-on with hardware from major vendors (HP, Dell, Cisco, Arista, Juniper).
• Experience supporting fiber connectivity and troubleshooting.
• Experience creating/updating machine room drawings with Visio or similar.
• Strong communication, coordination and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily operations of mission-critical machine rooms, lab, and spaces.
• Maintain access lists and ensure compliance with agency requirements.
• Monitor power, space, and cooling; coordinate upgrades with Facilities.
• Support installation/decommissioning of racks, servers, and network devices.
• Process JIRA tickets for hardware replacements; coordinate warranty support.
• Monitor conditions; perform walkthroughs to identify issues; manage drawings.
• Rack, cable, install, and troubleshoot systems for deployments.
• Maintain machine room drawings using Visio or equivalent.
• Monitor fiber connectivity, testing, and troubleshooting.
• Coordinate with customers, System Admins, Network Engineers, Facilities, leadership, and vendors.

Skills

Team leadership

Mission-critical environments

Rack and cabling

Hardware troubleshooting

Visio drawings

Power/cooling monitoring

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/related field

High School Diploma or GED + 19 years exp.

Master’s degree in Engineering/related field

PhD in Engineering/related field

Tools

Visio

HP equipment

Dell equipment

Cisco equipment

Arista equipment

Juniper equipment

Job description

What You Will Do:

At Independent Software, as a System Engineer Level 5 (Lab Manager), you will serve as the Team Lead for a two-person contractor team responsible for supporting multiple machine rooms containing operational, mission-critical systems, as well as associated lab and communications spaces. You will oversee the day-to-day operation and maintenance of these environments, ensuring they remain secure, organized, operational, and compliant with agency standards.

In this role, you will coordinate closely with System Administrators, Network Engineers, customers, Facilities personnel, vendors, and leadership to support hardware installations, equipment replacements, infrastructure needs, and system deployments. You will monitor power, space, and cooling requirements, manage physical access requirements, support rack and cabling activities, troubleshoot hardware and fiber issues, and help ensure the infrastructure is prepared for evolving mission and customer needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead daily operations and support of mission-critical machine rooms, lab, and communications spaces
• Maintain spaces and access lists in accordance with agency requirements
• Monitor power, space, and cooling needs and coordinate infrastructure upgrades with Facilities
• Support installation and decommissioning of racks, servers, network devices, and communications equipment
• Work JIRA tickets for hardware replacements and coordinate vendor warranty support
• Monitor machine room conditions and perform routine walkthroughs to identify equipment or infrastructure issues
• Rack, cable, install, and troubleshoot systems supporting operational deployments
• Maintain machine room drawings using Visio or similar tools
• Support fiber connectivity, testing, and troubleshooting
• Coordinate with customers, System Administrators, Network Engineers, Facilities personnel, leadership, and vendors

Required Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience supporting agency machine rooms or similar mission-critical environments
• Experience racking and cabling systems for operational deployments
• Hands‑on experience with hardware from vendors such as HP, Dell, Cisco, Arista, or Juniper
• Experience supporting and troubleshooting fiber connectivity
• Experience creating and updating machine room drawings using Visio or similar tools
• Strong communication, coordination, and problem‑solving skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience managing or leading a team supporting machine rooms or communications spaces
• Experience supporting system build and deployment teams
• Experience working in an agency or contractor lab environment

Education and Experience:

Candidates must meet one of the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in a Qualified Engineering Field or related discipline plus fifteen (15) years of Systems Engineering experience; OR
• High School Diploma or GED plus nineteen (19) years of general Systems Engineering experience; OR
• Master’s degree in a Qualified Engineering Field or related discipline plus thirteen (13) years of Systems Engineering experience; OR
• PhD in a Qualified Engineering Field or related discipline plus eleven (11) years of Systems Engineering experience.

Qualified Engineering Fields include Aeronautics, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Mechanical, Nuclear, Software, Systems, and Engineering Management. Similar or comparable degrees are acceptable.

Related disciplines include Chemistry, Computer Science, Information Systems, Mathematics, and Physics. Similar or comparable degrees are acceptable.

Clearance Requirement:

• Must possess an active TS SCI with appropriate Polygraph to be considered for this role

Why Choose Independent Software:

At Independent Software, our people are the mission. We’ve built a company around collaboration, integrity, and innovation and we make sure our team has the tools and support to grow, succeed, and thrive.

When you join us, you will:

• Support critical national security missions that matter
• Be part of a close‑knit, employee‑first culture where your voice is heard
• Expand your skills through ongoing training, mentorship, and career development
• Enjoy competitive compensation, generous benefits, and work‑life balance

We’re an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.