Systems Engineer ? Research Infrastructure & Lab Platforms – Government Customer

Dell; Richmond (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Dell is seeking a Systems Engineer to support Government customer lab platforms at our Chantilly, VA facility. You will design, automate, and operate hybrid Linux and Windows compute environments across bare metal, hypervisors, and containers to empower researchers with secure, rapid access.

You will manage virtualization platforms (Proxmox, VMware ESXi, KVM, Hyper-V), orchestration with Docker/Podman, and automation using Bash, Python, and PowerShell.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hands-on experience in Systems Engineering, Systems Administration, or DevOps roles.
• Dual-OS proficiency with Linux and Windows environments.
• Experience supporting enterprise lab environments or research compute facilities.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and support hybrid Linux (RHEL/Ubuntu/Debian) and Windows compute environments across bare metal, hypervisors, and containers.
• Manage enterprise hypervisors (Proxmox, VMware ESXi, KVM, or Hyper-V) and build lightweight micro-environments using Docker, Podman, and LXC.
• Develop maintainable Bash, Python, and PowerShell scripts to automate configurations and deployment workflows.
• Administer and troubleshoot directory services (Active Directory, etc.).
• Collaborate with researchers and cross-functional teams to rapidly deliver tailored lab compute environments.

Skills

Linux Administration

Windows Administration

DevOps

Scripting (Bash/Python/PowerShell)

Tools

Proxmox

VMware ESXi

KVM

Hyper-V

Docker

Podman

Job description

Systems Engineer ? Research Infrastructure & Lab Platforms – Government CustomerLocal candidates only – On-site Chantilly VA – 5 days per week – Required active TS/SCI Security Clearance.

Candidates without Active clearances will be declinedBuild the Engine Powering Next-Gen Engineering ResearchBehind every breakthrough in engineering research is a bulletproof infrastructure platform. In this role, you won’t just keep lights green; you will design, automate, and evolve high-density virtualization platforms, isolated test environments, and containerized research pipelines on modern enterprise hardware. You will act as the technical backbone for our research engineers, bridging bare-metal systems, hypervisors, and container orchestration to give researchers rapid, secure access to the compute environments they need. If you thrive on tearing down system bottlenecks, automating repetitive administration, and working hands-on across both Linux and Windows environments, we want to talk to you.

What You?ll Do

• Design & Maintain Lab Infrastructure: Architect, deploy, and support hybrid Linux (RHEL/Ubuntu/Debian) and Windows compute environments across bare metal, hypervisors, and containers.


• Orchestrate Virtualization & Compute Platforms: Manage enterprise hypervisors (Proxmox, VMware ESXi, KVM, or Hyper-V) and build lightweight micro-environments using Docker, Podman, and LXC.


• Automate & Modernize: Develop maintainable Bash, Python, and PowerShell scripts to eliminate manual configurations, patch systems, and accelerate deployment workflows.


• Maintain Identity & Core Services: Administer and troubleshoot directory services (Active Directory,


• Collaborate Directly with Researchers: Partner with cross-functional engineering teams to disambiguate requirements, troubleshoot complex system interactions, and rapidly deliver tailored lab compute environments.

Required Qualifications

8 years of hands-on experience in Systems Engineering, Systems Administration, or DevOps role supporting enterprise or engineering lab environments. Dual-OS Proficiency: Demonstrated expertise administering, securing, and troubles