Systems Engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME)

TalentOps; Herndon (VA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

TalentOps is seeking a high‑caliber Systems Engineering SME to support a complex technical environment in Herndon, VA. The role spans enterprise infrastructure, cloud platforms, networking, OS, containers, databases, applications, security, and DevSecOps.

The candidate will assess current-state environments, craft future-state architectures, and lead modernization efforts from design to production, serving as a technical authority across multiple teams and delivering clear guidance to leadership.

Qualifications

• Hands-on systems engineering across network, compute, storage, OS, middleware, databases, and apps.
• Experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) and on-prem/hybrid integrations.
• Strong knowledge of DevSecOps, CI/CD, and security best practices.

Responsibilities

• Perform full-stack systems engineering across network, compute, storage, OS, middleware, DBs, and app environments.
• Document as-is and to-be architectures; develop migration and modernization plans.
• Lead complex cloud, hybrid, and on-premises implementations and migrations.
• Design for availability, performance, security, and compliance.
• Integrate infrastructure with DevOps/DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines.
• Troubleshoot cross-domain production issues; collaborate with multiple teams.
• Produce architecture diagrams, standards, and runbooks; support executive communications.
• Act as senior escalation point and technical authority for complex issues.

Skills

Firewalls–Load Balancers–DNS

SAN–NAS–Object Storage

Hybrid & On-Premises Infra

AWS–Azure–GCP

Cloud Networking & Security

Docker

PKI & Identity Mgmt

Tools

Terraform

Ansible

CloudFormation

Python

PowerShell

Bash

Jenkins

GitHub Actions

ArgoCD

Prometheus

Grafana

Splunk

ELK

CloudWatch

Job description

• Herndon, VA
• Computer/Software

Location: Herndon, VA
Employment Type: Full-Time
Clearance:TS/SCI Poly

Position Overview

We are seeking a highly experienced, hands-on Systems Engineering Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support a complex technical environment in Herndon, Virginia.

This position is ideal for a senior technical leader with broad, practical expertise across enterprise infrastructure, cloud platforms, networking, operating systems, containers, databases, applications, security, and DevSecOps.

The Systems Engineering SME will assess current-state environments, develop future-state architectures, and lead complex implementations and modernization efforts from design through production. This individual will serve as a technical authority and escalation point while working closely with infrastructure, platform, software, DevOps, security, and data teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform full-stack systems engineering across network, compute, storage, operating systems, middleware, databases, and application environments.
• Assess and document existing "as-is" architectures and develop detailed "to-be" architectures.
• Develop implementation, migration, modernization, and upgrade strategies.
• Lead complex cloud, hybrid, and on-premises implementations and migrations.
• Design systems for availability, scalability, performance, security, and compliance.
• Integrate infrastructure and platforms with DevOps/DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines.
• Troubleshoot complex technical issues spanning multiple infrastructure and application domains.
• Collaborate with infrastructure, platform, software engineering, DevOps, security, and data teams.
• Develop technical documentation, architecture diagrams, standards, implementation plans, and operational runbooks.
• Serve as a senior escalation point and technical authority for complex system issues and architectural decisions.
• Communicate technical concepts, risks, recommendations, and strategies to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders, including executive leadership.

Required Skills & Experience

Candidates should possess extensive hands-on systems engineering experience across several of the following areas:

Infrastructure & Networking

• Firewalls, load balancers, and DNS
• SAN, NAS, and object storage
• Hybrid and on-premises infrastructure integration
• AWS, Azure, and/or GCP
• Cloud networking and security
• Docker
• PKI and identity management

Databases & Application Infrastructure

• Relational and NoSQL database technologies, including experience with platforms such as:
  • Oracle
  • PostgreSQL
  • MySQL
  • SQL Server
  • MongoDB
  • Cassandra
  • DynamoDB
  • Redis
• APIs and web services
• Middleware technologies
• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) fundamentals
• Event messaging technologies such as SQS, SNS, and RabbitMQ

Infrastructure as Code & Automation

• Terraform
• Ansible
• CloudFormation
• Python
• Bash
• PowerShell

DevOps / DevSecOps

• CI/CD concepts and implementation
• Jenkins
• GitHub Actions
• ArgoCD
• Integration of systems and platforms into DevOps/DevSecOps workflows

Security & Observability

• Security best practices and system hardening
• Monitoring, logging, and observability technologies such as:
  • Prometheus
  • Grafana
  • Splunk
  • ELK
  • CloudWatch

Architecture & Technical Leadership

• Demonstrated ability to assess complex production environments and create comprehensive as-is and to-be architectures.
• Experience developing detailed implementation and migration plans.
• Ability to move between high-level architecture and hands-on technical implementation.
• Proven ability to design, build, troubleshoot, and take ownership of complex production systems.
• Strong systems-thinking and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate across technical disciplines and communicate effectively with executive-level stakeholders.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience designing or supporting Zero Trust architectures.
• Exposure to AI/ML or data platforms.
• Experience with big data technologies such as:
  • Hadoop
  • Databricks
  • Snowflake
  • BigQuery
• Experience supporting mission-critical systems and environments.
• Relevant cloud, security, DevOps, or architecture certifications, such as:
  • AWS Solutions Architect
  • AWS DevOps
  • Azure Administrator
  • CKA / CKAD
  • ITIL

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is not solely an architect or administrator, but a hands-on technical SME who can operate across the entire technology stack. They should be equally comfortable developing an enterprise architecture, working through a difficult production issue, planning a cloud migration, automating infrastructure, and communicating technical recommendations to senior leadership.

This position is