Systems Integration Engineer

i3; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

i3 is seeking a Systems Integration Engineer in Huntsville to support US Air Force RPA training systems and related developments. You will architect and maintain on-prem virtualization platforms, bridge Linux and Windows environments, and optimize hypervisor performance for mission-critical operations.

The role requires mid-to-senior experience, strong Linux and Windows administration, and hands-on expertise with QEMU/KVM, VFIO/IOMMU, and container tooling.

Qualifications

• Bachelor degree in CS/IT/CE or related technical field.
• 3–7+ years of experience in systems integration or related work.
• Proficiency with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Windows Server environments.
• Hands-on experience with QEMU/KVM virtualization, PCIe/IOMMU passthrough, and VirtIO.
• Familiarity with containerization tools (Podman, Docker) and automation (Ansible).

Responsibilities

• Hypervisor Architecture: Deploy, tune, and maintain QEMU/KVM environments and libvirt layers with Ansible automation.
• Virtual Machines and Containerization: Manage VMs across Hyper-V, VMware, and container platforms.
• Kernel & Hardware Passthrough: Configure Linux kernel parameters, IOMMU groups, and VFIO drivers for PCIe passthrough.
• VirtIO Optimization: Implement drivers for accelerated networking and storage performance.
• Hybrid Systems Management: Integrate and maintain RHEL 9 and Windows systems in a mixed environment.
• Network Operations: Configure and troubleshoot Layer 2/3 networking and Linux firewalls.
• Security & Compliance: Apply DISA STIGs and security baselines across assets.

Skills

Linux

Windows

Virtualization

Networking

Education

B.S. in CS/IT/CE

Tools

QEMU

KVM

libvirt

Podman/Docker

Ansible

Job description

Overview i3 is looking for a Systems Integration Engineer to support US Air Force RPA training systems as well as other RPA-related development activities. The successful candidate for this position will serve as a technical integrator for robust, high-performance on-premises virtualization platforms. They will architect and maintain hybrid operating environments bridging Linux kernel subsystems and Windows infrastructure. They will also optimize low-level hypervisor performance and hardware passthrough for secure, mission-critical operations. Working in this role will include being a member of a highly technical team in a System Integration Lab environment to aid in development of new systems or modification of existing systems to meet customer requirements. This position is located in Huntsville, AL.

Responsibilities

• Hypervisor Architecture: Deploy, tune, and maintain QEMU/KVM virtualized environments and libvirt management layers, and Ansible scripting for automation.
• Virtual Machines and Containerization: Deploy, develop and manage virtual machine in multiple environments (Hyper-V, VMWare) and development of container solutions developed using podman and docker.
• Kernel & Hardware Passthrough: Configure Linux kernel parameters, IOMMU groups, and VFIO drivers for dedicated PCIe hardware passthrough (GPUs, NICs, storage controllers).
• VirtIO Optimization: Implement and configure VirtIO device drivers for accelerated networking, storage, and balloon memory handling.
• Hybrid Systems Management: Integrate and maintain heterogeneous systems running Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 and Windows OS/Windows Server.
• Network Operations: Configure Layer 2/3 routing, manage network isolation across the 7-layer OSI model, and troubleshoot routing issues with modern Linux networking toolsets.
• Security & Compliance: Apply required security baselines, DISA STIGs, and hardening standards across all physical and virtual assets.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Experience Level: Mid-to-Senior (3-7+ years)
• Linux Expertise: Advanced proficiency in Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9, system administration, kernel configuration, and bash scripting.
• Windows Administration: Solid operational familiarity with Windows OS and Windows Server environments.
• Virtualization & Passthrough: Proven hands‑on experience with QEMU, KVM, VirtIO, and hardware passthrough (PCIe/VFIO/IOMMU).
• Networking Fundamentals: Strong working knowledge of the OSI Model, TCP/IP protocols, Layer 3 routing, subnetting, and Linux firewall management (nftables/iptables).

Certifications

Security+ Security Clearance Secret security clearance required.

Desired & Preferred Skills

• CICD pipeline experience (Gitlab, JIRA, ADO, etc.)
• Familiarity with containerization tools on RHEL (Podman).
• Proficiency with network debugging tools (tcpdump, wireshark, iproute2).

Knowledge/Skills

• Knowledge of office administration and procedures.
• Exceptional judgment capabilities and relationship management skills.
• Excellent communication, teamwork, and client service skills; ability to clearly communicate in discussions and written documents, and to deliver feedback clearly and tactfully.
• Interact with a diverse array of customers and staff in a professional and courteous manner.
• Work independently with accountability for accurate and complete results.
• Be extremely organized and exceptionally detail oriented.
• Work well both independently and in a team environment.
• Be energized by a fast‑paced work environment.
• Must be able to communicate with others effectively.
• Analyze information and respond appropriately.
• Manage time wisely and prioritize tasks.
• Provide superior customer service.
• Multi-task in a pleasant manner.
• Work well under pressure.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to stand; walk; handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to sit; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee must be able to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Regular i3 hours are 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday, however, additional hours may be required on occasion. Regular and punctual attendance is required.

About i3

Founded in 2007, Integration Innovation, Inc. (i3) is headquartered in Huntsville, AL, with additional offices in Orlando, FL, and the National Capital Region. We are a 100% team member-owned mid-tier integrator with over 800 employee-owners, and our culture speaks for itself: we've earned ten Best Places to Work awards, driven by strong employee engagement, transparent leadership, and a genuine commitment to communication. i3 team members operate at the leading edge of national defense across a broad range of technical disciplines, from systems and software engineering to modeling, simulation, and training solutions to cybersecurity, digital engineering, and enterprise IT. We also take products from prototype through production, bringing that same engineering rigor to manufacturing and delivering hardware at scale. For candidates, that means a rare opportunity: the innovation and mission focus of an engineering services company paired with the hands‑on impact of building and delivering real solutions that benefit the Warfighter, all inside an employee‑owned company where your contributions directly shape both the mission and your ownership stake in the business.