Windows Systems Administrator

Leidos; Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 116,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos seeks a Senior Infrastructure Engineer to own and stabilize a hybrid environment spanning on-prem VMware infrastructure and AWS cloud. You will drive reliability for mission-critical systems in air-gapped, security-first networks with strict compliance requirements.

The role demands 12+ years of systems engineering experience, TS/SCI with Poly, and strong skills across Windows, VMware, AD, and security tooling. Expect 24/7 support responsibilities in a high-uptime environment.

Qualifications

• Must have at least 12 years of experience in systems engineering or infrastructure engineering.
• Active TS/SCI with Poly
• Strong experience supporting Windows enterprise environments.
• Proven experience in high-availability / mission-critical systems.
• Experience operating in restricted, regulated, or air-gapped environments.
• Strong troubleshooting skills across OS, virtualization, networking, and storage layers.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of complex systems.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain Windows-based infrastructure across enclave environments.
• Manage VMware vCenter/ESXi (host performance, VM lifecycle, resource optimization).
• Support AWS cloud infrastructure (EC2, VPC, storage, IAM fundamentals).
• Maintain and troubleshoot Active Directory, Group Policy, and identity systems.
• Oversee patching and system compliance via WSUS and SCCM.
• Administer Microsoft Exchange and Citrix environments.
• Maintain DNS, networking, and core infrastructure services.
• Support and optimize SAN storage environments.
• Manage backup and recovery operations using Rubrik.
• Support and troubleshoot security platforms (Trellix, Rapid7, Security Onion, Centrify).
• Perform deep-dive troubleshooting and root cause analysis across systems.
• Maintain system documentation, SOPs, and incident response procedures.
• Identify and implement infrastructure improvements and automation opportunities.

Skills

Windows servers

High availability

Air-gapped environments

Troubleshooting OS/Net/Storage

Tools

VMware vCenter/ESXi

AWS EC2/VPC

SCCM/WSUS

Rubrik

Active Directory

Citrix

PowerShell/Bash scripting

Job description

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Infrastructure Engineer to support andoperate mission-critical, enclave-based environments across on-premises VMware infrastructure and AWS cloud.

This role sits at the center of a high-security, high-availability ecosystem , supporting systems where downtime has real operational impact. You willbe responsible for owning, stabilizing, and improving a complex hybrid environment consisting of both legacy and modern platforms.

This is not a passive support role—this is for someone who can step in, take control of the environment , and drive reliability and performance forward.

Clearance Requirement

• Active TS/SCI with Poly security clearance required
• Must be eligible to work in restricted / air-gapped environments

WhatYou’llOwn

• standalone/enclave Windows domains :
• On-prem VMware-based infrastructure
• AWS-hosted environment
• 24/7 mission-critical system footprint
• Core enterprise services: identity, storage, compute, backup, and security tooling
• Environments with limited external connectivity and strict security controls

Key Responsibilities

• Administer andmaintain Windows-based infrastructure across enclave environments
• Manage VMware vCenter /ESXi (host performance, VM lifecycle, resource optimization)
• Support AWS cloud infrastructure (EC2, VPC, storage, IAM fundamentals)
• Maintain and troubleshoot Active Directory, Group Policy, and identity systems
• Oversee patching and system compliance via WSUS and SCCM
• Administer Microsoft Exchange and Citrix environments
• Maintain DNS, networking, and core infrastructure services
• Support andoptimize SAN storage environments
• Manage backup and recovery operations using Rubrik
• Support and troubleshoot security platforms , including:
• TrellixePO
• Rapid7
• Security Onion IDS
• Centrify
• Perform deep-dive troubleshooting and root cause analysis across systems
• Maintain system documentation, SOPs, and incident response procedures
• Identifyand implement infrastructure improvements and automation opportunities

Environment Characteristics

• Air-gapped / enclave networks
• Hybridon-prem (VMware) + AWS cloud
• Legacy mission systems with modernization constraints
• Security-first architecture with strict compliance requirements
• High uptime expectations with minimal tolerance for disruption

Required Qualifications

• Must have at least 12 years of experience in systems engineering or infrastructure engineering
• Active TS/SCI with Poly
• Strong experience supporting Windows enterprise environments
• Proven experience in high-availability / mission-critical systems
• Experienceoperatingin restricted, regulated, or air-gapped environments
• Strong troubleshooting skills across OS, virtualization, networking, and storage layers
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of complex systems

Core Technical Expertise

• Operating Systems
• Windows Server (2016/2019/2022)
• Windows 11
• Linux (Rocky Linux, Red Hat)
• Virtualization & Cloud
• VMware vCenter /ESXi
• AWS (EC2, VPC, storage, IAM basics)
• Core Infrastructure
• Active Directory & Group Policy
• DNS / networking fundamentals
• SAN Storage
• Systems Management
• SCCM, WSUS
• Microsoft Exchange
• Citrix
• Security Tooling
• TrellixePO
• Rapid7
• Security Onion IDS
• Centrify
• Backup & Recovery
• Rubrik
• Preferred
• PowerShell / Bash scripting
• Experience with compliance frameworks (STIGs, RMF, NIST)

Operational Expectations

• Support a 24/7 operational environment
• Participate in a rotational on-call schedule
• Must be able torespond (Return-to-Base) within 2 hours, including travel ifrequired
• Support after-hours maintenance windows and incident response

What Sets This Role Apart

• Direct ownership of mission-critical systems supporting real-world operations
• Opportunity to work in secure, high-impact environments
• Exposure to both legacy infrastructure challenges and modernization efforts
• Ability to drive meaningful improvements , not justmaintainstatus quo

WhoWe’reLooking Foran Engineer Who:

• Hasoperatedin cleared environments and understands the constraints
• Can walk into a complex, imperfect system and make it better
• Doesn’twait for direction— identifiesproblems and solves them
• Is trusted to handle high-pressure situations without supervision
• Brings both technical depth and operational accountability

Bottom Line

Ifyou’relooking for a role where:

• Your work directly supports critical operations
• You have real ownership and responsibility
• And your impact is immediate and visible

If you’re looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We’re not hiring followers. We’re recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We’re already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Pay Range $116,350.00 - $210,325.00