Systems Engineer III, Senior

ALEX is seeking an experienced Senior System Engineer (Level 3) to support a mission-critical program within the Intelligence Community at Fort Meade, MD. This is an on-site position in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) environment.

The SE Level 3 is a senior technical authority who works across all phases of the system engineering lifecycle from concept development through sustainment. This role carries responsibility for producing documentation and drawing packages, leading technical integration efforts across a small mission-focused team, and serving as the primary interface with users, customers, and adjacent technical teams. The successful candidate must have strong situational awareness (SA) and GOTS product experience and must be comfortable operating in both connected and disconnected/air-gapped classified environments.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Engineering Lifecycle

• Work across all phases of the system engineering lifecycle: concept development, requirements analysis, design, integration, testing, deployment, operations, and sustainment.
• Produce comprehensive technical documentation and drawing packages including system architectures, interface control documents (ICDs), test plans, and as-built configurations.
• Translate user and mission requirements into actionable system designs; participate in requirements reviews, design reviews, and technical interchange meetings (TIMs).
• Serve as a senior technical authority within a small, mission-focused team; interact frequently with users, customers, and cross-functional teams across the program.
• Support system trades analysis, configuration management, and technical baseline management throughout the lifecycle.

Linux Systems Administration and Engineering

• Perform advanced installation, configuration, hardening, and management of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, and Rocky Linux server environments.
• Administer authentication and authorization infrastructure including FreeIPA identity management and Active Directory integration in classified environments.
• Manage system performance, patch cycles, package management, and OS lifecycle operations across classified enclaves.
• Configure and maintain system services, logging frameworks (rsyslog/journald/auditd), scheduled tasks, and security controls.
• Provide expert-level Tier 2/3 troubleshooting across Linux-based systems; diagnose complex failure scenarios and drive resolution.

STE/STN Infrastructure

• Install, configure, and manage Secure Telephone Equipment (STE) and Secure Telephone Network (STN) infrastructure in both connected and disconnected/air-gapped classified environments.
• Support STE/STN provisioning, moves, adds, and changes (MACs); coordinate with communications and security personnel.
• Troubleshoot STE/STN connectivity, interoperability, and integration issues in complex classified facility environments.
• Maintain accurate inventory and technical documentation for all STE/STN endpoints and associated infrastructure.

GOTS Software Support

• Install, configure, and maintain Government Off-the-Shelf (GOTS) software products in support of program requirements.
• Perform routine maintenance, patching, and lifecycle management of GOTS applications within classified environments.
• Coordinate with program stakeholders and developers on GOTS software integration, compatibility testing, and issue resolution.

Scripting and Automation

• Create, read, modify, and maintain automation scripts in Bash and Python to support system administration, deployment, and operational tasks.
• Automate repetitive operational workflows including system monitoring, configuration enforcement, log analysis, and health checks.
• Support team adoption of automation and scripting best practices.

Testing and Troubleshooting

• Design and execute system-level test plans, acceptance test procedures, and regression tests.
• Lead troubleshooting efforts across complex, multi-component classified systems; document findings and remediation actions.
• Participate in operational readiness reviews and system validation activities prior to deployment.