PLATFORM ENGINEER III

Koam Engineering Systems, Inc. (KES Inc.) is an employee-owned small business specializing in technology innovation and systems integration. Headquartered in San Diego, California with an additional office in Gig Harbor, WA, KES provides global services in systems engineering & technical assistance, requirements analysis, software design & development, systems integration & testing, independent verification & validation, and operational & logistic support.

About the role

We are seeking a Platform Engineer III to support systems integration, infrastructure engineering, automation, and platform sustainment within a Department of Defense test, integration, and evaluation environment. This role requires translating technical requirements, partner inputs, system documentation, and emerging capabilities into operational environments that can be integrated, tested, evaluated, and sustained. The position demands a hybrid skillset across systems engineering, networking, virtualization, Linux and Windows administration, automation, software support, and DevOps practices.

The selected candidate must understand how hardware, software, networks, operating systems, virtualization, automation, and platform components interconnect, and use that understanding to build, modify, troubleshoot, and sustain technical solutions. Experience with C4I systems, tactical data links, Navy Program of Record systems, Software Defined Networking, or DoD lab and fleet environments is highly desired.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end platform integration for DoD lab, test, and integration environments, including planning, implementation, validation, troubleshooting, and sustainment of new or modified capabilities.
• Gather and translate stakeholder requirements, technical documentation, system drawings, interface requirements, and network diagrams into executable implementation steps while clarifying dependencies, identifying technical gaps, and providing practical recommendations during technical discussions.
• Evaluate whether new or modified capabilities can be supported within existing lab, test, and integration environments, and recommend the hardware, software, compute, storage, networking, virtualization, automation, and platform approaches needed for implementation.
• Build, configure, administer, and sustain physical and virtual infrastructure, including servers, workstations, Linux, Windows Server, Windows workstations, internal hardware, supporting software, and related system components.
• Support C4I, data link, network, and system integration activities, including tactical network dependencies, lab infrastructure, test environments, system-to-system interfaces, Cisco networking, IP addressing, VLAN coordination, routing dependencies, firewall path validation, Software Defined Networking concepts, and end-to-end connectivity validation.
• Support virtualization, containerization, and platform technologies, including VMware, Hyper-V, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, OpenShift, or similar tools.
• Develop and implement automation solutions that improve repeatability, consistency, configuration control, deployment efficiency, validation, and sustainment.
• Manage and automate the delivery of scripts, configuration files, system changes, and software updates using Git-based repositories, CI/CD pipelines, artifact tracking, deployment automation, and configuration version control.
• Support casualty reporting, operational issue response, hardware and software integration, technical impact assessment, root cause analysis, corrective action documentation, computer builds, internal hardware configuration, driver support, plugin support, and system-level technical modifications.
• Maintain technical documentation, including implementation plans, configuration records, network diagrams, troubleshooting guides, validation steps, and sustainment procedures.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in related fields such as computer science, computer engineering, information systems, network engineering, systems engineering, software engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• OR equivalent specialized knowledge customarily acquired through a combination of military training, formal technical instruction, certifications, and substantial progressively responsible practical experience performing work of comparable scope, complexity, and independent judgment.
• Security+ (DoD IAT Level II) certification or ability to meet requirements within three months of employment.
• Existing U.S. Government DoD-granted security clearance/eligibility at the final Secret level; ability to maintain the necessary clearance/eligibility for continued employment.
• U.S. Citizenship is required.

Qualifications

Experience

• Minimum 6 years of progressively responsible experience in systems integration, platform engineering, systems engineering, network engineering, software support, automation, DevOps, systems administration, or secure test environment sustainment within a DoD, enterprise, lab, test, or other complex technical environment.
• Hands-on experience building, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting Linux, Windows, physical systems, virtual systems, network dependencies, system services, and application-supporting infrastructure.
• Experience interpreting stakeholder requirements, technical documentation, system drawings, interface requirements, military standards, or network diagrams and converting them into executable technical actions.
• Experience supporting network-dependent systems, including IP addressing, VLAN coordination, routing dependencies, firewall path validation, Cisco network infrastructure, secure enclave connectivity, and end-to-end connectivity troubleshooting.
• Experience supporting virtualization, containerization, and platform technologies such as VMware, Hyper-V, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, OpenShift, or similar technologies.
• Experience developing automation, scripting, configuration management, deployment workflows, or repeatable technical processes using tools such as Python, PowerShell, Bash, Ansible, Terraform, GitLab, Jenkins, or similar technologies.
• Experience managing scripts, configuration files, system changes, or software updates using Git-based repositories, CI/CD pipelines, artifact tracking, deployment automation, or configuration version control.
• Experience troubleshooting complex technical issues, identifying root cause, assessing operational impact, and implementing corrective actions across systems, networks, virtualization, applications, automation workflows, or platform services.
• Experience supporting cybersecurity and compliance requirements within operational, laboratory, development, test, or integration environments, including STIGs, vulnerability remediation, RMF, ATO support, patching, scan response, or compliance documentation.
• Experience producing or maintaining technical documentation, including implementation plans, configuration records, system diagrams, network diagrams, troubleshooting notes, validation procedures, or engineering support records.
• Ability to communicate technical status, risks, recommendations, dependencies, and implementation details clearly to internal stakeholders, customers, and cross-functional teams.

Preferred Experience

• Supporting C4I systems, tactical data links, C5ISR systems, tactical communications systems, Navy lab environments, operational test environments, or similar DoD integration environments.
• Working with Program of Record, GOTS, and COTS technologies such as CANES, ADNS, Agile Core Services, tactical data link systems, C4I systems, or similar mission systems.
• Supporting Software Defined Networking, Cisco networking, secure enclave connectivity, lab network integration, or system-to-system network interfaces.
• Supporting casualty reporting, technical impact assessment, root cause analysis, corrective action documentation, and operational issue response.
• Developing or supporting drivers, plugins, internal hardware/software integrations, system-level modifications, or custom technical solutions.
• Supporting lab modernization, technical refresh, system relocation, new capability integration, test readiness, added capability efforts, or configuration-controlled infrastructure changes.
• Supporting classified and unclassified enclaves in Navy, NIWC Pacific, or other DoD test, fleet, or laboratory environments.
• Supporting disconnected, classified, air-gapped, controlled, or highly regulated environments where commercial development and deployment practices must be adapted to meet DoD security and operational requirements.

Preferred Certifications

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP).
• Red Hat Certified System Administrator (RHCSA).

Benefits

KES offers a competitive salary and a full range of benefits.