Systems Engineer

About the role

The Systems Engineer will engineer, install, maintain, configure, and optimize Windows Server operating systems in cloud (Azure) and hybrid environments. They will create technical documentation from requirements, including detailed system designs, architecture diagrams, and compliance evidence. The role involves performing analysis for network and system needs, participating in planning, designing, upgrading, and deploying solutions per project timelines, and applying NIST-aligned security controls and CIS benchmarks to safeguard federal systems.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and support Azure IaaS/PaaS environments aligned with NIST and CIS benchmarks.
• Install, configure, and maintain Windows Server operating systems in compliance with federal security standards.
• Execute monthly and emergency security patching per DHS and NIST guidance, including vulnerability remediation workflows.
• Troubleshoot complex system and infrastructure issues across hybrid cloud/on-prem environments.
• Support application environments and production releases using DevOps and release management best practices.
• Assist development teams in cloud migration initiatives—especially tenant-to-tenant migrations and rehosting/rearchitecting workloads.
• Implement and enforce federal compliance controls (e.g., NIST 800-53 SI, AC, SC families) and DHS-mandated mitigations.
• Collaborate with engineering, development, and infrastructure teams in an Agile/Scrum setting; participate in daily stand-ups and Scrum meetings.
• Document solutions, architectures, and configurations in ServiceNow, JIRA, and Confluence for audit and knowledge transfer.
• Create and maintain SOPs, technical guides, network diagrams, and knowledge-base articles to ensure operational continuity.
• Drive automation initiatives (e.g., ARM templates, PowerShell DSC, Terraform) to reduce manual effort and improve security posture.
• Ensure systems adhere to CIS benchmarks and NIST security configurations across the SDLC.

Key Requirements

• Azure Cloud – including cloud migration, tenant-to-tenant migrations, and hybrid cloud strategies.
• IaaS and PaaS design, deployment, and lifecycle management.
• Windows Server administration – installing, configuring, maintaining, and optimizing across on-premises and cloud environments.
• Federal compliance frameworks – NIST (800-53, 800-171), CIS Benchmarks, and DHS cybersecurity directives.
• DevOps practices and toolchains – CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure-as-code (e.g., ARM/Bicep, Terraform), and configuration management.
• Security patching, vulnerability remediation, and zero-trust implementation.
• Production support, root-cause analysis, and incident resolution.
• Release management and change coordination in regulated environments.
• Automation and process improvement using scripting (PowerShell, Python) and orchestration tools.
• Government/federal systems security practices – FISMA, FedRAMP, and continuous monitoring (ConMon).
• Technical documentation and SOP creation for audit readiness.
• ServiceNow, JIRA, Confluence – for ticketing, agile tracking, and knowledge sharing.
• Agile/Scrum environment – including backlog grooming, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
• Network/system planning, deployment, and secure architecture design.

Skills

• Cloud
• Security
• IaaS
• Windows
• Automation