Vacancy Detail
Senior System Engineer
Role: Senior System Engineer
Location: Fairfax, VA or Denver, CO
Salary: $160,000 - $220,000 + Exceptional Benefits (Total Compensation up to $330,000)
Clearance: Active TS/SCI (CI poly preferred)
Benefits
- Employer-funded 401(k) contribution worth 25% of base salary
- Flexible benefits allowance worth 25% of base salary (take as benefits or additional compensation)
- 8 weeks PTO
- Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
- Life Insurance
- 100% tuition reimbursement (Degrees, Certifications & Professional Development)
- Flexible working hours
- Long-term, mission-critical programs supporting the US Intelligence Community
Are you a senior Systems Engineer with deep experience across Linux, cloud-native technologies and software-driven systems within the Intelligence Community?
We are supporting a specialist national security technology organisation looking to add a Senior Systems Engineer to its team in Fairfax, VA.
This is a highly technical position for someone who can work across systems and software engineering, helping shape and modernise complex mission-critical environments. You'll work closely with developers and customers to solve technical challenges, improve system architecture and support the adoption of modern cloud-native and DevSecOps technologies.
The environment includes an operationally supported container orchestration platform used across multiple government sites, enabling CI/CD and Continuous Operations.
What you'll be doing
- Work with software and ground-processing teams to solve complex systems engineering challenges
- Help modernise existing systems through containerisation, Kubernetes and modern deployment techniques
- Evaluate architectures and conduct technical trade studies to improve system resiliency
- Develop prototypes and technical solutions
- Work across Linux and cloud-native environments
- Support DevSecOps, CI/CD and infrastructure-as-code initiatives
- Define and document system architectures, interfaces, CONOPs and technical plans
- Collaborate directly with developers and Intelligence Community customers
- Use Jira and Confluence to manage technical roadmaps and engineering activity
The underlying position specifically covers Kubernetes-based modernisation, architecture resiliency, prototyping and detailed systems documentation.
What we're looking for
- Active TS/SCI clearance
- 15+ years of relevant technical experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline
- Strong technical Systems Engineering background
- Strong Linux systems experience
- Experience with cloud-native technologies and architectures
- Previous experience supporting an Intelligence Community customer
- Strong understanding of software engineering and modern software architectures
- Ability to operate independently within complex technical environments
- Strong communication skills and confidence working directly with technical teams and customers
Desirable
- Active CI Poly
- Master's degree in a relevant technical discipline
- Software Engineering background
- Kubernetes, Docker, Helm and container orchestration
- DevSecOps and CI/CD
- Ansible, Terraform or Puppet
- Python, Bash, Go or similar scripting/programming languages
- Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack or OpenSearch
- NRO ground systems experience
- SIGINT experience
- PKI, container security and zero-trust principles
These technologies and domain areas align closely with the desired experience for the position.
This is best suited to a Senior Systems Engineer, Principal Systems Engineer, Technical Systems Engineer or Systems Architect who has remained technically hands-on and wants to work on complex, mission-focused systems rather than move into purely managerial or programme-level work.
Interested? Apply or get in touch for a confidential conversation.
Keywords
Senior Systems Engineer, Principal Systems Engineer, Cleared Systems Engineer, TS/SCI Systems Engineer, Top Secret Systems Engineer, Systems Architect, Technical Systems Engineer, Linux Systems Engineer, Cloud Systems Engineer, Software Systems Engineer, Systems Engineering, Linux, Cloud Native, Kubernetes, Docker, Helm, DevSecOps, CI/CD, Ansible, Terraform, Puppet, Python, Bash, Go, Containerization, Container Orchestration, Infrastructure as Code, IaC, Systems Architecture, Ground Systems, Ground Processing Systems, NRO, SIGINT, Intelligence Community, IC, National Security, Government Contractor, Cleared Jobs, Security Clearance Jobs, TS/SCI Clearance, CI Poly, Fairfax VA, Northern Virginia, NOVA
Location: Fairfax, Virginia | Salary: $160000 - $220000 per year | Job type: Permanent | Posted: 19/08/2026
