DevOps Engineer / Systems Engineer

Location: Annapolis Junction, MD
Clearance: TS/SCI with Polygraph required
Work Type: On-site

Salary: $180,000 - $200,000

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced DevOps Engineer / Systems Engineer to support mission-critical systems in a secure, compliance-driven environment. This role requires deep Kubernetes expertise, strong systems engineering fundamentals, and the ability to operate independently while collaborating closely with technical teams and mission stakeholders.

The ideal candidate brings extensive experience supporting complex programs, excels in secure system sustainment, and thrives in environments with evolving mission and security requirements.

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Key Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and sustain Kubernetes-based platforms across secure environments

• Support compliance-driven operations and sustainment activities with high accuracy and attention to detail

• Collaborate with software engineers, infrastructure teams, and mission partners to support operational objectives

• Maintain detailed documentation, tracking, and configuration records using enterprise tools

• Adapt systems and workflows to evolving mission needs and security requirements

• Troubleshoot and resolve platform and deployment issues across development and operational environments

• Support system reliability, availability, and performance for mission-critical services

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Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance with Polygraph

• Fourteen (14) years of experience as a Systems Engineer on programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity

• Bachelor’s degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or a related discipline

  • Five (5) additional years of Systems Engineering experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree

• Strong understanding of Kubernetes networking, configuration, and deployment in secure environments

• Demonstrated ability to support compliance-driven sustainment activities

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills with both technical teams and mission stakeholders

• Strong documentation, tracking, and configuration management skills

• Ability to adapt quickly in fast-changing mission and security environments

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Desired Qualifications

• Experience with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform, Salt, and Ansible

• Familiarity with Rancher, Helm, and advanced Kubernetes capabilities

• Working knowledge of observability and monitoring tools including Elasticsearch, Kibana, and Grafana

• Security+ (CWIP) or equivalent certification preferred

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Benefits

Our client offers a comprehensive, flexible benefits package supporting financial security, health, and work-life balance.

Retirement

• 15% automatic company 401(k) contribution (3% safe harbor + 12% discretionary profit sharing)

• No vesting – 100% immediately vested

• Pre-tax and Roth options; contributions deposited every payroll

Paid Time Off & Flexibility

• PTO accrued at 13% of hours worked (≈ 6 weeks / 30 days annually for full-time employees)

• Up to 240 hours carryover

• Flexible option to adjust PTO and/or 401(k) contributions in exchange for salary adjustments

Health & Wellness

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance with significant company contribution

• CareFirst medical plans:

  • Platinum POS – $0 deductible

  • High Deductible POS – $1,600 / $3,200 deductible

    • Company contributes 25% of deductible to HSA quarterly

• HSA and FSA options available

Insurance (Company-Paid)

• $50,000 Life Insurance

• $50,000 AD&D

• Short-Term Disability: 60% pay (up to $1,000/week)

• Long-Term Disability: 60% pay (up to $6,000/month)

Flexible Schedule

• Hourly pay with flexible/alternate schedules (customer approval required)

Education & Training

• Up to $5,000 annually for certifications, courses, conferences, books, and related expenses

Additional Perks

• $100 annually toward company-branded apparel

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Why This Role

This position offers the opportunity to work on high-impact, technically challenging systems in a secure environment while leveraging modern DevOps tooling and cloud-native technologies. The role is well-suited for a senior-level engineer who enjoys ownership, problem-solving, and driving automation at scale.

We do not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

https://www.staffed4u.com/