Lead Systems Engineer/Lab Director with Security Clearance

Job Description: We are seeking a highly skilled TS/SCI cleared Lead Systems Engineer/Lab Director to direct the operations and engineering support of a classified Laboratory environment. This role involves overseeing the development, sustainment, and evolution of a secure, multi-domain lab environment supporting mission application development, data integration, modeling & simulation, and advanced computing. The ideal candidate will have a strong technical background in enterprise IT infrastructure, DevSecOps, cloud services, and software development. You must be capable of providing technical leadership while ensuring seamless integration with Intelligence Community stakeholders. The Lead Systems Engineer will work in a fast-paced, mission-critical environment requiring deep technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and the ability to drive innovation. This position may require occasional CONUS travel for short durations. Scope of Work: * Lead the design, implementation, and sustainment of the lab environment, ensuring it supports physical and virtualized mission applications.
* Integrate and optimize enterprise IT solutions, including HPC, cloud-based environments, and DevSecOps frameworks.
* Oversee data integration, security, and cross-domain solutions, ensuring seamless information sharing across security enclaves.
* Develop and implement an innovation strategy, enabling prototyping, testing, and mission application development in collaboration with stakeholders.
* Support infrastructure and network engineering to ensure lab availability meets 99% uptime standards.
* Guide technology transitions and sustainment efforts, ensuring that emerging capabilities align with NRO objectives.
* Coordinate with Government Program Offices, SETAs, and FFRDC partners to support assessments, technical solutions, and system architecture efforts.
* Provide technical leadership to a multi-disciplinary team, mentoring engineers, developers, and IT specialists.
* Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement - Work with NRO, IC organizations, and external partners to support technical assessments and lab operations. MUST-HAVE Qualifications: * 10 years of relevant Intelligence Community (IC) experience (either working in or with)
* 6 years MUST be with the NRO
* 6 years of Information Technology and engineering experience
* 4 years of experience supporting laboratory environments
* STEM related BS degree
* TS/SCI clearance with CI Poly (must be willing to complete CI poly within 30 days of start if you don't already have one) Required Skills: The candidate should have a well-balanced IT background encompassing as many of these areas as possible, listed in racked and stacked order: * Enterprise IT & Systems Engineering - Experience designing, implementing, and managing high-performance computing (HPC), hybrid cloud, and DevSecOps environments.
* Networking & Infrastructure - Experience designing and securing WAN/LAN, mission computing nodes, and lab infrastructure.
* Cloud & Virtualization - Expertise in cloud-agnostic architectures (AWS C2S/C2E, Azure, GCP), containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), and virtualized infrastructure.
* Data Management & Security - Knowledge of cross-domain solutions, data fusion, access control mechanisms, and security best practices across multiple classification levels
* Software Development & Integration - Proficiency in modern development tools, CI/CD pipelines, microservices, and API integration. Bonus Skills: * AI/ML & Data Analytics - Experience in training AI models, geospatial data processing, and advanced analytics.
* Cybersecurity & Compliance - Understanding of ATO processes, security compliance, and incident response.
* Modeling & Simulation (M&S) - Experience supporting digital modeling, synthetic data generation, and tradecraft development.
* Program/Project Management - PMP or equivalent certification is a plus.
* Technical Certifications: certifications in DevSecOps, Cloud and Database Services, and Software Development
* RF Systems & Multi-INT - Knowledge of radiofrequency (RF) utilization and multi-intelligence data fusion.
This position comes with attractive pay and benefits. #CJ