Systems Engineer (Senior)

Description:
Hybrid in Ashburn, VA or Gaithersburg, MD

Our client seeks a Systems Engineer who understands how complex cloud-hosted software systems fit together and can provide engineering direction across architecture, integration, security, and verification. The role spans cloud architecture and technical planning, platform trade studies, integration and fielding in regulated environments, security architecture, networking, DevSecOps, and AI-assisted engineering. Candidates will guide design, collaborate in Scaled Agile teams, and influence outcomes across multiple technical areas rather than focus on daily coding.

Due to client requirements, applicants must be willing and able to work on a w2 basis. For our w2 consultants, we offer a great benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits, 401k with company matching, and life insurance.

Rate: $60.00 to $70.00/hr. w2

Responsibilities:

• Lead technical planning and cloud architecture for hybrid on-prem to AWS designs across VPCs, GovCloud and commercial regions, and multiple clusters.
• Conduct platform trade studies and sizing for ECS, EKS, and OpenShift with cost and effort modeling across Dev, Test, and Ops environments.
• Drive integration, verification and validation, and fielding within FISMA High boundaries, including cutover to GovCloud.
• Design security architecture including trust boundaries, segmentation, and control mapping to SSP and ATO boundaries.
• Engineer networking patterns including ALB, WAF, routes and ingress, PrivateLink and endpoints, and Zscaler or PIV considerations.
• Own requirements development and analysis, technical writing, and authoring of technical papers and white papers.
• Provide system and software design guidance to developers and testers within Scaled Agile teams.
• Lead hardware and software integration and cloud system design for Java and microservices ecosystems.
• Apply DevSecOps practices, CI/CD, security scanning, SBOM, image signing, secrets management, and policy as code.
• Incorporate AI for coding, requirements, test creation, debugging, and analysis, including AI-driven test script generation.

Experience Requirements:

• Proven cloud architecture and technical planning experience for hybrid on-prem to AWS systems.
• Hands-on with Amazon ECS, Amazon EKS, and Red Hat OpenShift, including Kubernetes, Helm, operators, policies, routes, and pipelines.
• Track record in integration, V&V, and fielding for regulated environments such as FISMA High or FedRAMP High.
• Security architecture experience with segmentation and control mapping to support SSP and ATO.
• Networking expertise across ingress, ALB, WAF, PrivateLink, endpoints, and related enterprise access patterns.
• On-prem to AWS migration of containerized workloads, including re-platforming, parallel runs, data connectivity for MongoDB or PostgreSQL, and rollback planning.
• AWS GovCloud and commercial multi-account and VPC design, including DMZ and private tier segmentation.
• DevSecOps toolchain experience with GitLab, Tekton, Argo CD, SAST, DAST, SCA, IaC scanning, SBOM, image signing and scanning, and secrets management.
• Scaled Agile experience collaborating within mixed teams and communicating technical decisions.
• Familiarity with Java ecosystems, microservices, REST, and cloud-native development in Linux environments.
• Demonstrated AI-assisted engineering using tools comparable to Claude for development and testing.

Recruitment Transparency Notice



Eliassen Group values transparency in our recruitment practices. Please be advised that Eliassen Group utilizes artificial intelligence (AI) tools as part of its initial application screening and hiring process. You may receive email and SMS notifications from the Eliassen Virtual Recruiting Team (, ) inviting you to complete a brief voice screening as part of your application process. These tools assist our hiring teams in different ways, including but not limited to, assistance in reviewing application materials to help identify candidates whose qualifications most closely match the requirements of the position. All AI-assisted evaluations and responses are reviewed by human recruiters before any hiring decisions are made. The use of AI in our process is intended to support fairness, efficiency, and consistency, and Eliassen Group takes measures to prevent bias or discrimination in connection with its hiring practices. By proceeding, you acknowledge, agree, and consent to Eliassen Group's use of these tools, including AI tools, as part of the application and hiring process.

Skills, experience, and other compensable factors will be considered when determining pay rate. The pay range provided in this posting reflects a W2 hourly rate; other employment options may be available that may result in pay outside of the provided range.

W2 employees of Eliassen Group who are regularly scheduled to work 30 or more hours per week are eligible for the following benefits: medical (choice of 3 plans), dental, vision, pre-tax accounts, other voluntary benefits including life and disability insurance, 401(k) with match, and sick time if required by law in the worked-in state/locality.
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When you work with Eliassen Group, all email communication will come from an Eliassen.com address, never Gmail, Yahoo, etc.

Eliassen Group will never ask you for personal information (home address, bank account, or check routing number) until you have worked with someone clearly associated with Eliassen Group.

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About Eliassen Group:

Eliassen Group is a strategic consulting firm that helps organizations reach further and achieve more through our technology, business advisory, and life sciences solutions. For nearly 40 years, we have combined exceptional people, deep domain expertise, and intelligent capabilities to expand our clients' capacity and accelerate meaningful outcomes. We are driven by a purpose to positively impact the lives of our employees, clients, consultants, and the communities we serve.

Eliassen is committed to building a diverse and inclusive team from a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills. We are an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer and all employment decisions are based on merit, performance, and business needs. Eliassen does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender identity or expression, sexual preference or orientation, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), marital status, creed, religion, physical or mental disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, age, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, prohibited criminal record inquiries of applicants and employees, or any other category protected by federal, state, or local laws.

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