Systems Engineer

This is a System Engineer position with training delivery as a primary duty. The Systems Engineer Skill Level 3 will serve as the senior technical lead for a team supporting the Joint Cyber Threat Hunt Kit (JCHK) program, delivering hands-on New Equipment Training (NET) and advanced maintainer courses to Cyber Protection Team (CPT) personnel, while directing the end-to-end management of the JCHK kit — from training event logistics and setup through ongoing equipment maintenance at the Forge facility. The Engineer instructs using government-furnished or contractor-refined training materials and is not responsible for developing or authoring training curriculum; that responsibility resides with the program's Training Development function. The Systems Engineer provides technical direction to less experienced trainers and maintainers, ensures JCHK equipment remains mission-ready throughout its operational lifecycle, and recommends improvements to training delivery and maintenance procedures based on field experience. This position does not require an active security clearance at the time of hire; however, the selected candidate must be eligible to obtain one if required by the program.

Responsible for:

· Deliver New Equipment Training (NET) and advanced train-the-trainer courses to Cyber Protection Team personnel at designated training locations.

· Serve as the senior technical lead for JCHK training delivery and equipment sustainment, providing technical direction to junior trainers and maintainers.

· Conduct hands-on demonstrations and lead lab exercises for students, troubleshoot system issues during live training, and adapt instruction based on learner feedback.

· Provide input on developing, testing, and executing training exercises utilizing the JCHK kit, and maintain familiarity with Training Development (TD) capabilities and best practices.

· Plan and lead the verification and quality assurance of JCHK equipment and training materials before fielding, ensuring readiness across the training lifecycle.

· Execute and oversee logistics duties related to training events, including coordinating equipment pickup, delivery, and shipment across multiple sites, and conducting equipment setup and teardown at training locations.

· Manage class resources, including student guides, user documentation, and training materials.

· Maintain JCHK equipment in operational readiness both during training events and at the Forge facility, including routine inspections, preventive maintenance, and component-level repairs (power supplies, memory, NICs, drives, cables).

· Troubleshoot and resolve complex hardware, network, and connectivity issues, including BIOS configuration, RAID controller management, and storage troubleshooting.

· Analyze system logs and service status to identify and resolve operational issues, and recommend improvements to maintenance procedures and equipment configuration based on lessons learned.

· Conduct detailed equipment inventories and maintain accurate records for hardware, components, spares, serial numbers, and warranty information.

Required Skills:

· Customer service mindset with excellent oral and written communication skills, particularly when instructing government or military personnel.

· 8+ years of progressive experience in technical support, systems administration, or hardware/network repair.

· Demonstrated experience serving as a technical lead or mentor for less experienced trainers and maintainers.

· Hands-on experience diagnosing and repairing server and network equipment failures.

· Strong Linux/Unix command-line competency and ability to interpret technical documentation.

· Experience delivering technical training to government or military personnel.

· Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex systems methodically and document findings.

· Experience conducting detailed inventories and maintaining accurate technical records.

· Ability to lift and carry equipment weighing up to 50 lbs repeatedly.

· Ability to obtain a security clearance if required by the program (an active clearance is not required at the time of hire).

Preferred Skills:

· Experience working in Defense, Intelligence Community, or other government environments with similar mission or infrastructure requirements.

· Hands-on experience with FortiGate firewalls, QNAP switches, or enterprise server platforms.

· Familiarity with SIEM platforms, Security Onion, or Elasticsearch.

· Kubernetes or containerized environment experience.

· Knowledge of RAID controller configuration and storage optimization.

· Experience with Ansible automation or configuration management.

· Experience managing IT asset inventory systems and lifecycle tracking.

· CompTIA CTT+ (Certified Technical Trainer) or equivalent training delivery certification.

· CPTD Certification (Certified Professional in Training Development) or CPTM Certification (Certified Professional in Training Management).

· Completion of Army CFD-IC/CFD-DC or Service equivalent Instructor/Training Developer course.

· Demonstrated alignment with IBSTPI (International Board of Standards for Training, Performance and Instruction) competencies, or familiarity with the ATD (Association for Talent Development) capabilities model.

· Cloud certification (AWS, Google Cloud, or CompTIA Cloud+), or Linux+ / equivalent Linux administration certification.

Education: Bachelor's Degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Management, or a related field is required. Five (5) years of additional relevant Systems Engineering experience may be substituted for a bachelor’s degree.

Experience: Twenty (20) years of experience in programs and contracts of similar scope, type, and complexity within the Federal government is required. Demonstrated experience planning and leading Systems Engineering or technical training efforts is required. Technical Certification as a Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP) from INCOSE or DAWIA SPRDE Level 3 is required.

STEELGATE LLC is a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) that prides itself on hiring top-level Subject Matter Experts (SME’s) proven to exceed deliverable expectations. All of our Corporate Leaders have a minimum of 28 years of military/government experience as senior Field Grade officers, senior government officials, and/or federal contractors. STEELGATE LLC is focused on solving the hard problems facing our government and commercial clients. Our success lies in blending relevant domain/functional knowledge with deep expertise in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Defensive Cyber Operations, cloud-based DevSecOps, Data Analytics & AI, Acquisition and Acquisition Management, and more. STEELGATE LLC has a positive, inclusive workplace environment where all team members and partners work towards mutual success. We have established a reliable reach-back program where all SMEs are available to support, advise, and directly complete mission deliverables when necessary. STEELGATE LLC has a worldwide reputation as a valued and trustworthy partner. Our can-do attitude and willingness to support any mission requirement set us apart from other small business organizations. Find out more about STEELGATE LLC @ www.steelgatellc.com.

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Pay: $170,000.00 - $185,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Application Question(s):

• Are you able to lift and carry equipment weighing up to 50 lbs repeatedly?

Education:

• Bachelor's (Required)

Experience:

• Training delivery: 3 years (Required)
• Systems engineering: 8 years (Required)
• DoW/Military: 10 years (Preferred)
• SIEM platforms, Security Onion, or Elasticsearch: 4 years (Preferred)
• Kubernetes: 4 years (Preferred)
• Linux/Unix : 4 years (Preferred)

License/Certification:

• Certified Systems Engineering Professional (Preferred)

Security clearance:

• Secret (Preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Columbia, MD 21046