System Administrator

Job Description

ECS is seeking a System Administrator to work in our Arlington, VA office /
remote .

Overview

The System Administrator will play a critical role in supporting a large-scale federal IT modernization initiative, working to transform legacy systems into modern, secure, and efficient technology platforms. This position requires a security-conscious professional who can operate effectively in a highly regulated federal environment while driving innovation and operational excellence.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing complex IT infrastructure supporting mission-critical federal operations, ensuring 99.9% uptime requirements are met while maintaining strict compliance with federal security standards including FedRAMP, FISMA, and agency-specific requirements. This role offers the opportunity to work with cutting‑edge technologies while making a meaningful impact on government service delivery to citizens.

Working as part of a cross‑functional modernization team, the System Administrator will collaborate with cloud architects, cybersecurity specialists, application developers, and federal stakeholders to implement scalable solutions that enhance operational efficiency and citizen services.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain hybrid cloud infrastructure supporting federal workloads across AWS Gov Cloud, Azure Government, and on‑premises environments
• Execute migration strategies for legacy systems to modern cloud‑native architectures while ensuring zero data loss and minimal service disruption
• Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices using tools such as Terraform, Cloud Formation, and Ansible to ensure consistent, repeatable deployments
• Manage and optimize virtualized environments including VMware vSphere, Hyper‑V, and containerized applications using Docker and Kubernetes

• Implement and maintain security controls in accordance with NIST Cybersecurity Framework, FedRAMP requirements, and agency‑specific security policies
• Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and coordinate remediation efforts to maintain Authority to Operate (ATO) certifications
• Manage privileged access controls, multi‑factor authentication systems, and endpoint protection solutions
• Ensure compliance with federal regulations including FISMA, FIPS 140‑2, and Common Criteria standards

• Monitor system performance using enterprise tools such as Splunk, Nagios, or Solar Winds to proactively identify and resolve issues
• Maintain comprehensive backup and disaster recovery procedures with regular testing to ensure RTO/RPO requirements are met
• Perform capacity planning and resource optimization to support growing federal workloads while managing budget constraints
• Coordinate planned maintenance windows and emergency response procedures with minimal impact to mission‑critical operations

• Work closely with federal program managers, contractors, and technical teams to ensure alignment with modernization objectives and timelines
• Maintain detailed system documentation, standard operating procedures, and configuration management databases
• Participate in change management processes and technical review boards to ensure proposed modifications meet federal standards
• Provide technical mentorship to junior team members and knowledge transfer to federal personnel

Salary Range: $120,000 – $145,000

Required Skills

• U.S. Citizen
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related technical field, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Minimum 7 years of system administration experience in enterprise environments, with at least 2 years supporting federal government or highly regulated industries
• Ability to obtain and maintain Public Trust suitability

Desired Skills

• Current certifications:
  CompTIA Security+ (mandatory for federal work) and one of the following: AWS Solutions Architect, Microsoft Azure Administrator, or VMware Certified Professional
• Demonstrated experience with Windows Server 2016/2019/2022 and Linux distributions (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu) in enterprise environments
• Proficiency with federal cloud platforms including AWS Gov Cloud and Microsoft Azure Government, including services…