Senior System Administrator SVAT

Description

SAIC is seeking an experienced Senior Service Validation and Testing (SVAT) Lead in Colorado Springs, COto manage and govern IT service transition for the NITES program, supporting the critical NORAD/NORTHCOM (N-NC) mission. The ideal candidate will bridge the gap between systems engineering and live war fighting operations, ensuring that all Command and Control (C2), intelligence, and enterprise IT services are thoroughly evaluated for operational readiness, security resilience, and interoperability before deployment to operational networks (NIPR, SIPR, and bi-national networks).

This role requires a proven leader capable of managing the Technology Integration Lab (TIL) at Peterson Space Force Base (PSFB) and overseeing the comprehensive testing of hardware, software, and third-party systems. This individual will act as the ultimate quality assurance gatekeeper, ensuring that technology modernizations—including Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiatives—integrate seamlessly without disrupting Homeland Defense and Theater Security Cooperation missions.

• Test Environment Leadership (TIL Management):
  
  Leverage and manage the Technology Integration Lab (TIL) on PSFB. Ensure the test environment accurately replicates the N-NC operational network baseline to facilitate secure IT service integration, testing, and training prior to live deployment.
• Third-Party SVAT Governance:
  
  Analyze and evaluate third-party produced SVAT plans. Verify that all third-party test results are satisfactory for accepting new or modified services into O&M sustainment, and author formal evaluation reports (e.g., Deliverable 26).
• Change & Configuration Management:
  
  Serve as a key technical authority on the Change Advisory Board (CAB) and Configuration Control Board (CCB). Provide comprehensive validation and testing data within all Change Requests (CRs) to justify deployment approvals.
• Technical Testing Execution:
  
  Design and execute automated testing, performance/load testing, and mission-thread testing for complex systems (including JADC2 and Tactical Data Links like GCCS-J). Enforce Shift-Left testing philosophies within a DoD Dev Sec Ops  pipeline.
• Security & RMF Alignment:
  
  Coordinate with Information System Security Managers (ISSMs) to ensure vulnerability scans (ACAS, Fortify), Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) principles, and system configurations map directly to Risk Management Framework (RMF) controls for ATO packages.
• Documentation & Compliance:
  
  Author, review, and approve critical test documentation in accordance with Joint Staff records management (CJCSM 5760.01), including Test and Evaluation Master Plans (TEMP), System Validation Test Plans (SVTP), and Quick Look Reports (QLR).

• Security Clearance:
  
  Active Top Secret (TS) clearance with the ability to obtain and maintain SCI.
• Education & Experience:
  
  Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, System Engineering, or a related field plus a minimum of 5 years of relevant IT experience (or Associate degree + 7 years, or High School diploma + 10-12 years). Must have proven experience in a technical QA, testing, or SVAT leadership role within a DoD environment.
• Certifications:
  • Active DoD 8140 / 8570 IAT Level II or III certification (e.g., Security+ CE, SSCP, CISSP, or CASP+).
  • Relevant Computing Environment or Testing Certification (e.g., ISTQB Certified Tester, ITIL v4 Foundation, or relevant Microsoft/VMware/Linux fundamentals).

• Domain Expertise:
  
  Comprehensive understanding of software testing methodologies (regression, load, functional), enterprise IT architecture (virtualization, networks, cross-domain solutions), and ITIL-based Service Transition and…