Senior Systems Engineer - Team Lead Security Clearance

Position: Senior Systems Engineer - Team Lead with Security Clearance
Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer - Team Lead to support a company providing secure, high-assurance IT services for Department of Defense missions. This position is onsite in San Diego, CA . This is a contract-to-hire opportunity supporting a classified IL6 cloud modernization effort enabling mission-critical DoD operations. The Senior Systems Engineer - Team Lead will design, secure, and sustain Windows infrastructure operating within IL6 cloud environments while providing day-to-day technical leadership to the engineering team.

This role supports highly regulated DoD environments requiring strict cybersecurity and automation-first engineering standards. Responsibilities for the Senior Systems Engineer include:
• Engineer, secure, and sustain Windows Server environments within IL6 cloud architectures (Azure Government Secret, AWS Gov Cloud Secret).
• Implement automation-first infrastructure using Power Shell, scripting, and Infrastructure-as-Code (e.g., Terraform, ARM, Ansible).
• Harden systems in compliance with DISA STIGs, RMF controls, and DoD cybersecurity policy; support vulnerability and patch automation.
• Integrate Windows systems into Dev Sec Ops , CI/CD pipelines, Git Ops workflows, and containerized platform services.
• Troubleshoot and optimize mission infrastructure across compute, storage, identity, networking, and cloud layers.
• Serve as the day-to-day technical lead for the government customer-assign tasks, track delivery, coordinate engineering activities, and escalate risks.
• Ensure high availability, backup integrity, and continuity for mission-critical classified systems.

Required Qualifications for the Senior Systems Engineer include:
• 10+ years of relevant systems engineering experience
• Experience operating in DoD cybersecurity frameworks (RMF, STIG compliance)
• Expertise integrating Windows infrastructure into Dev Ops/Dev Sec Ops  automation workflows
• Strong scripting ability (Power Shell required; Python or Bash a plus)
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical teams in customer-facing DoD environments
• Certifications (IAT II - one required):
Security+, CySA+, CCNA Security, GICSP, GSEC, or SSCP
• Active Secret clearance (ability to support IL6 classified environment)

Preferred Experience for the Senior Systems Engineer include:
• Kubernetes or Open Shift exposure
• Experience supporting restricted classified environments
• Infrastructure-as-Code tooling (Terraform, ARM, Ansible, etc.)
• Container security and hardened image pipelines
• Microsoft cloud certifications (Azure Government focus)
• Advanced cloud cybersecurity certifications Compensation for the Senior Systems Engineer:
• Salary Range: $190,000-$200,000
• Full Benefits Package: PTO, Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, Tuition Reimbursement, Paid Maternity Leave, Military Reserve Pay Offset, Cigna Medical/Dental/Vision, Sick Leave as required by law, Holidays #LI-SA1 #LI-ONSITE /CD, Git Ops, Kubernetes, Open Shift, Classified IT, Vulnerability Management, Cloud Hardening, Secret Clearance, DoD IT, Mission Systems, San Diego CA, Systems Engineering Lead, Gov Cloud,