Deputy Chief Engineer

Overview

On Site
Depends on Experience
Contract - W2

Skills

Systems Engineering

Job Details

Deputy Chief Engineer
Washington, DC - On-Site
Full-Time Contract Position (6 months with strong possibility of extension and conversion to FTE)
Public Trust required

About Our Client
Our client is a leading technology and engineering services company supporting critical missions for federal government agencies. With decades of experience delivering complex IT modernization programs, they specialize in enterprise systems integration, cloud transformation, cybersecurity, and infrastructure services for mission-critical environments.

Job Description
We're seeking an exceptional Deputy Chief Engineer to provide hands-on technical leadership and oversight for a large-scale IT operations and modernization program supporting the U.S. Department of Justice. This senior-level position will drive engineering quality, systems integration, and technical execution across multiple domains including infrastructure, cloud platforms, cybersecurity, application development, and enterprise architecture. You'll serve as a key technical authority, ensuring alignment with enterprise architecture, security requirements, and operational excellence.

Duties and Responsibilities
• Serve as senior technical authority providing direction and oversight for systems design, integration, and implementation activities across the program
• Lead technical planning and execution for modernization initiatives including cloud adoption, DevSecOps integration, automation, and zero-trust architecture
• Ensure engineering approaches align with customer's enterprise architecture, security posture, and operational requirements
• Collaborate with government engineers to define technical strategy, conduct architecture reviews, and support decision-making for new capabilities
• Drive consistency and engineering best practices across networking, cloud, application development, cybersecurity, and endpoint services domains
• Coordinate with service leads and subject matter experts to ensure end-to-end solution integrity and technical coherence
• Support design and validation of new systems, tools, and platforms being transitioned into operational environments
• Lead system engineering life cycle (SELC) activities including requirements development, design, testing, and deployment planning
• Monitor and enforce adherence to technical standards, security controls, and compliance requirements (NIST, FISMA, FedRAMP)
• Identify and manage technical risks, dependencies, and cross-program impacts across engineering efforts
• Support root cause analysis of complex technical issues and develop comprehensive resolution strategies
• Oversee preparation and quality assurance of engineering documentation including architecture diagrams, integration plans, and as-built documentation
• Ensure delivery of SELC artifacts such as technical specifications, test plans, and implementation guides
• Manage security documentation including risk assessments, waivers, POA&Ms, and interconnection agreements
• Contribute to configuration management, change control, and versioning processes for critical systems
• Deliver technical briefings and presentations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders
Required Experience/Skills
• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related technical discipline
• Minimum 7 years of hands-on technical experience in engineering leadership roles within complex IT environments
• Demonstrated experience supporting federal or enterprise-level IT programs involving multiple technical disciplines
• Deep understanding of enterprise systems engineering, integration, and technical delivery practices
• Experience with IT modernization efforts including DevSecOps, infrastructure as code (IaC), and automation
• Familiarity with cloud-native platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform
• Knowledge of government security and compliance frameworks including NIST RMF, FedRAMP, and FISMA
• Excellent analytical, architectural, and problem-solving capabilities
• Strong leadership skills with ability to influence technical teams and collaborate across disciplines
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and stakeholder presentations
• U.S. citizenship required
• Ability to obtain and maintain Public Trust clearance
• Willingness to undergo personal disclosure and soft credit check for clearance screening
• Availability for minimal travel (up to 10%)

Nice-to-Haves
• Master's degree in technical field such as Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or Information Technology
• Active Public Trust clearance, particularly DOJ Public Trust clearance
• Professional certifications such as AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Architect, CISSP, ITIL, PMP, or SAFe
• Experience with federal System Engineering Life Cycle (SELC) or Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) frameworks
• Familiarity with collaborative engineering platforms such as ServiceNow, JIRA, or Confluence
• Previous experience working with Department of Justice or other federal law enforcement agencies
• Expertise in zero-trust architecture implementation and security frameworks
• Background in agile/DevSecOps methodologies and continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipelines
• Experience with configuration management and change control processes in federal environments

Education
Bachelor's degree required in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related technical discipline. Master's degree in technical field strongly preferred.

Pay & Benefits Summary
• Competitive hourly rate commensurate with experience and qualifications
• 6-month contract assignment with strong possibility of extension
• Excellent opportunity for conversion to full-time permanent employment
• Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance

Apply today to join our federal engineering team!
Keywords: Deputy Chief Engineer | Federal IT | Systems Engineering | Cloud Architecture | DevSecOps | Cybersecurity | Enterprise Architecture | DOJ | Public Trust Clearance | Washington DC Engineering Job
Employers have access to artificial intelligence language tools (“AI”) that help generate and enhance job descriptions and AI may have been used to create this description. The position description has been reviewed for accuracy and Dice believes it to correctly reflect the job opportunity.

About Catapult Solutions Group