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

Infrastructure Management & Modernization

• Design, implement, and maintain hybrid cloud infrastructure supporting federal workloads across AWS GovCloud, 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, CloudFormation, and Ansible to ensure consistent, repeatable deployments

• Manage and optimize virtualized environments including VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, and containerized applications using Docker and Kubernetes

Security & Compliance

• 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

Operations & Performance Management

• Monitor system performance using enterprise tools such as Splunk, Nagios, or SolarWinds 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

Collaboration & Documentation

• 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

General Description of Benefits

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 GovCloud and Microsoft Azure Government, including services such as EC2, S3, RDS, Active Directory, and Azure Virtual Machines

• Experience with configuration management tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef) and Infrastructure as Code practices

• Knowledge of networking protocols, firewalls, load balancers, and VPN technologies in secure government environments

• Familiarity with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes) and CI/CD pipeline tools (Jenkins, GitLab, Azure DevOps)

• Experience with enterprise monitoring and logging solutions, database administration (SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL), and backup solutions

• Working knowledge of federal compliance frameworks including FedRAMP, FISMA, NIST 800-53, and DISA STIGs

• Experience with federal procurement processes, including understanding of FAR/DFAR requirements and contractor responsibilities

• Demonstrated ability to work within federal Change Control Boards and obtain necessary approvals for system modifications

• Experience supporting federal Authority to Operate (ATO) processes and security control assessments

• Advanced certifications such as CISSP, CISM, AWS Solutions Architect Professional, or Microsoft Azure Solutions Expert

• Experience with DevSecOps practices and security automation tools in federal environments

• Knowledge of federal enterprise architecture frameworks and experience with large-scale system migrations

• Previous experience working on federal IT modernization initiatives or digital transformation programs

• Familiarity with Agile/Scrum methodologies and experience working in cross-functional teams supporting federal clients

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical federal stakeholders

• Strong problem-solving abilities and capacity to work under pressure in mission-critical environments

• Demonstrated leadership capabilities and experience mentoring technical teams

• Flexibility to adapt to changing federal requirements and emerging technologies while maintaining security and compliance standards

#ECS1

ECS is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis any characteristic protected by law. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, or local jurisdiction law.

ECS is a leading mid-sized provider of technology services to the United States Federal Government. We are focused on people, values and purpose. Every day, our 3300+ employees focus on providing their technical talent to support the Federal Agencies and Departments of the US Government to serve, protect and defend the American People.