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Systems Engineer

innovatustech

We specialize in cybersecurity and information assurance, cloud and infrastructure engineering, DevSecOps, and mission systems support. ⁠ Position overview Innovatus is seeking a hands-on Systems Engineer to support the Data Fusion Lab.

About innovatustech

Founded in 2012 and headquartered in San Diego, CA, Innovatus is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) and Minority Business Enterprise (MBE).

Responsibilities

  • Innovatus Technology Consulting Location: Customer site / program location (Data Fusion Lab) — on-site or hybrid as required Employment type: Full-time Clearance: Active U.S. security clearance required (Secret minimum; higher clearance preferred if the lab environment requires it) Citizenship: U.S. citizenship required About Innovatus Innovatus Technology Consulting delivers technology frameworks, products, and services that help government and defense customers achieve mission success.
  • This is not a traditional enterprise help-desk or office-IT role.
  • You will own the lab’s development, integration, simulation, and test infrastructure—hardware, Windows and Linux, virtualization, containers, and authorization posture—so developers can keep shipping capability.
  • You will treat ATO and security requirements as engineering constraints to solve, not reasons to stop work.
  • What you will do Provide hardware support and day-to-day operations for lab systems (compute, storage, networking, and related peripherals).
  • Deliver Windows OS, Linux OS, and application support across development, integration, and test environments.
  • Support containers and orchestration, including Podman, Docker, and Kubernetes.
  • Support OpenStack and virtual machine environments used for development, simulation, and test.
  • STIG hardening, patching, backups, ACAS/Tenable scanning, and remediation.
  • Automate operations with shell, PowerShell, and related scripting (provisioning, configuration, hardening, scanning, monitoring, inventory, evidence collection, and repeatable builds).
  • Maintain RMF / ATO artifacts and processes: SSPs, POA&Ms, continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, change control, and authorization evidence (including eMASS as applicable).
  • Own infrastructure, cybersecurity, RMF documentation, change-control, and ATO implications so developers stay focused on delivering capability.
  • When a developer request conflicts with the authorized baseline, find the fastest secure, compliant path forward—do not default to “no” or immediately escalate.
  • Translate developer needs into control language and security requirements into practical engineering solutions; bridge developers and cybersecurity personnel without making developers into RMF experts.
  • Support high-performance and simulation workloads, networking, storage, identity, and distributed systems as used in the lab.
  • Provisioning, configuration, STIG hardening, scanning, monitoring, inventory, evidence collection, configuration validation, and repeatable builds.
  • Core technical tasking Hardware support Windows / Linux / application support Container support (Podman / Docker / Kubernetes) Compliance assurance (STIG, patch, backup, ACAS scan/remediation) Scripting and automation (Shell, PowerShell, and similar) OpenStack VM support Preferred qualifications Active Secret or higher clearance already adjudicated Direct experience supporting Navy / NAVWAR / DoD lab or range environments Experience with classified or tightly controlled networks Infrastructure-as-code and configuration-management tooling (e.g., Ansible) in addition to shell/PowerShell Familiarity with DevSecOps pipelines in authorized environments Success in this role looks like Developers get a secure path forward quickly instead of a stop-work answer.
  • STIGs, scans, patches, backups, and evidence are routine and largely automated.

Requirements

  • Maintaining development velocity is at least equal in priority to maintaining the authorized security posture.
  • A strong candidate already interviewed for another Innovatus role aligns well with this position and is interested; we are also open to additional qualified applicants.
  • Mission-enablement mindset — Treat ATO/security requirements as solvable engineering constraints.
  • Development velocity and authorized posture are co-equal priorities.
  • Rapid, solution-oriented problem solving — When requests conflict with the baseline, identify a compliant path rather than blocking or escalating first.
  • Ability to minimize developer overhead — Own infrastructure, cyber, RMF documentation, change control, and ATO impact.
  • Development/test infrastructure experience — Hands-on support of software development, integration, DevSecOps, simulation, and test environments (not primarily corporate/office IT).
  • Linux / virtualization / cloud skills — RHEL/Linux, OpenStack, VMs, containers (Podman/Docker/Kubernetes), networking, storage, identity, distributed systems, and high-performance/simulation workloads.
  • Practical ATO/RMF expertise — Hands-on maintenance of government ATOs: RMF, NIST SP 800-53, STIGs, SSPs, POA&Ms, continuous monitoring, vulnerability management, change control, and authorization evidence.
  • Risk understanding, not checklist-only compliance — Know why controls exist, what risk they mitigate, and how to apply alternative mitigations within the authorization / risk-acceptance process.

Preferred

  • Bridge between developers and cybersecurity — Translate both directions without forcing developers to become RMF experts.
  • Government / DoW environment experience — DoW/DoD ATO environments, eMASS, ACAS/Tenable, DISA STIGs, and controlled or classified environments.
  • Change control and RMF paperwork do not become the developers’ problem.

Automation

  • The lab stays inside its ATO while environments stay current and usable.
  • Cyber and engineering speak the same language because you translate both sides.