Automation Systems Engineer

Overview

A leading provider of edge computing hardware and defensive cybersecurity solutions is seeking a highly skilled Automation Systems Engineer to join its engineering team.

This role focuses on designing and engineering a complex automation framework to deploy secure production environments to physical hardware. You will support mission-driven customers by integrating hardware, software, networking, virtualization, and cybersecurity controls into cohesive, “secure by default” environments for cyber defense operations.

• Lead the design, implementation, testing, and maintenance of advanced Ansible playbooks, roles, and modules to automate deployment of defensive cyber infrastructure
• Engineer automation frameworks that deploy networking, server hardware, operating systems, containers, virtualization, and application stacks
• Automate configuration of physical hardware and network appliances (routers, firewalls, etc.)
• Integrate security controls such as STIG hardening and SELinux into automated deployment pipelines
• Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines (e.g., Git Hub Actions) to support automated testing and validation
• Collaborate with software development teams to build highly parameterized automation aligned with product stacks
• Translate mission and technical requirements into scalable automation solutions
• Support technical demonstrations and customer engagements
• Ensure engineering standards, cybersecurity controls, and best practices are consistently applied
• Document processes, workflows, and system configurations

• 6–8 years of experience as a Systems Engineer and/or Automation Engineer
• Expert-level proficiency with Ansible, including:
• Development and maintenance of playbooks, roles, modules
• Deep knowledge of Jinja2 templating, Collections, and configuration management
• Experience with Ansible Galaxy and Ansible Vault
• Automation of physical hardware and network devices
• Strong analytical and debugging skills within complex automation workflows
• Extensive hands-on experience with Fedora-based Linux distributions (RHEL, Rocky, Oracle), including:
• Driver and firmware management
• File systems and networking
• Security configuration and hardening
• Proficiency in Python and Bash scripting
• Experience with virtualization and container platforms (e.g., VMware, Kubernetes, Docker/Podman)
• Strong understanding of cybersecurity principles, infrastructure hardening, defense-in-depth, and compliance frameworks
• Knowledge of network protocols and architecture design
• Experience with patching strategies, authentication models, and log retention policies
• Experience with Git/Git Hub, CI/CD pipelines, and Agile project workflows (e.g., Jira)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Active driver’s license with clean driving record
• Experience supporting Defensive Cyber Operations within U.S. Government or Service Cyber Command environments
• Hands-on experience with defensive cyber platforms such as Security Onion, Splunk, Elastic, Zeek, and pf Sense
• Security certifications (e.g., CySA+, CISSP)
• Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain one
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related technical field

$125,000 - $145,000 a year