Senior IT Specialist

The senior IT Specialist will provide senior-level information technology leadership and technical support for the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL). The position is responsible for designing, managing, securing, and sustaining hybrid cloud and on-premises computing environments that enable scientific, engineering, administrative, and programmatic work. The senior IT Specialist will support cybersecurity compliance, infrastructure accreditation and certification, and reliable access to computing, networking, and communications platforms required for contract performance.

• Serve as the senior IT technical lead supporting NRL’s computing, networking, communications, and information-system requirements across contract activities.
• Design, manage, and sustain large-scale hybrid cloud environments and on-premises data centers supporting scientific, engineering, programmatic, and administrative workloads.
• Ensure company personnel have reliable access to authorized computing, networking, and communication platforms needed to execute mission requirements.
• Engineer, implement, and maintain Zero Trust Architecture, including micro-segmentation and Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) capabilities.
• Apply Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) and support cybersecurity activities conducted under the Risk Management Framework (RMF).
• Support NRL requirements to maintain organizational accreditations, certifications, and compliance for IT infrastructure, networks, and related systems.
• Coordinate with NRL technical, security, and program personnel to identify IT requirements, resolve infrastructure issues, and support secure mission operations.
• Provide technical oversight for configuration, security hardening, maintenance, monitoring, and lifecycle support of servers, networks, cloud resources, endpoints, and associated services.
• Support secure integration of analytical, modeling, data acquisition, and engineering software used by technical staff, including platforms supporting numerical analysis, statistics, data logging, user interfaces, controls, 3-D design, analysis, and modeling.
• Assist with integration and sustainment of systems supporting corrosion sensors, data logging, monitoring and control instrumentation, wireless devices, and experimental test platforms.
• Develop and maintain technical documentation, system configurations, implementation procedures, security artifacts, and other records needed to demonstrate compliance and support operations.
• Identify IT and cybersecurity risks, recommend mitigation strategies, and coordinate corrective actions to maintain availability, integrity, confidentiality, and mission continuity.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance to other IT personnel and coordinate specialized support resources as needed to meet contract and task-order requirements.
• Participate in technical reviews, program meetings, and planning activities and provide status, risks, recommendations, and action-item updates related to IT services and cybersecurity.
• Support rapid response to IT requirements associated with NRL activities and other approved government locations, including short-notice requirements when necessary.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Cybersecurity, Information Systems Management, Systems Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 10 years of information technology experience, including demonstrated leadership in the design and management of large-scale hybrid cloud environments and on-premises data centers.
• Active certifications required for compliance with applicable Department of Defense requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to engineer and implement Zero Trust Architecture, micro-segmentation, and Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) solutions.
• Experience applying DISA STIGs and navigating the Risk Management Framework (RMF).
• Experience supporting secure IT infrastructure in DoD, Navy, federal research, laboratory, or similarly regulated environments is strongly preferred.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity, network and systems administration, infrastructure architecture, cloud technologies, identity management, configuration management, and security compliance.
• Ability to communicate technical issues clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders and prepare concise documentation, reports, and recommendations.
• Active Secret security clearance required.