Platform Engineer

• Designing, implementing, and optimizing large-scale data ingest and processing systems in a Big Data environment
• Installing, configuring, upgrading, and maintaining on-premises Elasticsearch clusters, including routine cluster health checks, shard allocation, index maintenance, and custom dashboard development for performance tuning and capacity planning
• Designing, writing, and maintaining SaltStack states, pillars, and orchestration workflows to automate server provisioning, configuration compliance, and patch management across on-premises RHEL servers
• Building and maintaining end-to-end CI/CD pipelines in GitLab CI and Jenkins that integrate automated builds, artifact publishing, and system deployments
• Developing automation scripts in Bash, PowerShell, and Python for ad-hoc operational tasks, bulk provisioning, and monitoring plug-in development
• Leading the integration of third-party software, prototyping emerging technologies through Proof-of-Concept initiatives, and establishing migration paths that minimize operational impact
• Producing high-quality run-books, SOPs, architectural diagrams, and technical documentation in Confluence and Markdown while collaborating across engineering teams, vendors, and stakeholders

• High School Diploma/GED with 4+ years of progressively responsible experience in platform engineering, data engineering, software development, or systems administration
• 2+ years of hands-on experience administering and patching RHEL/CentOS Linux servers in production, including server provisioning, configuration compliance, and hardware troubleshooting
• 2+ years of proven experience writing and maintaining SaltStack states, pillars, and orchestration workflows (or comparable IaC tools such as Ansible, Chef, or Puppet)
• Demonstrated experience installing, configuring, upgrading, and troubleshooting Elasticsearch clusters, including Kibana, Beats, and Elastic Stack security features
• Experience building and maintaining end-to-end CI/CD pipelines using GitLab CI, Jenkins, or similar automation tools to publish artifacts and drive automated deployments
• Strong scripting experience and proficiency in Bash, Python, or PowerShell for workflow automation, bulk provisioning, and monitoring plug-in development
• Experience integrating third-party software into existing infrastructure and producing comprehensive technical documentation, run-books, and SOPs in Confluence or Markdown, * Advanced experience with large-scale Elasticsearch deployments, cluster health optimization, and multi-node scaling
• Advanced proficiency in Configuration Management and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) utilizing SaltStack, Ansible, or Puppet
• Practical knowledge of containerization and orchestration technologies, such as Docker and Kubernetes
• Proven experience supporting mission-critical data operations and platform engineering initiatives within secure government environments

Clearance Requirements:

• An active TS/SCI with Polygraph is required for this position.

Physical Requirements:

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time.
• Needs to occasionally move about inside the office to access file cabinets, office machinery, etc.
• Frequently communicates with co-workers, management, and customers, which may involve delivering presentations. Must be able to exchange accurate information in these situations.