Senior Automation Engineer (5337)

Senior Automation Engineer

Patuxent River, MD SMX is seeking a highly skilled and self-directed Senior Automation Engineer to design, implement, and manage infrastructure automation across our Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) network. This hands-on, senior-level role is critical for accelerating network provisioning, streamlining virtualization management, and optimizing general system administration. The ideal candidate will bridge network engineering, virtualization, and systems administration by leveraging Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles.

This position requires a proactive leader capable of executing tasks independently and driving automation projects from conception to completion within a secure, high-stakes environment.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead and execute complex infrastructure automation projects independently, driving initiatives from requirements gathering to deployment.
• Develop, maintain, and execute automation scripts and playbooks using Python, Ansible, and Terraform to streamline infrastructure management.
• Automate network provisioning and security policy enforcement, particularly within Cisco Software-Defined Access (SDA) environments.
• Automate deployment, configuration, and management actions within VMware Cloud Foundation (vCF) and VMware NSX.
• Streamline general system administration and configuration management tasks across both RHEL and Windows operating systems.
• Maintain version control and collaborative development workflows using Git.
• Ensure all automated configurations and deployments adhere to stringent DoD security standards and Zero Trust principles.
• Serve as a technical authority on automation, providing mentorship and guidance on best practices for scalable, automated infrastructure.

Required Skills & Experience

• Clearance Level Required: Secret Must have ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret clearance
• 7+ years of related experience
• Senior-Level Execution: Proven ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and lead technical projects without requiring close supervision.
• Automation & Scripting: Extensive, hands-on expertise with Python, Ansible, and Terraform for infrastructure automation. Proficiency with Git for version control.
• Virtualization & SDN: Deep knowledge of VMware Cloud Foundation (vCF) and VMware NSX, with a track record of automating actions within these environments.
• Network Provisioning: Experience with Cisco SDA (Software-Defined Access) and automating complex network infrastructure provisioning.
• Systems Administration: Strong background in general system administration for both Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) and Windows environments.
• Certifications: DoD 8140/8570 compliance (e.g., CompTIA Security+ or higher) is required

Desired Qualifications

• Relevant vendor certifications (e.g., VMware, Cisco, Terraform, Red Hat) are highly desirable.
• RDT&E Experience: Previous experience operating within or supporting an RDT&E network environment is highly preferred.

The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.

The proposed salary for this position is:

$105,100 - $175,000 USD

SMX is an Equal Opportunity employer including disabilities and veterans.

Selected applicant may be subject to a background investigation and/or education verification.

SMX does not sponsor a new applicant for employment authorization or immigration related support for this position.