Lead Automation Engineer

Overview

LEAD AUTOMATION ENGINEER (NAUT):

Bowhead seeks a high-performing Lead Automation Engineer to join our team in Rosslyn, VA. The Lead Automation Engineer will act as the technical specialist responsible for developing, securing, and implementing robust Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and scripting solutions to drive the transition of a legacy on-premises infrastructure to a modern, cloud-enabled environment. This role will focus on maximizing efficiency through automation, optimizing resource utilization, and mentoring sub-teams on DevSecOps practices.

This position is located near a metro station and a travel stipend may be provided if necessary.

Responsibilities

Automation Engineering & Leadership:

● Serve as the lead technical engineer for the design, development, and securing of various IaC and scripting technologies across the full system lifecycle.

● Pro-actively identify manual, repetitive, or cross-functional tasks and develop automation solutions to improve team efficiency and operational quality.

● Define and enforce technical standards, architecture patterns, and design principles for all automation and IaC solutions.

● Lead the development and implementation of the new target cloud solution, ensuring alignment with engineering and security best practices.

Cloud & DevSecOps Implementation:

● Design, implement, and maintain robust Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) pipelines utilizing tools like GitLab for source control and automation.

● Manage and provision cloud infrastructure on AWS using Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools, primarily Terraform.

● Implement containerization and orchestration strategies for cloud-native workloads.

● Responsible for monitoring and optimizing cloud spend by implementing cost-aware designs and automated governance tools.

● Ensure all cloud deployments and operational practices adhere to security baselines, including DoD security requirements and Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs).

Mentorship & Governance:

● Coach and train sub-teams on new automation technologies, cloud best practices, DevSecOps methodologies, and security compliance.

● Collaborate with security and governance teams to ensure the environment meets all required federal and DoD standards.

● Assist with documentation related to automation architecture, security controls, and operational procedures.

Qualifications

● BA/S in a relevant technical field preferred. Years of experience may substitute the education requirement.

● Ten (10+) years of relevant technical experience, with at least four (4+) years focused on cloud automation and DevSecOps, and at least six (6+) years focused on DoD aligned problem sets.

● Expertise in developing and implementing robust automation solutions within a major public cloud platform, specifically AWS.

● Strong proficiency with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using Terraform.

● Extensive experience with CI/CD implementation and management using tools like GitLab.

● Deep understanding of DoD security standards, hardening baselines, and compliance frameworks (e.g., STIGs, RMF).

● Ability to design scalable, secure, and highly available enterprise-level cloud solutions.

● Experience with container orchestration technologies (e.g., Kubernetes), virtualization technologies (VMWare)

● Strong communication and leadership skills, with proven experience mentoring and leading technical teams.

Nice to Have:

● Experience with advanced IaC tooling like Flux, Packer and Terragrunt.

● Familiarity with secrets management platforms such as HashiCorp Vault.

● AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional or AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty certification.

Physical Demands:

● Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds

● Must be able to stand and walk for prolonged amounts of time

● Must be able to twist, bend and squat periodically

This position is an ‘in office’ position, based out of Rosslyn, VA, with occasional travel to Herndon, VA, Joint Base Anacostia Bolling, and the Pentagon.

SECURITY CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS: Must be able to maintain a security clearance at the Top Secret level with SCI eligibility and maintain SAP eligibility. Due to work requirements, this position will not entertain work from home capabilities. US Citizenship is a requirement for this contract.

#LI-KC1

Applicants may be subject to a pre-employment drug & alcohol screening and/or random drug screen, and must follow UIC’s Non-DOT Drug & Alcohol Testing Program requirements. If the position requires, an applicant must pass a pre-employment criminal background history check. All post-secondary education listed on the applicant’s resume/application may be subject to verification.

Where driving may be required or where a rental car must be obtained for business travel purposes, applicants must have a valid driver license for this position and will be subject to verification. In addition, the applicant must pass an in-house, online, driving course to be authorized to drive for company purposes.

UIC is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, age, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other protected characteristics EOE/D/V. In furtherance, pursuant to The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act 43 U.S.C. Sec. 1601 et seq., and federal contractual requirements, UIC and its subsidiaries may legally grant certain preference in employment opportunities to UIC Shareholders and their Descendants, based on the provisions contained within The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. Please view Equal Employment Opportunity postershere ( .

All candidates must apply online at , and submit a completed application for all positions they wish to be considered. Once the employment application has been completed and submitted, any changes to the application after submission may not be reviewed. Please contact a UIC HR Recruiter if you have made a significant change to your application. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), persons unable to complete an online application should contact UIC Human Resources for assistance .

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)

UIC Government Services (UICGS / Bowhead) provides innovative business solutions to federal and commercial customers in the areas of engineering, maintenance services, information technology, program support, logistics/base support, and procurement. Collectively, the fast-growing Bowhead Family of Companies offers a breadth of services which are performed with a focus on quality results. Headquartered in Springfield, VA, we are a fast-growing, multi-million-dollar company recognized as a top Alaska Native Corporation providing services across the Department of Defense and many federal agencies. Bowhead offers competitive benefits including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment, short/long-term disability, and 401(k) retirement plans as well as a paid time off programs for eligible full-time employees. Eligible part-time employees are able to participate in the 401(k) retirement plans and state or contract required paid time off programs.

Join our Talent Community!

Join our Talent Community ( to receive updates on new opportunities and future events.

ID 2026-24968

Category Engineering

Location : Location US-VA-Arlington

Minimum Clearance Required Top Secret/SCI

Travel Requirement N/A