Description
We are seeking a Principal Engineer / Technical Lead to support the Compartmented Enterprise Services Office (CESO) in Arlington, VA. This role involves building a modern Secure Web Service (SWS) operation on a cutting-edge, highly automated platform designed to support a rapidly expanding customer base.
You will help drive CESO's migration to a high-security cloud environment, delivering key capabilities such as network and communication services, monitoring services, and system administration.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Engineer and architect the database architecture to support modernization initiatives
- Translate mission outcomes and prioritized product backlog items into technical delivery plans and sprint goals
- Develop, maintain, and evolve a modernized database architecture aligned to modernization initiatives, including cloud adoption
- Design, implement, and test database architecture solutions that improve scalability, resilience, security, and performance
- Re-engineer and transition legacy databases to modernized architectures while enabling coexistence across on-premises and cloud ecosystems
- Gather, define, and refine database and reporting requirements for internal and external users
- Maintain enterprise architecture documentation and technical artifacts
- Lead development and integration of secure APIs, data pipelines
- Implement DevSecOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, automated testing, observability, and security controls
- Implement software release version control and provide release management support
Organizational & Technical Leadership:
- Define and drive long-term technical strategy and architectural direction across teams
- Oversee the design and delivery of scalable, secure, and maintainable software solutions
- Serve as a senior technical authority and escalation point for cross-team and cross-domain issues
- Champion engineering excellence, including automated testing, CI/CD, reliability, and security
- Establish standards, best practices, and governance for software development
- Guide the responsible adoption of generative AI tools across engineering teams
People Management & Leadership Development:
- Lead, manage, and develop senior engineers and technical teams
- Own performance management, career development, succession planning, and talent growth
- Build and sustain a high-performing, inclusive engineering culture
- Coach leaders on effective team management, delivery, and technical decision-making
Delivery & Execution:
- Own delivery outcomes across Agile teams, ensuring predictability and quality
- Partner with product and business stakeholders to align roadmaps, priorities, and execution
- Ensure effective Agile practices, metrics, and continuous improvement using Jira
- Balance near-term delivery with long-term platform and technical investments
- Incorporate customer feedback, operational insights, and data to drive product improvements
Cross-Functional & Executive Collaboration:
- Act as a key engineering representative in cross-functional and leadership discussions
- Communicate technical vision, risks, and progress to senior leadership
- Influence product strategy through deep understanding of users and technical constraints
- Drive alignment across engineering, product, design, and operations
Basic Qualifications:
- Active TS/SCI security clearance
- BA and 12+ years of experience
- Proven track record of leading multiple teams and delivering complex software systems
- Demonstrated leadership skills and attention to detail
- Minimum of 10 years of hands-on technical experience in at least three of the following areas: Oracle, SQL Server, Java, engineered systems, cloud technologies, data integration, automated testing and deployments, and DevSecOps
- Hands-on full-SDLC Agile Software Development experience
- Experience designing, building, and deploying DevOps pipelines with Bitbucket, Git, Jenkins, Artifactory, and Ansible
- Exceptional leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
- Experience working in a high op-temp, top-secret environment
- Previous experience tracking projects in Jira or equivalent Agile Project Management software
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior experience with DISA and DISA's support to mission partners
- Prior experience leading database modernization and transformation initiatives
- Experience in high-availability, mission-critical, or large-scale federal enterprise systems
- Demonstrated success leading teams responsible for database architecture standards, engineering governance, integration, and technical problem resolution
- Experience working in environments that require close coordination with government stakeholders, cross-functional technical teams, and multiple contractors