Lead Systems Engineer

Ad Hoc is a technology company that empowers organizations to deliver scalable, impactful digital services. Using modern, agile methods, our team creates products that meet people’s needs and transform their experience of government.

Our collaborations have shaped some of the defining moments in public-sector service delivery. We’ve helped build products that connect Veterans to tailored services, help millions access affordable health care, and support important programs like Head Start. As we work with agencies to deliver critical services, we’re also changing how the government approaches technology.

Our culture, communications, and tools are built for remote work, enabling us to bring together top talent nationwide. At Ad Hoc, remote life empowers our teams to design work environments that fit their lives and that foster flexibility and collaboration to achieve positive outcomes for our customers.

Ad Hoc values acceptance, accountability, and humility. We aren’t heroes. We learn from our mistakes and improve the process for the next time. We build small, inclusive teams to collaborate closely with our partners to solve the right problems and deliver software that works.

The Veterans Affairs business unit helps transform the VA into a modern digital services organization where Veteran outcomes are at the center of every effort. We partner with the VA to design and deliver seamless user experiences for Veterans, their families and caregivers, and VA employees. By applying better practices in service design, product management, and technology, we enable the VA to increase the use, quality, and reliability of services and decrease the time Veterans spend waiting for outcomes.

As a Lead Systems Engineer, you will provide technical leadership for the team that operates and maintains the cloud infrastructure behind a large federal enterprise cloud platform, which runs around the clock. Alongside hands-on engineering, you will guide and mentor a small team, help set technical direction, and ensure the platform stays secure, stable, and performant. Primary expectations of a Lead Systems Engineer include:

• →Providing technical leadership for the operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of cloud infrastructure (AWS) and supporting systems
• →Leading and mentoring a small team of engineers, including task coordination, guidance, and professional development
• →Setting technical direction and standards for systems engineering and operations and maintenance practices
• →Performing and overseeing patching, upgrades, configuration management, and standardized baseline maintenance
• →Supporting Kubernetes (Amazon EKS) infrastructure and core platform services
• →Troubleshooting and resolving complex infrastructure, networking, and performance issues
• →Automating infrastructure operations and configuration through infrastructure as code (Terraform)
• →Supporting platform security and compliance, including ATO sustainment and audit readiness
• →Supporting hiring, performance management, timecard reviews, PTO, and team development
• →Participating in technical depth interviews with new candidates

• Bachelor's and 9+ years of experience; relevant experience may be substituted for education
• Demonstrated experience operating and maintaining cloud infrastructure (AWS preferred), including in a technical lead capacity
• Experience mentoring or leading engineers, with some people-management responsibilities
• Expert-level knowledge of at least one infrastructure-as-code tool (Terraform preferred)
• Deep command of systems administration, networking, containerization, and core DevOps concepts
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Public Trust / suitability determination

• Prior experience with the Department of Veterans Affairs
• Kubernetes (Amazon EKS) experience; familiarity with FedRAMP and NIST 800-53
• Relevant certifications (e.g., AWS, Certified Kubernetes Administrator, Security+)