Systems Engineer

ITnova is seeking Systems Engineer  to support technology modernization and cybersecurity initiatives for airport, transportation, and government clients. 

The successful candidate will help clients understand their existing technology environments, identify operational and cybersecurity risks, and develop practical future-state architectures and improvement roadmaps. This position combines strategic thinking with direct participation in assessments, architecture development, documentation, and client recommendations. 

 Prior airport experience is preferred but not required. ITnova is seeking someone who can learn the airport ecosystem, understand how systems work together, and apply strong cybersecurity and systems engineering principles. 

Key Responsibilities 

• Conduct technology and cybersecurity assessments through stakeholder interviews, document reviews, technical workshops, and facility walkthroughs.
• Document current-state environments, including systems, applications, infrastructure, interfaces, data flows, dependencies, and security controls.
• Develop future-state technology and cybersecurity architectures aligned with client strategy, operational needs, resilience, budget, and risk.
• Identify technology gaps, cybersecurity vulnerabilities, lifecycle concerns, integration limitations, and single points of failure.
• Prepare prioritized recommendations, implementation of roadmaps, architecture diagrams, assessment reports, and executive presentations.
• Evaluate cybersecurity posture using frameworks such as NIST CSF, NIST SP 800 -series guidance, Zero Trust, and other applicable standards.
• Recommend improvements related to network segmentation, identity and access management, cloud security, monitoring, incident response, vulnerability management, vendor access, data protection, and business continuity.
• Support environments that may include airport operational systems, passenger-processing systems, physical security, communications, building automation, enterprise IT, operational technology, data platforms, and cloud services.
• Support feasibility studies, requirements development, procurement documents, technical evaluations, proposals, and client presentations.
• Work directly with client executives, operations personnel, engineers, IT teams, cybersecurity teams, and vendors.
• Provide technical leadership while remaining personally involved in producing project deliverables. 

Required Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, cybersecurity, information systems, or a related discipline.
• Eight or more years of relevant experience in cybersecurity, systems engineering, technology architecture, or consulting.
• Strong knowledge of cybersecurity architecture, risk management, incident response, vulnerability management, cloud security, and technology modernization.
• Experience assessing complex technology environments and developing practical recommendations.
• Ability to create current-state and future-state diagrams, technical assessments, roadmaps, reports, and presentations.
• Understanding of system integration, data flows, network architecture, third-party connectivity, operational resilience, and IT/OT security.
• Strong written, analytical, presentation, and client-facing skills.
• Willingness to work in a small-business environment where senior personnel contribute directly to project delivery.
• Ability to travel to client locations as required.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Experience with airports, transportation, government, or critical infrastructure.
• Familiarity with airport operational, passenger-processing, physical-security, communications, facilities, or building-automation systems.
• Experience with IT/OT environments, ICS/SCADA, cloud platforms, SIEM, EDR, identity management, or Zero Trust architecture.
• Experience developing technical requirements, feasibility studies, RFPs, vendor evaluations, or technology modernization roadmaps.
• Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CCSP, GIAC, AWS, Azure, or equivalent.  

 ** Must be a US Citizen 

**This position is Hybrid, must be in the Washington DC/Baltimore MD area. 

Benefits:    

• • Dental & Vision benefits  
  • Company paid life Insurance   
  • 401k  
  • Paid-time-off  
  • Paid holidays  

ITnova is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other protected characteristic.