What you will be doing

The System Engineer shall provide technical leadership for creating, tracking, and managing the integration of system requirements, software design, and various technology stacks into a scalable/sustainable/highly available mission solution. The System Engineer shall be responsible for the technical integrity of the work performed and deliverables associated with the System Engineering area of responsibility. The System Engineer shall also communicate with other program personnel, government stakeholders, and senior executives. In addition, the System Engineer shall provide Agile SCRUM Master leadership for one or more software development teams.

Position Required Skills

• Experience using the Linux CLI
• Experience with creating/modifying scripts using Bash/Python
• General technical HPC knowledge regarding compute, network, memory, and storage system components
• Familiar with traditional software development life-cycle
• Experience with design and development of complex technical systems
• Experience working with Product Owners and project stakeholders to gather and track project requirements
• Experience working with internal and external partners to communicate project status, activities, and achievements
• Demonstrated experience documenting complex technical solutions
• Experience Agile SCRUM Master
• Experience with the Atlassian Tool Suite (JIRA, Confluence)

Position Desired Skills

• Experience with Git Version Control System
• Familiar with CI/CD infrastructure tools including build, test, versioning and packaging
• Familiar with metrics visualization technologies such as Grafana and Kabana
• Experience with IaC principles and automation tools such as SaltStack, and Ansible
• Familiar with containerization technologies such as Docker
• Familiar with container orchestration technologies such as Kubernetes

Clearance:
Active TS/SCI with an appropriate polygraph is required to be considered for this role

Additional Information:

LCAT Description: Analyzes user's requirements, concept of operations documents, and high level system architectures to develop system requirements specifications. Analyzes system requirements and leads design and development activities. Guides users in formulating requirements, advises alternative approaches, and conducts feasibility studies. Provides technical leadership for the integration of requirements, design, and technology. Incorporates new plans, designs and systems into ongoing operations. Develops technical documentation. Develops system Architecture and system design documentation. Guides system development and implementation planning through assessment or preparation of system engineering management plans and system integration and test plans. Interacts with the Government regarding Systems Engineering technical considerations and for associated problems, issues or conflicts. Ultimate responsibility for the technical integrity of work performed and deliverables associated with the Systems Engineering area of responsibility. Communicates with other program personnel, government overseers, and senior executives.

The Level 3 System Engineer (SE) shall possess the following capabilities:

• Manage system requirements and derived requirements to ensure the delivery of production systems that are compatible with the defined system architecture(s) — Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF), Service-oriented Architecture (SOA), etc
• Contribute to the development of sections of systems engineering documentation such as System Engineering Plans, Initial Capabilities Documents, Requirements specifications, and Interface Control Documents
• Assist with the development of system requirements, functional requirements, and allocation of the same to individual hardware, software, facility, and personnel components
• Coordinate the resolution of action items from Configuration Control Board (CCB) meetings, design reviews, program reviews, and test reviews that require cross-discipline coordination
• Participate in an Integrated Product Team to design new capabilities based upon evaluation of all necessary development and operational considerations
• Allocate real-time process budgets and error budgets to systems and subsystem components
• Generate alternative system concepts, physical architectures, and design solutions
• Define the methods, processes, and evaluation criteria by which the systems, subsystems and work products are verified against their requirements in a written plan
• Develop system design solution that satisfies the system requirements and fulfills the functional analysis
• Review and provide input to program and contract work breakdown structure (WBS), work packages and the integrated master plan (IMP)
• Participate in the development of system engineering documentation, such as System Engineering Plans, Initial Capabilities Documents, Requirements Specifications, and Interface Control Documents
• Participate in interface definition, design, and changes to the configuration between affected groups and individuals throughout the life cycle
• Derive from the system requirements an understanding of stakeholder needs, functions that may be logically inferred and implied as essential to system effectiveness
• Derive lower-level requirements from higher-level allocated requirements that describe in detail the functions that a system component must fulfill, and ensure these requirements are complete, correct, unique, unambiguous, realizable, and verifiable
• Participate in establishing and gaining approval of the definition of a system or component under development (requirements, designs, interfaces, test procedures, etc.) that provides a common reference point for hardware and software developers
• Develop derived requirements for Information Assurance Services (Confidentiality, Integrity, Non repudiation, and Availability); Basic Information Assurance Mechanisms (e.g., Identification, Authentication, Access Control, Accountability); and Security Mechanism Technology (Passwords, cryptography, discretionary access control, mandatory access control, hashing, key management, etc.)
• Implement comprehensive SOA solutions
• Implement operational view, technical standards view, and system and services view for architectures using applicable DoDAF standards
• Review and/or approve system engineering documentation to ensure that processes and specifications meet system needs and are accurate, comprehensive, and complete
• Capture all interface designs in a common interface control format, and store interface data in a commonly accessible repository
• Assess each risk to the program and determine the probability of occurrence and quantified consequence of failure in accordance with an approved risk management plan
• In conjunction with system stakeholders, plan the verification efforts of new and unproven designs early in the development life cycle to ensure compliance with established requirements
• Prepare time-line analysis diagrams illustrating the flow of time-dependent functions
• Establish a process to formally and proactively control and manage changes to
• requirements, consider impacts prior to commitment to change, gain stakeholder buy-in, eliminate ambiguity, ensure traceability to source requirements, and track and settle open actions
• Manage and ensure the technical integrity of the system baseline over time, continually updating it as various changes are imposed on the system during the lifecycle from development through deployment and operations & maintenance
• Support the planning and test analysis of the DoD Certification/Accreditation Process (as well as other Government Certification and Accreditation (C&A) processes)
• Support the development and review of Joint Capability Integration Development System (JCIDS) documents (i.e., Initial Capability Document, Capabilities Description Document, IA Strategy)
• Provide technical direction for the development, engineering, interfacing, integration, and testing of specific components of complex hardware/software systems to include requirements elicitation, analysis and functional allocation, conducting systems requirements reviews, developing concepts of operation and interface standards, developing system architectures, and performing technical/non-technical assessment and management as well as end-to-end flow analysis
• Develop scenarios (threads) and an Operational Concept that describes the interactions between the system, the user, and the environment, that satisfies operational, support, maintenance, and disposal needs
• Conduct quantitative analysis in non-functional system performance areas like Reliability, Maintainability, Vulnerability, Survivability, Produce ability, etc.)
• Establish and follow a formal procedure for coordinating system integration activities among multiple teams, ensuring complete coverage of all interfaces
• Develop comprehensive SOA solutions
• Develop operational view, technical standards view, and system and services view for architectures using applicable DoDAF standards
• Conduct and/or approve end-to-end system trade analyses to optimize system operations over its life-cycle through the proper balance of non-functional system performance areas
• Use validated models, simulations, and prototyping to mitigate risk and reduce cost of system development
• Ensure effective, periodic review and control of the evolving configuration of a system, both hardware and software components and associated documentation, during the life of the system
• Serve as a member of the CCB
• Develop system design alternatives that consider life cycle cost, reuse, complexity, risk, system expansion, and growth
• Develop alternative courses of action, workarounds, and fall-back positions with a recommended course of action for each risk, and monitor and re-evaluate risks at appropriate milestones. Monitors risks using earned value management (EVM) data
• Maintain knowledge of current and evolving agency, national, and international standards applicable to the system development of interest. Apply and enforce use of suitable standards to ensure consistency and interoperability of developer hardware and software
• As a participant within an Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) effort, recommend a preferred solution based on selection criteria adjusted for reasonableness and validity of assumptions, technology limitations, environmental impact, and life-cycle costs
• Provide technical direction for the development, engineering, interfacing, integration, and testing of all components of complex hardware/software systems to include requirements elicitation, analysis and functional allocation, conducting systems requirements reviews, developing concepts of operation and interface standards, developing system architectures, and performing technical/non-technical assessment and management as well as end-to-end flow analysis
• Improve standard integration strategies based upon rationale for previous decisions that resulted in improved integration performance
• Fully define interfaces in terms of origination, destination, stimulus, and data characteristics for software; and electrical and mechanical characteristics for hardware

Qualifications:

Twenty (20) years' experience as a SE in programs and contracts of similar scope, type and complexity is required. Demonstrated experience in planning and leading Systems Engineering efforts is required. Bachelor's degree in System Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required. Five (5) years of additional SE experience may be substituted for a bachelor's degree.

**COVID-19 Vaccination: Praxis does not have a vaccination mandate applicable to all employees. To protect the health and safety of its employees and to comply with customer requirements, however, Praxis may require employees in certain positions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination requirements will depend on the status of the federal contractor mandate and customer site requirements.**

Who are we?
Praxis Engineering* was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Annapolis Junction MD - with growing offices in Chantilly VA and Aberdeen MD.

Praxis Engineering is a consulting, product, and solutions firm dedicated to the practical application of software and system engineering technologies to solve complex problems.

With over 350 employees supporting more than 50 contracts, Praxis brings together world class engineers with proven engineering best practices, domain expertise, commercial technologies and proven agile management approaches to create high value solutions aimed at helping our customers meet their most critical business and mission objectives.

• Praxis Engineering is a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics IT.

Why Praxis?
We are focused on continual learning and evolution. We don’t do things because “that’s the way we’ve always done things”; we listen to our employees and adapt to the changing marketplace. We look at the big picture and encourage our engineers to get training and certifications in emerging technologies that will help shape our customer’s mission. We've been profitable year after year. We're always on the lookout for great engineers to join the team and we recognize that our employees are the heart and soul of what we do. We focus on recruiting talented people, treating them right, and then allowing them to do what they do best. No red tape. No micromanagement. Smart people want to work with smart people, and we love people who are passionate about what they do, and finding ways to do it better.

And then there is the...

Benefits

• Attractive total compensation package to include competitive salary and medical benefits with an option for FREE employee HSA medical plan!
• Office perks such as free soft drinks and snacks (both healthy and not-so-healthy)
• Praxis swag (annual gift certificate to purchase top brand Praxis apparel)
• Comprehensive health insurance plans to include FREE Employee HSA Medical plan.
• Parental leave
• 401k contribution/match: combination of profit share/contribution (3.5%) and employer match (up to 4.5%) for a total of 8%.
• Annual bonus plan
• Four weeks Paid Time Off (to start!) + 10 holidays + comp time eligibility. Additional 1 week added on 5 year anniversary (5 weeks of PTO altogether) and 10 year anniversary (6 weeks of PTO altogether)
• Training is a priority! Take advantage of our endless in-house training opportunities - or seek out vendor offered (paid) training opportunities like conferences, certification courses and seminars.
  • Conferences (recently attended by Praxis employees): AWS Summit, IoT World, Black Hat and DefCon.
  • Training & Certifications: Splunk, AWS, Big Data/Cloudera, VMWare, Scrum Master...the list of certifications goes on and on!
  • Praxis University: Cyber Research, Data Analytics, IoT, AWS and RedHat course offerings and hands-on training.
• We truly believe the right work-life balance can exist, and it's here at Praxis. Our work is extremely important, but your job is just a part of who you are. When you enjoy your life outside of our walls, you're at your best the next time you walk through our doors. We do all we can to assure that happens every day.

Praxis Engineering provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, or any other protected class.