Test & Validation Integration Engineer

Location: Chantilly, VA
Work Arrangement: 100% Onsite – 5 Days per Week
Security Clearance: Active TS/SCI Required
Position: Test & Validation / Systems Integration Engineering

Job Summary

PGTEK is seeking a skilled Test & Validation Integration Engineer to support a federal customer in Chantilly, VA. This position serves as the critical link between laboratory staging and field deployment, ensuring enterprise infrastructure is fully integrated, tested, validated, and ready for production before reaching operational sites.

The successful candidate will perform hands-on integration of enterprise compute, storage, and networking infrastructure in a controlled laboratory environment. Responsibilities include rack-and-stack operations, structured cabling, hardware provisioning, configuration, troubleshooting, and comprehensive pre-deployment testing.

This role requires a strong technical background across enterprise hardware, networking, storage, and Kubernetes environments. The engineer will identify and resolve hardware and configuration issues, validate interoperability across infrastructure components, and develop detailed deployment documentation to ensure consistent, reliable installations.

The ideal candidate is a technically capable, detail-oriented engineer who enjoys working directly with enterprise hardware, solving complex integration challenges, and collaborating with engineering and field deployment teams to deliver reliable, production-ready systems.

An active TS/SCI clearance is required. Candidates must be able to work onsite five days per week in Chantilly, VA.

Key Responsibilities

Hardware Integration & Infrastructure Staging

• Physically rack, stack, mount, and cable high-density Dell PowerEdge servers, enterprise storage arrays, and networking appliances within data center racks.
• Perform structured cabling, hardware installation, and physical integration following established data center, power, and thermal management practices.
• Provision enterprise infrastructure by applying baseline firmware, initial configurations, and out-of-band management settings.
• Configure and validate iDRAC, console access, and other hardware management interfaces.
• Support the integration of multi-vendor infrastructure, including Cisco, Arista, Palo Alto, and Dell platforms.

Network & Systems Configuration

• Configure and validate network infrastructure, including switches, firewalls, routing, VLANs, and connectivity between integrated systems.
• Perform initial provisioning and configuration of enterprise compute, storage, and networking equipment.
• Validate network throughput, segmentation, routing functionality, firewall policies, and end-to-end connectivity.
• Troubleshoot hardware, configuration, and interoperability issues across integrated infrastructure components.
• Work with systems and network architects to resolve technical issues and ensure infrastructure meets deployment requirements.

Testing, Validation & Diagnostics

• Execute comprehensive pre-deployment testing to verify hardware functionality, system readiness, and infrastructure interoperability.
• Perform end-to-end validation of compute, storage, and networking components before equipment is prepared for shipment.
• Identify, isolate, and resolve physical and logical faults across network and infrastructure layers.
• Utilize command-line diagnostics, packet captures, optics validation tools, and other troubleshooting techniques to identify root causes.
• Validate storage availability, RAID configurations, network connectivity, and system functionality.
• Document test results, identify configuration deficiencies, and ensure corrective actions are completed before deployment.
• Identify recurring defects, integration challenges, and deployment bottlenecks to improve overall staging quality.

Kubernetes & Platform Validation

• Install, configure, bootstrap, and validate baseline Kubernetes environments across bare-metal and virtualized infrastructure.
• Verify container runtime functionality, including containerd, and validate cluster readiness.
• Test container networking, CNI configuration, and connectivity across cluster nodes.
• Validate persistent storage integration and functionality within Kubernetes environments.
• Troubleshoot platform-level issues involving infrastructure, networking, and container services.
• Ensure staged environments meet established requirements before release to field deployment teams.

Deployment Documentation & Process Improvement

• Develop, maintain, and improve detailed deployment runbooks, standard operating procedures, and commissioning documentation.
• Create and maintain cabling diagrams, equipment configurations, and infrastructure validation procedures.
• Document step-by-step staging, testing, troubleshooting, and site activation processes.
• Identify failure points and process inefficiencies within laboratory staging workflows.
• Collaborate with field technicians to ensure deployment procedures are clear, repeatable, and effective.
• Improve staging workflows to reduce deployment delays, minimize onsite troubleshooting, and increase first-time installation success.
• Support the transition of validated infrastructure from laboratory staging to field deployment.

Requirements

Systems & Network Integration

• Hands-on experience racking, stacking, cabling, configuring, and integrating enterprise infrastructure.
• Experience working with enterprise networking hardware, including Cisco, Arista, and/or Palo Alto platforms.
• Understanding of network configuration, VLANs, routing, switching, and infrastructure connectivity.
• Ability to troubleshoot physical and logical infrastructure issues in a laboratory or data center environment.

Enterprise Compute & Storage

• Practical experience provisioning and supporting enterprise server infrastructure, preferably Dell PowerEdge.
• Experience with enterprise storage technologies, including SAN, NAS, iSCSI, NVMe-oF, and/or NFS.
• Understanding of RAID configuration, storage provisioning, and storage connectivity.
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting out-of-band management interfaces, including iDRAC.
• Ability to validate hardware functionality and resolve component-level issues.

Kubernetes & Container Technologies

• Practical experience installing, configuring, and validating Kubernetes environments.
• Familiarity with container runtimes, including containerd.
• Understanding of Kubernetes networking, CNI plugins, and persistent storage integration.
• Ability to troubleshoot infrastructure and platform issues affecting cluster functionality.

Testing & Troubleshooting

• Demonstrated ability to diagnose and isolate physical and logical infrastructure faults across Layers 1–4.
• Experience using command-line tools, packet captures, network diagnostics, and optics validation tools.
• Ability to perform pre-deployment testing, system validation, and infrastructure troubleshooting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with an emphasis on identifying root causes.

Documentation & Process Discipline

• Strong technical documentation skills, including the ability to develop detailed SOPs, cabling diagrams, configuration guides, and deployment runbooks.
• Ability to communicate technical procedures clearly and effectively to engineering and field deployment teams.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to repeatable, reliable deployment processes.

Additional Requirements

• Active TS/SCI clearance and ability to maintain program access.
• Ability to work onsite five days per week in Chantilly, VA.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to perform hands-on physical work involving equipment installation, rack-and-stack operations, and infrastructure staging.
• Strong communication, teamwork, and coordination skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Professional Certifications

• Cisco CCNP or equivalent networking certification.
• Arista ACE certification.
• Palo Alto PCNSE certification.
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA).
• Relevant systems, networking, security, or infrastructure certifications.

Automation & Infrastructure as Code

• Experience using Ansible, Terraform, Python, or Bash to automate infrastructure provisioning and configuration.
• Familiarity with automated testing, configuration validation, and repeatable deployment workflows.
• Ability to develop scripts that improve staging efficiency and reduce manual configuration errors.

Advanced Networking

• Understanding of leaf-spine network architectures.
• Experience with BGP, EVPN-VXLAN, and advanced routing and switching technologies.
• Familiarity with stateful firewall inspection, security policies, and enterprise network segmentation.
• Experience troubleshooting complex network interoperability issues.

Linux Systems Administration

• Strong command of Linux systems administration and troubleshooting.
• Familiarity with systemd services, kernel networking parameters, and system configuration.
• Experience performing driver, firmware, and operating system upgrades.
• Ability to troubleshoot Linux-based infrastructure and platform issues.

Data Center & Laboratory Operations

• Experience supporting enterprise data centers, integration laboratories, or infrastructure staging environments.
• Familiarity with power distribution units (ePDU), high-density optics, and data center cabling practices.
• Experience with QSFP28, QSFP-DD, or other high-performance optical connectivity standards.
• Familiarity with laboratory equipment inventory, asset tracking, and hardware management processes.

What We Offer

• Cutting-Edge Lab Access: Work directly with enterprise-class compute, storage, networking hardware, controlled laboratory environments, and emerging infrastructure technologies.
• Technical Growth: Access to sponsored training, conference attendance, and certification support to expand your technical expertise and advance your career.
• Collaborative Engineering Culture: Join a multidisciplinary engineering team that values technical excellence, intellectual curiosity, initiative, and autonomous problem-solving.
• Hands-On Technical Experience: Gain exposure to complex infrastructure integration, enterprise networking, Kubernetes platforms, and mission-critical deployment environments.
• Professional Development: Opportunity to strengthen your skills across systems engineering, network architecture, infrastructure automation, and deployment validation.

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package for full-time salaried employees is effective immediately upon the start date. Benefits include comprehensive PPO medical coverage with access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) option, a vision plan, and dental insurance with the base dental plan option paid for by PGTEK. Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term disability, and Critical Illness insurance have premiums covered.  Additionally, PGTEK offers a matching 401(k) plan and a discount on pet insurance through ASPCA Pet Insurance.   An Employee Assistance Program is available at no cost to all employees.  PGTEK offers a generous amount of PTO and Holidays, and an Education Assistance Program is available after 12 months of employment.

ABOUT PGTEK

PGTEK is a true consulting organization dedicated to helping clients achieve their business and technology objectives utilizing our decades of experience and business relationships. PGTEK invests in the educational advancements of our staff by providing the necessary resources to complete Professional and Business Certifications. Our company is our people, and we treat them like family.

EOE, including disability/veterans