Technology & Engineering Lead

Location: Sterling/Herndon, VA
Clearance Requirement: Active Top Secret (TS)
Experience: 10+ years of relevant experience, including technical leadership
Work Arrangement: Regular onsite presence required based on program planning, infrastructure deployment and operational needs.
Salary: $220K-$235K

Working with SIXGEN

SIXGEN is committed to solving our customers' hardest problems with eagerness, effectiveness, and efficiency. We reject the status quo and constantly look for new ways to push the boundaries of our field. We've built a reputation for technical excellence, creative problem-solving, and delivering capabilities that make a real difference for our customers.

We also believe the people behind that work matter. SIXGEN offers a collaborative environment where talented engineers, operators, and technical professionals have the freedom to solve interesting problems, develop new skills, and make a meaningful impact.

About the Role

As SIXGEN continues to grow, so does the complexity of the infrastructure needed to support our teams and programs. We're launching new customer engagements, developing new technologies, and expanding into environments with unique technical, operational, and security requirements. We're looking for a Technology & Engineering Lead to translate complex requirements into practical technical solutions and lead the work to bring new offices and capabilities online. This role combines architecture, hands-on engineering, and delivery across the systems and services our teams rely on every day.

You'll work directly with Team Leads, Program Managers, engineers, IT, Security, Facilities, and business operations to understand program requirements, technical workflows, and daily operating needs. You'll translate those requirements into technical designs and delivery plans covering hardware, software, networks, secure environments, and ongoing support. You'll lead assigned efforts from solution design and cost estimation through procurement, installation, testing, and readiness.

You'll partner closely and work alongside SIXGEN's IT team and the technical leads supporting our programs, building on their expertise and relationships. Together, you'll make technical decisions, align shared resources and dependencies, and establish how new systems and spaces will be supported after deployment. You'll be accountable for the technical approach and delivery of assigned initiatives, with responsibilities agreed at the outset with the teams involved.

This is a leadership role for someone who enjoys both designing the solution and helping build it. We're looking for a technically strong leader who can see the bigger picture, anticipate what's needed, make sound decisions, and bring structure to complex infrastructure efforts without losing the flexibility that makes SIXGEN successful.

What You'll Do

Infrastructure Planning & Technical Leadership

• Lead the technical approach and delivery of assigned office standups and infrastructure initiatives, partnering with existing IT and technical leads to align priorities, standards, and responsibilities.

• Partner with team leads and Program Managers to understand program requirements, staffing plans, technical workflows, and daily operating needs, and translate them into infrastructure plans.

• Develop reusable architectures and engineering practices with IT and technical leads to improve reliability, reduce unnecessary complexity and cost, and accelerate office and program standups.

• Work closely with IT, Security, Facilities, and other internal teams to coordinate infrastructure planning, agree on delivery and support responsibilities, and ensure alignment across shared systems and services.

• Provide strong leadership and clear, proactive communication to leadership, Program Managers, and internal stakeholders on infrastructure priorities, progress, timelines, risks, and resource needs, ensuring alignment, accountability, and timely decision-making.

Infrastructure Design, Deployment & Operational Readiness

• Lead assigned infrastructure efforts from requirements and design through procurement, deployment, and readiness, coordinating ongoing support with existing teams.

• Design and help build secure environments alongside IT and technical leads, balancing security, reliability, performance, cost, and supportability.

• Plan technology needs for new offices, including connectivity, hardware, software, workstations, and specialized equipment, in coordination with Facilities and Security.

• Provide hands-on technical leadership during standups and integrations, ensuring testing, documentation, access, maintenance, and daily support are in place.

Requirements & Execution

• Engage early with team leads, business development, and program planning to define infrastructure requirements, technical approaches, timelines, risks, and resource needs.

• Develop infrastructure budgets, cost estimates, procurement plans, and deployment schedules for new offices, proposals, new awards, and ongoing programs, including software licensing, maintenance, and recurring support costs.

• Manage delivery plans and vendor relationships for assigned initiatives, coordinating resources with IT and team leads and resolving technical tradeoffs to meet schedule, budget, and program requirements.

• Partner with IT and Security to coordinate technical integrations, shared infrastructure, and compliance with applicable customer and accreditation requirements.

• What We're Looking For

Required Experience & Technical Skills

• 10+ years of experience in IT infrastructure or systems engineering, including experience leading technical teams and complex infrastructure initiatives.

• Strong experience supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, and federal government programs, with an understanding of their technical, security, and operational requirements.

• Experience gathering requirements from technical and operational stakeholders and translating them into architectures, equipment and software selections, deployment plans, and ongoing support requirements.

• Proven experience designing, deploying, and managing classified, CUI, and unclassified infrastructure, including secure enclaves, isolated environments, and security boundaries.

• Strong technical expertise across infrastructure architecture, networking, Linux/Windows administration, virtualization, cloud technologies, and automation.

• Working knowledge of federal security and accreditation requirements, including RMF, NIST standards, and ATO processes.

• Demonstrated ability to lead teams, manage competing priorities, make sound technical decisions, and deliver infrastructure solutions on time and within budget.

• Exceptional communication and organizational skills, with the ability to clearly convey priorities, progress, risks, and recommendations to executive leadership, Program Managers, customers, and technical teams.

• Collaborative, hands-on leadership style with strong accountability, follow-through, and the ability to build effective relationships across teams.

• Active Top Secret (TS) clearance, with eligibility for additional access as required.

• Regular onsite availability to support secure infrastructure and program needs, with occasional travel to SIXGEN or customer locations.

• Flexibility to support planned after-hours maintenance or critical infrastructure issues when necessary.

• Ability to lift and move equipment up to 30 pounds, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting Program IT (PIT) environments, classified government contracts, and specialized cyber operations or development infrastructure.

• Experience establishing or scaling an infrastructure engineering function to support multiple programs.

• Familiarity with infrastructure automation, containerization, and infrastructure-as-code tools such as Proxmox, Docker, Ansible, or Terraform.

• Experience supporting technical proposals, new program standups, and infrastructure cost estimation.

Compensation & Benefits

SIXGEN offers competitive compensation based on experience, technical expertise, leadership scope, and the requirements of the position. Our benefits for full-time employees include:

• Employer-paid medical, dental, and vision insurance premiums for employees and their families.

• Employer-paid short- and long-term disability insurance and basic life/AD&D coverage.

• 401(k) with a 4% employer contribution.

• Professional development reimbursement for training, certifications, and education.

• Flexible work arrangements where supported by position and mission requirements.

• Flexible PTO and holiday schedule.

• Additional employee reimbursement and wellness benefits.

We believe great work happens when talented people have the tools, support, and freedom to do what they do best.