Senior IT Systems Engineer (In-Office - Arlington, VA)

The Work:

As the Senior IT Systems Engineer, you will provide hands-on Tier 3 troubleshooting, systems administration, infrastructure improvements, enterprise data protection, and workflow automation. You will implement approved changes and provide technical direction to Chinook's managed IT and security services provider, which delivers Tier 1 and Tier 2 support and security operations center (SOC) services. This senior individual-contributor role will own technical execution, documentation, and remediation. You will also provide technical support for AI enablement and other project-based innovation initiatives.

This position is IN-Office at our Corporate Headquarters in Arlington, VA.

Citizenship / Clearance Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance based on customer and project requirements.

Key Responsibilities:

• Implement, administer, and test data loss prevention (DLP) and information rights management / digital rights management (IRM / DRM), including classification, encryption, document permissions, and sharing / transfer restrictions.
• Administer on-premises and virtualized infrastructure, FortiGate firewalls, Microsoft 365 GCC, Azure, Entra ID, Intune, SharePoint, and Teams; maintain secure identity, access, and device configurations.
• Author and maintain detailed technical white papers, SOPs, architecture and workflow diagrams, configuration baselines, runbooks, implementation guides, and test evidence in version-controlled repositories; transfer routine support procedures to the provider.
• Execute formal change management, documenting requirements, technical design, risk and impact, approvals, testing, communications, implementation, rollback, and post-change validation.
• Resolve complex Tier 3 issues across identity, endpoints, servers, networks, cloud services, and business applications; perform root-cause analysis and provide on-site equipment support.
• Coordinate patching, vulnerability remediation, upgrades, and backup and recovery testing with the provider; resolve failures and validate results.
• Design and maintain IT service management, approval, and electronic-signature workflows using Adobe Sign, or equivalent platforms.
• Translate manager-approved processes into documented workflows.
• Validate requirements and acceptance criteria with process owners, support adoption, and maintain integrations through platform changes.
• Direct MSP / MSSP technical work, prioritize escalations, and verify remediation.
• Configure and validate Microsoft Sentinel and provider security-platform integrations, including event delivery, secure data handling, alert ownership, and escalation.
• Coordinate SOC incident response, containment, and recovery, escalating risk and service-scope decisions.
• Investigate alerts, tune rules, and document gaps.
• Support audits, security assessments, SSP / POA&M updates, and approved NIST SP 800-171 / 172 and CMMC safeguards under GRC direction.
• Support AI enablement through assigned configuration, integration testing, documentation, and user assistance within approved policies.

Minimum Qualifications:

• At least 7 years of progressive, hands-on systems administration, infrastructure, or engineering experience, including independent Tier 3 troubleshooting and production change implementation.
• A Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related field.
  • A High School Diploma and 12 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a formal degree.
• Applied experience in the implementation, administration and testing of both DLP and IRM / DRM, including classification, encryption, document permissions, sharing restrictions, and policy enforcement.
• Demonstrated ability to produce detailed technical white papers, SOPs, system and workflow documentation, and implementation records, and to execute formal change management with approvals, testing, rollback, and post-change validation.
• Strong Microsoft 365, Azure, Entra ID, and Intune administration skills.
• Demonstrated ability to automate administration and integrate services using PowerShell or comparable scripting, APIs, and supported workflow tools.
• Experience troubleshooting across Windows, identity, networking, DNS, DHCP, and backups.
• Hands-on workflow automation experience with an IT service management platform, and Adobe Sign or an equivalent electronic-signature/document-approval platform. Experience must include workflow configuration, integration, testing, and maintenance.
• Hands-on Fortinet FortiGate experience.
• Experience triaging MSP / MSSP technical work, resolving escalations, validating remediation, and supporting security investigations, recovery, and control evidence collection.
• An IAT-II satisfying certification such as Security+ or GICSP.
• Administration experience with the Microsoft O365 (Excel, Word, Outlook, MS Teams, MS Project, PowerPoint).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Workflow and Adobe Sign experience.
• Experience with Microsoft Sentinel, Qualys, Microsoft Purview or Fortra information-protection products.
• Microsoft 365 GCC experience.
• Experience with CrowdStrike-based SOC integrations.
• Relevant advanced infrastructure / security certifications and experience supporting NIST SP 800-171 / 172, CMMC, DFARS, or NISPOM requirements.

Physical Considerations:

• Must be able to work in an office environment.
• Must be able to walk construction sites with uneven surfaces, carry up to 50 lbs., climb stairs and ladders, and work both indoors and outdoors in severe weather conditions, in confined spaces, and in dust-generating environments.
• Must be able to maintain spatial awareness and comply with safety standards while working near mechanical and electrical building equipment and systems.
• Must be able to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where required.  

Annual Salary, Dependent Upon Qualifications and Experience: $130,000 – 170,000

Who is Chinook?

Chinook Systems, Inc. is a leader in delivering lifecycle energy security solutions to mission critical government and commercial facility Owners. We specialize in the engineering, construction, commissioning, and operations of intelligent, cyber secure, code compliant, and energy efficient building systems. Our solutions save millions of dollars in utility costs, reduce harmful emissions to the environment, and mitigate cyber‐attacks on facilities. Chinook provides motivated employees with the opportunity to advance in a fast‐growing, innovative, entrepreneurial, and collaborative work environment.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

Chinook Systems Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate against anyone because of their differences, such as age, disability, ethnicity, religion, national origin, gender, gender identity and expression, or sexual orientation.

Chinook is committed to providing veteran employment opportunities to our service men and women.