Infrastructure Engineer - Systems

Who we are:

Raft (https://TeamRaft.com) is a customer-obsessed non-traditional defense tech company dedicated to empowering U.S. military and government agencies with cutting-edge AI/ML and data solutions. We are a leader in autonomous data fusion and Agentic AI, with a purposeful focus on Distributed Data Systems, Platforms at Scale, and Complex Application Development. With headquarters in McLean, VA, our range of clients includes innovative federal and public agencies leveraging design thinking, cutting-edge tech stack, and cloud-native ecosystem. We build digital solutions that impact the lives of millions of Americans.

About the role: 

As a Infrastructure Engineer - Systems you will provide the United States Space Force (USSF) Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) for the Defensive Cyber Operations – Space (DCO-S) program by developing software in support of Space Systems Command (SSC) Cyber Operations Branch rapid agile development of defensive cyber solutions to protect, defend, and respond to both ground and space based cyber adversarial threats.

Core Responsibilities:

• Architectural Design: Develop and analyze complex system topologies and end-to-end architectures to ensure seamless integration of defensive cyber capabilities across ground and space segments.
• Infrastructure Planning: Lead the development of detailed Bills of Materials (BOMs) and rack diagrams, ensuring all hardware and software components are optimized for mission success and technical refreshes.
• Technical Consultative Leadership: Serve as the subject matter expert in high-stakes stakeholder meetings, answering complex technical questions and vetting the feasibility of proposed cyber solutions.
• System Surveys & Requirements: Assist with network tap design and system surveys to ensure data is properly sampled and transported, translating these findings into actionable engineering plans.
• Documentation & Redlines: Review and provide expert feedback on installation and configuration guides, ensuring technical accuracy through redlines and continuous documentation improvement.
• Deployment Oversight: Lead hardware installation and software deployment strategies at mission system sites, coordinating the efforts of technical teams without necessarily being the primary keyboard operator.

What we are looking for: 

• Experience: Minimum of 10 years of relevant experience in System Administration (Linux/Windows) or Systems Engineering with a master’s degree in a relevant field. In lieu of a master’s a bachelor’s with 18 years of experience is acceptable.
• Architectural Mastery: Proven ability to develop and analyze network topologies, data flow diagrams, and detailed rack integration plans.
• Technical Breadth: Strong knowledge of ESXi/VMware, Gigamon, Trellix, and containerization technologies (Kubernetes/Docker) to effectively guide implementation teams.
• Strategic Planning: Expert-level experience in building BOMs and managing the technical lifecycle of hardware/software stacks.
• Communication: Exceptional ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders and military leadership.
• Certifications: Security+ (required); CCNA, CCNP, or JNCIS-Sec (highly preferred).
• Tools: Experience with JIRA, Confluence, and collaborative environments (Slack/Mattermost)

Highly Preferred:

• Strategic Frameworks: Experience with Requirements Analysis, Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe), and Risk Management.
• Domain Expertise: Prior experience supporting Space Systems Command (SSC) or the Cyber Operations Branch.
• Mentorship: A proven track record of guiding technical teams and mentoring junior engineers through complex project lifecycles.

Clearance Requirements:

• Active Secret Security Clearance

Salary Range: $140,000.00 - $170,000.00

Work Type:

• Onsite in Colorado Springs, CO
• May require up to 25% travel

What we will offer you: 

• Highly competitive salary
• Fully covered healthcare, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) and company match
• Take as you need PTO + 11 paid holidays
• Education & training benefits
• Generous Referral Bonuses
• And More!

Our Vision Statement: 

We bridge the gap between humans and data through radical transparency and our obsession with the mission. 

Our Customer Obsession:

We will approach every deliverable like it's a product. We will adopt a customer-obsessed mentality. As we grow, and our footprint becomes larger, teams and employees will treat each other not only as teammates but customers. We must live the customer-obsessed mindset, always. This will help us scale and it will translate to the interactions that our Rafters have with their clients and other product teams that they integrate with. Our culture will enable our success and set us apart from other companies.

How do we get there?

Public-sector modernization is critical for us to live in a better world. We, at Raft, want to innovate and solve complex problems. And, if we are successful, our generation and the ones that follow us will live in a delightful, efficient, and accessible world where out-of-box thinking, and collaboration is a norm. 

Raft’s core philosophy is Ubuntu: I Am, Because We are. We support our “nadi” by elevating the other Rafters. We work as a hyper collaborative team where each team member brings a unique perspective, adding value that did not exist before. People make Raft special. We celebrate each other and our cognitive and cultural diversity. We are devoted to our practice of innovation and collaboration.