Deputy Chief Engineer

Job Title: Deputy Chief Engineer:

Location: Washington, D.C. Area (On-Site)

Travel: Minimal (up to 10%)

Clearance: Active or ability to obtain Public Trust Clearance

Position Overview:

We are seeking a Deputy Chief Engineer to provide hands-on technical leadership and oversight in support of a large-scale IT operations and modernization program for the client. This is a key on-site position responsible for driving engineering quality, systems integration, and the technical execution of services spanning infrastructure, cloud, cybersecurity, application platforms, and enterprise architecture.

This role is ideal for a senior-level engineer or architect who thrives in technically complex environments, can lead multidisciplinary teams, and understands how to balance innovation, stability, and compliance in a mission-critical federal setting.

Key Responsibilities:

Engineering Leadership & Technical Execution

• Serve as a senior technical authority across the program, providing direction and oversight for systems design, integration, and implementation activities.

• Ensure engineering approaches are aligned with the customer's enterprise architecture, security posture, and operational requirements.

• Lead technical planning and execution for modernization initiatives, including cloud adoption, DevSecOps integration, automation, and zero-trust architecture implementation.

• Collaborate with government engineers to define technical strategy, conduct architecture reviews, and support decision-making for new capabilities.

• Drive consistency and best practices across domains including networking, cloud, application development, cybersecurity, and endpoint services.

Cross-Functional Technical Coordination

• Coordinate with service leads and SMEs to ensure end-to-end solution integrity and technical coherence across services.

• Support the design and validation of new systems, tools, and platforms to be transitioned into operations.

• Lead or support system engineering life cycle (SELC) activities, including requirements development, design, testing, and deployment planning.

• Ensure timely delivery of technical deliverables, documentation, and engineering artifacts.

Engineering Governance & Risk Management

• Monitor and enforce adherence to technical standards, security controls, and compliance requirements (e.g., NIST, FISMA).

• Identify and manage technical risks, dependencies, and impacts across engineering efforts.

• Support root cause analysis of complex technical issues and provide resolution strategies.

• Contribute to configuration management, change control, and versioning processes for critical systems.

Documentation & Technical Deliverables

• Oversee the preparation and quality of all engineering documentation, including:

• Architecture diagrams, integration plans, and as-built documentation

• SELC artifacts such as technical specifications, test plans, and implementation guides

• Security documents: risk assessments, waivers, POA&Ms, and interconnection agreements

• Concepts of operations (CONOPS), use cases, SOPs, and support models

• Ensure deliverables meet established technical standards and contractual quality expectations.

Qualifications:

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline.

• Minimum of 7 years of hands-on technical experience in engineering leadership roles within complex IT environments.

• Demonstrated experience supporting federal or enterprise-level IT programs involving multiple technical disciplines (cloud, cyber, networking, app dev, etc.).

• Experience with IT modernization efforts including DevSecOps, infrastructure as code (IaC), automation, and cloud-native platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).

Technical Skills & Competencies

• Deep understanding of enterprise systems engineering, integration, and technical delivery practices.

• Familiarity with government security and compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST RMF, FedRAMP, FISMA).

• Excellent analytical, architectural, and problem-solving skills.

• Ability to lead and influence technical teams and collaborate across disciplines.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience delivering technical briefings and documentation to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Additional Requirements

• Obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

• On-site presence required in Washington, D.C.

• Minimal travel required (up to 10%).

Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have):

• Master's degree in a technical field.

• Certifications such as AWS/Azure Architect, CISSP, ITIL, PMP, or SAFe.

• Experience with federal SELC or SDLC frameworks.

• Familiarity with ServiceNow, JIRA, Confluence, or other collaborative engineering platforms.

Position Details:

• Pay Rate / Range: $75 - $85

The above salary range represents the range expected for the position; however, final salary offers are based on a number of factors such as the position's responsibilities; the candidate's experience, education, and skills; location; travel required; and current market conditions.

This program requires US Citizenship

• Benefits (Regular, Full Time Employees):

1. Medical, Dental, and Vision offerings

2. Weekly Direct Deposit

3. Paid Holidays and Personal Time Off

4. 401(k) with match

5. Voluntary Life and AD&D, Short / Long Term Disability, plus other voluntary coverages

6. Pre-Paid Legal and Employee Assistance Programs

7. Northwest Federal Credit Union Membership

8. BB&T @ Work Program

ABBTECH is an EOE/Minorities/Women/Disabled Individuals/Veterans