Linux PKI Enterprise Systems Engineer

Leidos•Huntsville, AL

About The Position

Leidos is a leader in the IT Cybersecurity industry, dedicated to providing secure and innovative solutions to our global client base. Our engineering team is paramount to our success, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of our systems and data. We are looking for a seasoned expert to join our team and take a leading role in shaping our PKI landscape. We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Linux PKI Engineer with experience in Linux and Windows Virtualization platforms to join our dynamic Engineering team. The ideal candidate will be a subject matter expert in Public Key Infrastructure with a strong background in Linux systems. This role is responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of our enterprise-wide PKI solutions. You will play a critical role in the security of our digital communications and transactions, ensuring robust and reliable certificate management across our entire infrastructure. This role operates within large-scale, geographically distributed environments supporting high-availability and mission-critical systems.

Requirements

8+ years of experience in IT with at least 5 years in a dedicated PKI engineering role.
Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
In-depth knowledge of PKI concepts, including X.509, certificate lifecycle management, CRL, OCSP, and SCEP.
Extensive hands-on experience with Linux administration (RHEL, CentOS, or similar), including system hardening and performance tuning.
Strong proficiency in at least one scripting language, such as Python, Bash, or Perl, for automation and integration.
Proven experience with managing and integrating Hardware Security Modules (e.g., Thales, Entrust, nCipher).
Hands-on experience with enterprise-grade PKI platforms (e.g., EJBCA, PrimeKey, Venafi, or Microsoft CA).
Solid understanding of network protocols and security, including TCP/IP, TLS/SSL, and SSH.
Experience supporting RMF, STIG implementation, and security compliance in regulated or classified environments, including participation in audits and accreditation processes.
US citizenship and active DoD Secret clearance required.

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CISSP, RHCE, or specific PKI vendor certifications are highly desirable.
Familiarity with DevOps practices and tools (e.g., Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Terraform).
Experience with container technologies like Docker and Kubernetes.
Experience managing PKI in a large, complex, and geographically distributed enterprise environment.
Experience supporting PKI in large-scale, geographically distributed environments with high-availability and mission-critical requirements.

Responsibilities

Lead the design and architecture of a scalable, resilient, and secure PKI infrastructure.
Deploy, configure, and manage all aspects of the PKI environment, including Certificate Authorities (CAs), Registration Authorities (RAs), and Hardware Security Modules (HSMs).
Develop and maintain automation scripts (using Python, Bash, or similar) to streamline certificate lifecycle management, including issuance, renewal, and revocation.
Manage and maintain the underlying Linux-based systems hosting the PKI services, ensuring high availability and performance.
Administer and maintain Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) to ensure the security of cryptographic keys.
Develop, implement, and enforce PKI policies, standards, and procedures.
Support RMF (Risk Management Framework) processes, ensuring PKI systems align with STIG requirements, security controls, and accreditation standards. Assist with auditing activities and provide artifacts/evidence for system authorization.
Serve as the highest level of escalation for complex PKI-related issues.
Work closely with application, network, and other infrastructure teams to integrate PKI and provide certificate management solutions.
Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and other team members.
Keep abreast of the latest PKI technologies, standards, and security threats to continually improve our security posture.