Microsoft Active Directory and Identity Subject Matter Expert (SME)

Peraton•Annapolis Junction, MD

About The Position

Peraton is seeking a highly experienced Microsoft Active Directory and Identity Subject Matter Expert (SME) to support enterprise infrastructure and security initiatives. This individual will lead the architecture, design, deployment, and ongoing operations of Microsoft AD services, including Azure Active Directory (Entra ID), Group Policy, Identity Federation, and associated authentication systems. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in AD forest design, domain consolidation, AD hardening, and security best practices, with a strong focus on enterprise-scale environments. This individual will serve as the authoritative technical resource for identity services in a large-scale, mission-critical environment. Analyzes user needs and software requirements to determine feasibility of design within time and cost constraints. Confers with systems analysts, engineers, programmers, and others to design system and to obtain information on project limitations and capabilities, performance requirements and interfaces. Conducts multidisciplinary research and collaborates with equipment designers and/or hardware engineers in the planning, design, development, and utilization of electronic data processing systems for product and commercial software. Determines computer user needs; analyzes system capabilities to resolve problems on program intent, output requirements, input data acquisition, programming techniques and controls; prepares operating instructions; designs and develops compilers and assemblers, utility programs, and operating systems. Ensures software standards are met.

Requirements

Minimum experience requirements: 8 years with BS/BA 6 years with MS/MA 3 years with PhD OR 12 years of relevant experience in lieu of BS degree
Extensive experience managing enterprise-scale Active Directory environments
Expert-level knowledge of: Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS), DNS, DHCP, and Group Policy Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), AD Connect, and hybrid identity solutions Authentication protocols including Kerberos, NTLM, LDAP, and SAML/OAuth-based federation
Strong PowerShell scripting and automation capabilities
Experience implementing Zero Trust identity principles, privileged access management, and identity governance
Familiarity with ITIL-based service management, change control, and operational best practices
Active Top Secret with SCI eligibility
Current DoD 8570.1-M / 8140 IAT Level III certification

Nice To Haves

Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate, Microsoft Certified: Windows Server Hybrid Administrator Associate or equivalent certification/s
Experience with Microsoft Entra services, Microsoft Identity Manager (MIM), or third-party IAM platforms (e.g., Okta)
Prior experience supporting regulated or compliance-driven environments (financial, healthcare, or government)

Responsibilities

Serve as the technical authority and escalation point for all Microsoft Active Directory and enterprise identity services
Architect, design, implement, and maintain secure, scalable Active Directory environments, including on-premises and hybrid deployments
Lead and support AD migrations, upgrades, domain consolidations, forest redesigns, and functional level modernization
Design, develop, and enforce Active Directory security standards, including tiered administration, privileged access models, and service account governance
Manage and support hybrid identity integrations, including Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), AD Connect, ADFS, MFA, SSO, and Conditional Access
Partner with cybersecurity teams to strengthen identity security posture, mitigate threats, and respond to identity-related incidents
Perform Active Directory health checks, replication analysis, performance tuning, and root-cause troubleshooting
Oversee Group Policy design and management for security baselines, configuration standards, and compliance requirements
Develop and maintain technical documentation, including architecture diagrams, standards, operational procedures, and support guides
Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineers and IT support teams