Systems Engineer, Level 5 – Lab Manager
About The Position
At Independent Software, as a System Engineer Level 5 (Lab Manager), you will serve as the Team Lead for a two-person contractor team responsible for supporting multiple machine rooms containing operational, mission-critical systems, as well as associated lab and communications spaces. You will oversee the day-to-day operation and maintenance of these environments, ensuring they remain secure, organized, operational, and compliant with agency standards. In this role, you will coordinate closely with System Administrators, Network Engineers, customers, Facilities personnel, vendors, and leadership to support hardware installations, equipment replacements, infrastructure needs, and system deployments. You will monitor power, space, and cooling requirements, manage physical access requirements, support rack and cabling activities, troubleshoot hardware and fiber issues, and help ensure the infrastructure is prepared for evolving mission and customer needs.
Requirements
- Experience supporting agency machine rooms or similar mission-critical environments
- Experience racking and cabling systems for operational deployments
- Hands-on experience with hardware from vendors such as HP, Dell, Cisco, Arista, or Juniper
- Experience supporting and troubleshooting fiber connectivity
- Experience creating and updating machine room drawings using Visio or similar tools
- Strong communication, coordination, and problem-solving skills
Nice To Haves
- Experience managing or leading a team supporting machine rooms or communications spaces
- Experience supporting system build and deployment teams
- Experience working in an agency or contractor lab environment
Responsibilities
- Lead daily operations and support of mission-critical machine rooms, lab, and communications spaces
- Maintain spaces and access lists in accordance with agency requirements
- Monitor power, space, and cooling needs and coordinate infrastructure upgrades with Facilities
- Support installation and decommissioning of racks, servers, network devices, and communications equipment
- Work JIRA tickets for hardware replacements and coordinate vendor warranty support
- Monitor machine room conditions and perform routine walkthroughs to identify equipment or infrastructure issues
- Rack, cable, install, and troubleshoot systems supporting operational deployments
- Maintain machine room drawings using Visio or similar tools
- Support fiber connectivity, testing, and troubleshooting
- Coordinate with customers, System Administrators, Network Engineers, Facilities personnel, leadership, and vendors
Benefits
- Support critical national security missions that matter
- Be part of a close-knit, employee-first culture where your voice is heard
- Expand your skills through ongoing training, mentorship, and career development
- Enjoy competitive compensation, generous benefits, and work-life balance
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
