Cornerstone Defense | Technically Innovative Solutions

Location: Ft. Meade, Maryland
Type: Contract
Job #4060

Title: Program Lead/Systems Engineer
Location: Ft. Meade, MD (10% Travel)
Compensation Range: $190 – $210k
Clearance: *Active DoD TS/SCI

Company Overview:
Cornerstone Defense is the Employer of Choice within the Intelligence, Defense, and Space communities of the U.S. Government. Realizing early on that our most prized assets are our employees, we continually focus our attention on improving the overall work/life experience they have supporting the mission. Our Team is pushed every day to use their industry leading knowledge to provide end-to-end solutions to combat our nation’s toughest and most secure problems. If you are looking for a place to not only be professionally challenged, but encouraged and supported by a company that cares, don’t look any further than Cornerstone Defense.

Position Description:
The Program Lead/System Engineer oversees system‑level requirements, directs integration and verification activities, and manages user acceptance testing to ensure JWICS systems remain fully operational. This position involves both technical leadership and supervisory duties, including management of a 10–15‑person team, coordination with internal and external stakeholders, system engineering documentation, risk management, and schedule estimation.

Core Tasks:

Lead and supervise a technical team of 10–15 personnel, conducting performance reviews, managing time charges, and providing coaching, mentoring, and daily leadership.
Conduct requirements gathering, gap analysis, use case development, functional/specification development, test planning, and system design documentation.
Execute systems engineering activities including requirements analysis, implementation planning, third‑party coordination, integration and testing, deployment, and system assessments.
Apply systems engineering methodologies for system planning, design, execution, and sustainment.
Support development of technical platform processes, system specifications, I/O definitions, and hardware/software compatibility guidance.
Develop, maintain, and manage systems engineering documentation, diagrams, and models using approved SE tools.
Identify and manage project dependencies, associated risks, and mitigation strategies.
Monitor technical variances, facilitate issue resolution, and ensure successful delivery of system capabilities.
Report technical status, progress, and risks to leadership on a consistent basis.
Identify and manage external dependencies impacting engineering and delivery timelines.
Estimate levels of effort, resource requirements, and contribute to project scheduling.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in a related discipline and 10+ years of professional experience, or a Master’s degree with 8+ years of experience (equivalent experience may be considered).
Active TS/SCI security clearance.
Security+ or SecurityX certification (DoD 8140‑compliant, Systems Administrator – Intermediate level).
Experience designing, developing, and delivering data‑driven operational capabilities within DoD environments.
3+ years of supervisory or management experience.
3+ years of experience with network engineering fundamentals and virtualization (foundational VMware or Omnissa Horizon required).
2+ years of project planning experience.
2+ years of risk management or change management experience.
Experience with Windows and Linux/RHEL operating systems.
Proven ability to operate within highly technical teams in fast‑paced environments.
Strong written/verbal communication skills; demonstrated ability to brief senior leadership and partner with engineers, architects, and customer stakeholders.
Ability to collaborate effectively with personnel across varying disciplines and technical backgrounds.

Preferred:

Understanding of network routing devices and configurations.
ITIL Foundation knowledge or certification.
Experience with OS scripting languages (Perl, Python, Shell).
Experience with databases (SQL, Oracle) and database migrations.

Location: Ft. Meade, Maryland
Type: Contract
Job #4059

Title: Senior Network Administrator
Location: Ft. Meade, MD
Compensation Range: $130 – $150k
Clearance: *Active DoD TS (TS/SCI eligibility required)

Position Description:
The Senior Network Administrator works independently to configure, maintain, secure, and troubleshoot network assets including switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, and related infrastructure. This role supports network modernization projects, collaborates with external partners, provides architecture recommendations, and leverages Linux/Windows system administration familiarity to manage and integrate network systems.

Core Tasks:

Configure and manage network assets such as switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, and related devices.
Perform routine maintenance, troubleshooting, updates, and security hardening on Cisco, Juniper, and Dell network equipment.
Create and maintain accurate system documentation, configuration management records, and change management artifacts.
Conduct checklist‑driven reviews to ensure compliance with cybersecurity controls and mitigation requirements.
Provide technical insight, timelines, and resource assessments for global network architecture upgrade projects.
Implement recurring security requirements and system hardening procedures across network devices.
Coordinate troubleshooting efforts with external partners and mission stakeholders.
Utilize Linux and Windows system administration skills to navigate and manage network‑connected environments.
Provide architecture and topology recommendations to improve efficiency, resilience, and system performance.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline with 8+ years of relevant experience (additional experience may substitute for degree).
At least 3 years of Linux and/or Windows experience.
DoD 8140 certification supporting Network Operations Specialist (e.g., Security+, CEH).
CCNA/CCNP or equivalent certification, or ability to obtain within 90 days of start.

Preferred:

Experience integrating Network Management (NM) and Element Management (EM) systems with performance, ticketing, and security subsystems.
Experience with BM, ServiceNow, ITSM, or Remedy ticketing systems.
ITIL v3 Foundation certification.
Experience working with virtualized environments.

Location: Ft. Meade, Maryland
Type: Contract
Job #4058

Title: Senior System Administrator (VDI)
Location: Ft. Meade, MD
Compensation Range: $130 – $150k
Clearance: *Active DoD Top Secret (TS/SCI eligibility required)*

Benefits Overview:
Cornerstone Defense offers a very comprehensive benefits package including, but not limited to: Medical, Dental and Vision Plans * Generous PTO Policy * 401(k) * HSA and FSA options * Life and Disability Insurance * Tuition Reimbursement and Training * Perks at Work Discount Program * Referral Program * Leads Generation Program * CollegeAmerica 529 * Fitness Reimbursement Program * Travel Assistance * Norton Lifelock Benefit Solutions * Life Planning Financial & Legal Services *
Position Description:
The System Administrator delivers expertise across Windows, Linux, and Solaris environments, providing strategic technical leadership and advanced operational support for VDI systems. This role includes escalation support for outages, coordination with Tier III teams, policy development, documentation management, and mentorship of junior staff. The administrator will lead onboarding and standup of new enclaves and ensure technical quality and security compliance across all managed systems.

Core Tasks:

Serve as senior technical expert for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) and lead all VDI‑related operations, troubleshooting, and system enhancements.
Lead resolution efforts for major escalated outages and operate effectively in rapid‑paced, mission‑critical environments.
Provide strategic guidance to development partners on emerging technologies, evolving customer needs, and modernization opportunities.
Lead onboarding, configuration, and standup of new enclaves, systems, and environments.
Coordinate with Tier III support and evaluate vendor solutions and enterprise product offerings.
Develop, implement, and enforce policies and standards for resource allocation and system usage.
Create, maintain, and update detailed technical documentation and standard operating procedures.
Apply security settings, hardening requirements, and best‑practice configurations across managed environments.
Mentor, coach, and review work performed by junior technical staff.

Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of experience in Windows/Linux/Solaris system administration (additional experience or training may substitute for degree).
Experience administering Windows, Linux, and Solaris servers with expertise in at least one.
Extensive experience with VMware, virtualization technologies, and VDI operations.
DoD 8570 IAT Level II certification (Security+ CE or equivalent) required.

Preferred:

Experience integrating cybersecurity tools and systems with network performance, trouble‑ticketing, and security subsystems.
Knowledge of network fundamentals including TCP/IP.
Experience with ServiceNow or similar ticketing systems.
ITIL v3 Foundation certification.

Location: Ft. Meade, Maryland
Type: Contract
Job #3230

Title: Senior Red Hat Consultant
Location: Ft. Meade, MD
*Clearance: *Active TS/SCI w/ Polygraph needed to apply *
Compensation Range: $180k – $200k
Company Overview:
Cornerstone Defense is the Employer of Choice within the Intelligence, Defense, and Space communities of the U.S. Government. Realizing early on that our most prized assets are our employees, we continually focus our attention on improving the overall work/life experience they have supporting the mission. Our Team is pushed every day to use their industry leading knowledge to provide end-to-end solutions to combat our nation’s toughest and most secure problems. If you are looking for a place to not only be professionally challenged, but encouraged and supported by a company that cares, don’t look any further than Cornerstone Defense.

Responsibilities:
Usually responsible for providing a detailed technical design for enterprise solutions.
Is usually the Principal Consultant who analyzes and develops enterprise technology solutions.
Provides the technical direction required to resolve complex issues to ensure the on-time delivery of solutions that meet customer expectations. May need to develop new methods to apply to situations.
Provides advanced technical consulting and advice to proposal efforts, solution design.
Provides consulting advice to customer senior IT leadership and sets strategic direction for customers based on the company's solutions and products.
Works with peers outside immediate organization to define and characterize complex technology or process problems and/or develops new solutions, yet works independently to drive technical problems to a solution.

Education and Experience Required:
12+ years of professional experience and a Master of Arts/Science or equivalent degree in computer science or related area of study; without a Masters degree, three additional years of relevant professional experience (15+ years in total).

Knowledge and Skills:
Demonstrates ability to develop solutions that can be used at multiple customer sites to enhance the availability, performance, maintainability and agility of their enterprise.
Develops reusable solutions and workarounds that are innovative and demonstrate a deep technical knowledge of the affected products, processes, and the customer environment.
Breadth of knowledge covers additional business units, third parties, competitors, and business drivers.
Recognized as an advanced subject matter expert of IT products, applied technologies and processes, combining vendor interoperability knowledge pertaining to complex IT infrastructures. May define interoperability issues between vendors' products and is a recognized expert in one or more technologies across the region. Holds a vendor or industry certification in more than one discipline area. Regularly represents business at industry recognized technical events.
Has performed troubleshooting across a number of significant multi-vendor products.
Has demonstrated innovation and ability to communicate new offerings across multiple business units. Has led a cross functional team in the delivery of multiple solutions across multiple technologies.
Ability to operate and present at all levels, and in public forums, to facilitate business discussions, and controls and leads those discussions.
Ability to relate risks and challenges with other client efforts.
Ability to develop detailed project plans and work breakdown structures. Ability to develop Architecture Specification deliverables that map customer business requirements to technologies.

Benefits Overview:
Cornerstone Defense offers a very comprehensive benefits package including, but not limited to: Medical, Dental and Vision Plans * Generous PTO Policy * 401(k) * HSA and FSA options * Life and Disability Insurance * Tuition Reimbursement and Training * Perks at Work Discount Program * Referral Program * Leads Generation Program * CollegeAmerica 529 * Fitness Reimbursement Program * Travel Assistance * Norton Lifelock Benefit Solutions * Life Planning Financial & Legal Services *