Lead Systems Engineer - Lab and Data Center Infrastructure

About the role

Leidos is seeking an Infrastructure Implementation Engineer (titled Lead Systems Engineer) for its Air Traffic Business Area within the Homeland Sector, based in Gaithersburg. The role supports the design, implementation and lifecycle management of lab and data center infrastructure for FAA modernization programs, which rely on well-engineered software development and test environments. It is a hands-on engineering position where you act as the technical authority on the lab floor and keep physical infrastructure documentation accurate, current and traceable.

Key responsibilities

• Develop low-level infrastructure designs from approved architectural concepts, including rack elevations, wiring lists, port and patch-panel assignments, cable schedules and bills of material.
• Produce installation work packages (methods of procedure, sequencing, prerequisites, acceptance criteria) so technicians can work independently.
• Commission new installations, confirm the implemented state matches design intent, coordinate readiness verification with system administrators and drive punch-list items to closure.
• Maintain authoritative as-built documentation and configuration baselines, reconciling drawings with physical state and keeping version control current.
• Provide technical direction to hardware technicians on site, assign tasks from work packages and resolve field questions against design intent.
• Serve as the escalation point for physical and integration troubleshooting such as Layer 1 failures, patching discrepancies, optic faults and power-feed issues.
• Lead design reviews, prepare and present the review package and drive findings to resolution before construction proceeds.
• Interface with procurement and engineering on hardware delivery and RMA, and support compliance with security standards, network segmentation, cable-path separation and labeling.
• Develop and improve engineering standards, templates, labeling schemes and deployment processes.

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, information technology, computer science or a related field with at least 4 years of relevant experience, or a master's degree with at least 2 years.
• Demonstrated experience producing detailed infrastructure documentation.
• Practical understanding of data center or lab infrastructure: structured cabling, power distribution, rack systems and network hardware.
• Experience commissioning, validating or accepting infrastructure installations.
• Willingness to learn complex, non-standard environments and to work across multiple concurrent projects with shifting priorities.
• Clear verbal and written communication, and ability to obtain and maintain a favorable Public Trust investigation.
• US citizenship.

Required skills

• Proficiency with Visio, CAD or equivalent diagramming tools for rack layouts, floor plans and wiring diagrams.
• Familiarity with networking fundamentals (switching, VLANs, patching, fiber/copper media selection).
• Preferred: NetBox or similar source-of-truth platforms, scripting or automation for documentation, Net+, CCNA, TIA-942 familiarity, ISO 9001 change-control experience, and prior FAA, civil aviation or government lab experience.

The pay range is $87,100 to $157,450.