Systems Engineer 3 - (Cloud Native, CDN, Terraform)

Clearance: TS/SCI - Polygraph required
Position ID: 20-3-014-SE3
Location: Columbia, Maryland

Description:

We are seeking an innovative and analytical Systems Engineer to join our research and development team focused on the future of cloud-native architectures, specifically Content Delivery Networks (CDNs). In this role, you will be at the forefront of distributed systems research, exploring new methodologies to optimize, secure, and scale edge networks. You will bridge the gap between theoretical research and practical implementation, transforming complex technical requirements into robust, automated, and well-documented cloud-native architectures. If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of CDN technology, designing zero-touch deployment systems, and solving complex infrastructure challenges, we want you on our team.

• Lead the technical translation of high-level research objectives into concrete, scalable cloud-native system architectures.
• Conduct deep-dive research into next-generation CDN technologies, edge computing, traffic routing, and caching strategies.
• Design, research, and implement fully automated, resilient deployment pipelines (CI/CD) and Infrastructure as Code (IaC) for both testbed environments and production-grade prototypes.
• Create and maintain comprehensive, high-quality documentation covering system designs, architectural decisions, deployment processes, and research findings.
• Work closely with researchers, software engineers, and network specialists to build robust environments that support cutting-edge distributed systems experimentation.

Position Required Skills:

• Proven track record working as a Systems Engineer, Cloud Architect, or similar role with a focus on highly distributed environments.
• Deep understanding of cloud-native ecosystems.
• Knowledge of Content Delivery Networks, edge caching, load balancing, DNS, and core network protocols (TCP/IP, HTTP/2/3, TLS, BGP).
• Experience with configuration management and Infrastructure as Code, specifically Gitlab and Terraform, to drive automated deployments.
• Exceptional ability to gather complex requirements, model systems, and architect solutions that balance performance, security, and scalability.
• Excellent written communication skills with a proven ability to produce clear, technical documentation for complex systems.

Position Desired Skills:

• Experience or background in CNO.
• A strong philosophical and practical understanding of DevOps principles and Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) practices.
• Familiarity with Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning concepts, particularly how AI can be applied to network traffic prediction, dynamic routing, or automated system remediation.

SE3 Qualifications:

12 yrs, B.S. or 4 additional yrs in place of B.S.

Salary Range: **$233k-$284k (Annually)

**The range displayed above is a likely salary range for this position. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possible contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.

Akina is a Woman Owned, Service Disabled, Veteran Owned, Small Business, looking for talented and ambitious individuals to join our team. We offer a generous compensation package that includes 24 days PTO accrued annually and 11 federal holidays. Our 401k is 100% vested on your start date and the company makes a direct contribution worth 10% of your salary. Akina covers 100% of healthcare costs for employees and 50% toward dependents. We offer educational assistance towards college classes and will cover costs associated with job related training and certifications.

Akina is committed to excellence and creating innovative and flexible solutions for our clients. We are a small company with an open ear to our employees' needs in order to attract and retain quality talent that enables our customer's mission.

We are an equal employment opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

www.akina-inc.com/careers