Job description
Are you looking for your next challenge? Are you ready to work with a performance-based small company? At Zantech, we are a dynamic Woman Owned Small Business focused on providing complex, mission-focused solutions with a proven track record of outstanding customer performance and high employee satisfaction. We would love to talk with you regarding the next step in your career. Come join our team!
Zantech is looking for a talented DevSecOps Lead / Chief Engineer to contribute to the success of our upcoming Applied and Emerging Technology Support project for a Hybrid role based out of Camp Springs, MD.
The DevSecOps Lead serves as the technical authority for all DevSecOps engineering activities across USCIS OIT portfolios, bridging gaps between programs with varying levels of DevSecOps maturity. This role requires a hands-on technical leader who can design, implement, and optimize CI/CD pipelines, infrastructure automation, and containerized environments while ensuring compliance with DHS Zero Trust principles. The DevSecOps Lead will establish and disseminate best practices that accelerate secure, reliable digital transformation across the USCIS enterprise.
Responsibilities include, but will not be limited to:
DevSecOps Engineering & Architecture
- Design and implement enterprise CI/CD pipelines with integrated security controls and automated gates
- Architect cloud-native solutions using containers, microservices, and serverless technologies
- Develop infrastructure-as-code (IaC) templates and reusable deployment patterns
- Implement continuous monitoring and observability solutions across applications and infrastructure
- Guide migration from monolithic to decomposed, microservices-based architectures
- Establish reference implementations for high-performing, scalable platform designs
Security Integration
- Integrate security scanning tools (SAST, DAST, SCA, container scanning) into CI/CD pipelines
- Implement application and workload security controls aligned with Zero Trust architecture
- Ensure compliance with DHS security requirements, FedRAMP, and FISMA standards
- Automate security testing and vulnerability remediation workflows
- Establish security gates and governance controls within deployment pipelines
- Conduct threat modeling and security risk assessments for USCIS applications
CI/CD Pipeline Optimization
- Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines using tools such as Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions
- Automate build, test, and deployment processes to enable Team Managed Deployment (TMD)
- Reduce deployment cycle times while improving reliability and security
- Implement blue-green, canary, and rolling deployment strategies
- Establish automated rollback mechanisms and disaster recovery procedures
- Optimize pipeline performance and resource utilization
Infrastructure & Platform Management
- Manage containerized environments using Kubernetes, Docker, and OpenShift
- Implement service mesh technologies for microservices communication
- Design and maintain cloud infrastructure in AWS GovCloud
- Automate environment provisioning and configuration management
- Implement infrastructure monitoring, logging, and alerting solutions
- Ensure high availability, scalability, and disaster recovery capabilities
USCIS Enterprise Tool Integration
Maximize utilization of USCIS-developed enterprise platforms:
- USCIS Backstage: Developer portal integration and plugin development
- Container Compliance Dashboard (CCD): Integrate pipeline reporting and compliance metrics
- Enterprise Ready Deployment Services (ERDS): Standardize deployment orchestration
- Common Microservices Initializer (CMI): Establish patterns for new service creation
Contribute enhancements and feedback to USCIS platform teams
Develop documentation and training materials for enterprise tool adoption
Best Practices & Standards
- Establish agency-wide DevSecOps principles and guidelines supporting Agile practices
- Promote GitOps workflows and declarative configuration management
- Implement trunk-based development and feature flagging strategies
- Standardize logging, monitoring, and observability practices
- Reduce dependencies on proprietary software; promote open-source adoption
- Foster collaboration between development, security, and operations teams
Technical Leadership & Mentorship
- Lead DevSecOps engineering team of 8-12 engineers
- Provide technical guidance to USCIS product/portfolio teams
- Conduct architecture reviews and provide recommendations for improvement
- Mentor junior engineers in DevSecOps practices and automation techniques
- Stay current with emerging tools and technologies; conduct proof-of-concept evaluations
- Present technical topics to USCIS stakeholders and leadership
Required Experience or Knowledge of the following technologies/functions:
Experience:
- Minimum 10 years of IT engineering experience
- Minimum 5 years in DevSecOps, DevOps, or Platform Engineering roles
- Minimum 3 years of federal government experience, preferably DHS or civilian agencies
- Demonstrated experience designing and implementing enterprise CI/CD solutions
- Experience with cloud-native application development and deployment
- Track record of successful DevSecOps transformations in complex enterprise environments
Technical Skills (Required):
- Expert-level knowledge of CI/CD tools (Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, or similar)
- Deep expertise with container orchestration platforms (Kubernetes, OpenShift, EKS, ECS)
- Advanced proficiency with Infrastructure-as-Code tools (Terraform, CloudFormation, Ansible)
- Strong scripting abilities (Python, Bash, PowerShell, Go)
- Extensive experience with AWS cloud services (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS, VPC, IAM, etc.)
- Expert knowledge of Git workflows and version control strategies
- Proficiency with security scanning tools (SonarQube, Veracode, Checkmarx, Twistlock, Aqua)
- Experience with monitoring and observability tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack, Datadog, Splunk)
Technical Skills (Highly Desired):
- Experience with service mesh technologies (Istio, Linkerd)
- Knowledge of policy-as-code tools (OPA, Kyverno, Sentinel)
- Familiarity with Backstage.io (especially relevant for USCIS Backstage)
- Experience with API gateway and management solutions
- Knowledge of secrets management tools (Vault, AWS Secrets Manager)
- Understanding of software bill of materials (SBOM) and supply chain security
Federal & DHS-Specific Knowledge:
- Understanding of Zero Trust Architecture principles and implementation
- Knowledge of FedRAMP, FISMA, and NIST frameworks (800-53, 800-171)
- Familiarity with DHS security requirements and authorization processes
- Understanding of Section 508 compliance requirements
- Experience with AWS GovCloud and FedRAMP-authorized services
- Knowledge of continuous ATO (cATO) processes
Preferred Experience or Knowledge of the following technologies/functions:
- USCIS-Specific Experience (Highly Desired):
- Hands-on experience with USCIS Backstage, CCD, ERDS, or CMI
- Experience supporting USCIS immigration systems (ELIS, CIS, CLAIMS, RAPS)
- Understanding of USCIS OIT architecture standards and approved technology stack
- Familiarity with USCIS Team Managed Deployment (TMD) criteria and processes
- Knowledge of USCIS governance review processes
Required Education/Certifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or related field
Master’s degree preferred
Certifications (Required - Minimum 2):
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional OR Associate
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA) OR Certified Kubernetes Application Developer (CKAD)
- One of: HashiCorp Certified Terraform Associate, Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible
Certifications (Highly Desired):
- AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - Professional
- AWS Certified Security - Specialty
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- GIAC Cloud Security Automation (GCSA)
- Certified Kubernetes Security Specialist (CKS)
- GitLab Certified CI/CD Specialist
Required Security Clearance:
- US Citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain an active Public Trust or higher clearance, per contract requirements.
“ Outstanding Performance…Always!”
Our corporate motto represents our commitment to build long-term relationships with both our clients and our employees by providing the highest quality service in everything we do. We strive for excellence for our clients and for each other. We embrace the opportunity to hire individuals with new talents and fresh perspectives. Zantech offers competitive compensation, strong benefits, and a vacation package, as well as a fast-paced and exciting work environment. Come join our team!
