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Operating System Engineer Jobs in Washington (NOW HIRING)

camd

IT - SYSTEM ENGINEER

Columbia, MD · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Systems Engineer (SE) serves as a technical expert in system administration for complex operating systems and recommends configuration of operating systems and applications. The SE investigates ...

camd

IT - SYSTEM ENGINEER

Columbia, MD · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Systems Engineer (SE) serves as a technical expert in system administration for complex operating systems and recommends configuration of operating systems and applications. The SE investigates ...

SAIC

System Engineer

Washington, DC · On-site

$120K - $160K/yr

The ideal candidate will have experience operating the AEGIS weapon system as a user, either onboard a ship or in the lab, in order to provide senior level technical and engineering support to the ...

Wyetech

System Engineer 3 (EDR)

Fort George G Meade, MD · On-site

$55.72 - $137.86/hr

... Systems Engineer (Level 3) serves as a principal technical leader and subject matter expert within ... Operating in a highly classified, multi-domain infrastructure, the successful candidate will drive ...

Wyetech

System Engineer 3 (EDR)

Fort George G Meade, MD · On-site

$115.90 - $286.75/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Operating in a highly classified, multi-domain infrastructure, the successful candidate will drive ... The Systems Engineer 3 is responsible for leading the lifecycle engineering and scale-out ...

Wyetech

System Engineer 3 (EDR)

Fort George G Meade, MD · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Operating in a highly classified, multi-domain infrastructure, the successful candidate will drive ... The Systems Engineer 3 is responsible for leading the lifecycle engineering and scale-out ...

Columbia Association

IT - SYSTEM ENGINEER

Columbia, MD · On-site

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

The Systems Engineer (SE) serves as a technical expert in system administration for complex operating systems and recommends configuration of operating systems and applications. The SE investigates ...

SAIC

System Engineer

Washington, DC

$120K - $160K/yr

The ideal candidate will have experience operating the AEGIS weapon system as a user, either onboard a ship or in the lab, in order to provide senior level technical and engineering support to the ...

AT&T

Senior System Engineer (Government)

Chantilly, VA

$107K - $146K/yr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Life

  • Retirement

  • PTO

Our AT&T National Security organization supports our Nation's Intelligence Community, operating and ... The Sr. System Engineer will work in conjunction with a matrixed team of systems engineers ...

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Showing results 41-60

All JobsOperating System Engineer JobsOperating System Engineer Jobs in Washington

Operating System Engineer information

See Washington salary details

$60.6K

$144.1K

$189.1K

How much do operating system engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 19, 2026, the average yearly pay for operating system engineer in Washington is $144,083.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $111,000.00 and $177,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does an operating system engineer do?

An Operating System Engineer is responsible for designing, developing, maintaining, and optimizing operating systems that run on computers and servers. They work on the core components that manage hardware resources, enable software applications, and ensure system security and stability. Their duties often include writing system-level code, troubleshooting performance issues, implementing updates, and collaborating with hardware and software teams. Operating System Engineers play a critical role in ensuring that computing environments are efficient, reliable, and secure.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as an operating system engineer?

To thrive as an Operating System Engineer, you need a deep understanding of computer science principles, operating system internals, and strong programming skills in languages like C, C++, or Rust, often backed by a relevant degree. Familiarity with kernel development, debugging tools, virtualization platforms, and experience with version control systems (such as Git) are typically required. Problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication are soft skills that set top performers apart. These skills ensure the reliability, performance, and security of operating systems, which are foundational to all computing environments.

What are some common challenges faced by operating system engineers when maintaining system stability in large-scale environments?

Operating System Engineers often encounter challenges such as managing software patching across diverse hardware, ensuring compatibility with legacy applications, and minimizing downtime during critical updates. In large-scale environments, balancing security with performance and reliability can be complex, especially when multiple teams depend on the systems. Effective communication with development, security, and IT operations teams is essential to address these issues proactively and maintain overall system stability.

What is the difference between Operating System Engineer vs System Administrator?

AspectOperating System EngineerSystem Administrator
Primary FocusDesigning, developing, and optimizing operating systemsMaintaining, configuring, and supporting existing systems
Skills & CertificationsLinux/Unix, scripting, OS architecture, certifications like RHCE or Linux FoundationSystem management, network setup, troubleshooting, certifications like CompTIA Server+ or Microsoft Certified
Work EnvironmentDevelopment teams, R&D, engineering projectsIT support, data centers, enterprise environments
Industry UsageTech companies, hardware firms, software developmentCorporate IT, government agencies, healthcare, finance

While both roles involve working with operating systems, Operating System Engineers focus on designing and developing OS solutions, whereas System Administrators manage and support existing systems. The roles complement each other but serve different stages of the system lifecycle.

What are popular job titles related to Operating System Engineer jobs in Washington?

For Operating System Engineer jobs in Washington, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Operating System Engineer jobs in Washington look for?

The top searched job categories for Operating System Engineer jobs in Washington are:

What cities in Washington are hiring for Operating System Engineer jobs?

Cities in Washington with the most Operating System Engineer job openings:

Operating System Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Operating System Engineer job openings in Washington as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 80% Full Time, 10% Part Time, 2% Temporary, and 7% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 11% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $144,083 per year, or $69.3 per hour.

IT - SYSTEM ENGINEER

camd

Columbia, MD • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 20 days ago

Job description

IT - SYSTEM ENGINEER

Summary:  
The Systems Engineer (SE) serves as a technical expert in system administration for complex operating systems and recommends configuration of operating systems and applications. The SE investigates and analyzes feasibility of system requirements, develops system specifications, and identifies methods and solutions to ensure a high level of service to the customers of Columbia Association’s (CA) Information Technology (IT) division.  
 
Essential Duties: 
  • Effectively participate in all aspects of design, development, testing, and implementation of all internal and external CA’s system features on an as-needed basis.
    Provide excellent customer support and address customer issues to resolve them in a timely and efficient manner. 
    Resolve product or service problems by clarifying customer concerns, determining the cause of the problem, selecting & explaining the best solution to solve the problem. 
  • Fully document solutions to issues in ticketing system/knowledge base.
    Lead one or more architecture assignments, working closely with the CA IT personnel and partners to manage tasks and deliverables accordingly. 
    Ensure that the aspects of the architecture are driven by the business goals of the organization and that the requirements driving the overall architecture are managed consistently and effectively. 
    Present the technical benefits of adopting a consistent architectural approach. 
    Assess requirements and present System Engineering-based recommendations in line with the strategic CA IT objectives for the enterprise and wider best practice. 
    Ensure that the various frameworks comprising enterprise architecture are consistent and coherent, developed at an appropriate level of detail, and that changes are controlled to maintain consistency. 
    Serve as a subject matter expert for architectural frameworks, methods, and tools.
    Advise and assist CA personnel and external partners’ personnel in any architecture disciplines. 
    Perform scheduled monthly, quarterly, and annual systems engineering, operational, and security compliance activities while maintaining comprehensive documentation and audit logs to ensure continuous audit readiness and regulatory compliance.
     
Additional Duties: 
 
  • Manage and monitor all installed systems and infrastructure.
    Install, configure, test, and maintain operating systems, application software and system management tools. 
    Proactively ensure the highest levels of systems and infrastructure availability. 
    Monitor and test application performance for potential bottlenecks, identify practical solutions, and work with vendors to implement those fixes. 
    Maintain security, backup, and redundancy configurations 
    Maintain and administer Virtual Server and Azure environments
    Write and maintain custom scripts to increase system efficiency and lower the human intervention time where appropriate. 
    Participate in the design of information and operational support systems.
    Provide solution reviews and maintain solution inventory.
    Participate in annual table top exercises
    Provide 2nd and 3rd level support for CA Help Desk. 
    Liaise with vendors and other IT personnel for problem resolution. 
  • Effectively facilitate installation of all updates and patches to CA systems in a timely yet tested/secure manner.
    Effectively plan and facilitate any other ongoing CA system support both on-site and with all CA’s facilities. 
    Effectively assist as technical resource with all universal support and infrastructure problems and projects. 
    Under the guidance of CA IT Network Manager, monitors and maintains CA’s 
  • Monitors and maintains a comprehensive set of performance metrics for all system features. 
    Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of best practices, policies, and technical specifications for endpoint computing and server hardware.  
    Interact with team members in developing new service programs and in efficiently providing services offered. 
 
Requirements: 
 
Experience 
  • Have strong technical and analytical background and experience in desktop/server configuration and integration - sufficient to allow for performance as single technical security support person or a lead in a security systems team.  
Education 
  • Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or relevant Software Engineering experience or related field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience. 
 
Certification 
  • Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) preferred
    Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert preferred 
    Microsoft 365 Certified: Administrator Expert preferred 
  • Microsoft 365 Certified: Fundamentals preferred
    VMWare Certified Professional (VCP) preferred
    Network+ and Security+ preferred
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 
Problem Solving 
  • Demonstrated skill in problem solving and troubleshooting computer hardware, software, and network connectivity. 
    Experience as primary technical support contact for a client. 
    Proven working experience in installing, configuring, and troubleshooting Windows based environments. 
    Solid experience in the administration and performance tuning in Windows Enterprise. 
    Solid Cloud experience, preferably in Azure and AWS (Amazon Web Services) 
    Experience with virtualization and containerization (e.g., VMware,) 
    Experience with monitoring systems and vulnerability scanning (Tenable One, Action1, ADAudit Plus)
    Experience in security awareness training and phishing simulations platforms (KnowBe4)
    Solid scripting skills (e.g., shell scripts, Perl, Ruby, Python) 
    Solid networking knowledge (OSI network layers, TCP/IP) 
     
Communication/Professionalism 
  • Demonstrated excellent technical and non-technical communication skills, both written and oral. 
  • Experience providing technical customer support on the phone, online, and in person.
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team providing timely, high-quality services.
  • Ability to maintain confidentiality when accessing records for business needs.
Technical Skills 
  • Cisco Meraki knowledge is a plus 
  • 8 x8 VOIP Platform is a plus
  • Security experience is a plus (NIST 800-53)
 
 
Salary Range:
 

The pay range for this position is $32.50 per hour to $48.50 per hour. The actual pay rate offered will depend on the overall qualifications of the individual applicant for the position and the amount budgeted for the role. CA offers a positive, fun work environment and a generous benefits package. Part-time benefits include a free Fit & Play membership, Wellness benefits w/Perks and some paid leave. Full-time benefits include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, 401(k), a free Fit & Play membership, Wellness benefits w/perks and paid leave.

Disclaimer: 
 
The above statements are intended to describe the work performed by the IT Systems Engineer. These statements are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, tasks, and skills required of a Team Member in this position. CA reserves the right to require, consistent with CA’s Team Member policies, that other tasks be performed when warranted by CA’s business needs (for example, emergencies, changes in personnel or workload, corporate reorganization, technical development). CA also reserves the right to revise this job description at any time. 
 

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