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Senior Distributed Systems Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Dev Technology

Senior Systems Engineer

Tysons Corner, VA · On-site +1

$105K - $143K/yr

Senior Systems Engineer, #1058 Clearance: U.S. Citizenship is required. Must be able to obtain a ... distributed systems. Required Education, Experience, and Skills: * Bachelor's Degree with ten (10) ...

Trident Systems LLC

Senior Systems Engineer

Fairfax, VA · On-site

$90K - $167K/yr

Senior Systems Engineer Requisition ID: 1737 Position Location: Fairfax, VA / Concord, NH (onsite) Position Reports To: Senior Principal Systems Engineer Supervises Others: No At Trident Systems ...

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Systems Planning and Analysis

Sr. Systems Engineer

Ashburn, VA · Hybrid

$106K - $146K/yr

We have an upcoming need for a Sr. Systems Engineer to provide onsite/hybrid support in the Northern VA area. Responsibilities We are seeking a highly experienced Sr. Systems Engineer to join the DHS ...

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All JobsSenior Distributed Systems Engineer JobsSenior Distributed Systems Engineer Jobs in Washington, DC

Senior Distributed Systems Engineer information

See Washington, DC salary details

$63.5K

$141.3K

$199.4K

How much do senior distributed systems engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jul 5, 2026, the average yearly pay for senior distributed systems engineer in Washington, DC is $141,340.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $118,400.00 and $162,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Senior Distributed Systems Engineer vs Cloud Solutions Architect?

AspectSenior Distributed Systems EngineerCloud Solutions Architect
CredentialsBachelor's/Master's in CS or related, experience with distributed systemsBachelor's/Master's in CS, IT, or related, cloud certifications (AWS, Azure)
Work EnvironmentDesigning, developing, and maintaining distributed systems in tech companiesDesigning cloud infrastructure solutions for clients or internal teams
Industry UsageTech, finance, e-commerce, and enterprise sectorsIT consulting, cloud service providers, enterprise IT departments

The Senior Distributed Systems Engineer focuses on building and optimizing distributed computing systems, while the Cloud Solutions Architect designs cloud infrastructure solutions. Both roles require technical expertise and often overlap in cloud environments, but their primary responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What engineer makes $500,000 a year?

Senior Distributed Systems Engineers can earn $500,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, specialized skills in cloud infrastructure, and leadership roles. Compensation often includes base salary, bonuses, and stock options in large tech companies or startups with high growth potential.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Senior Distributed Systems Engineer, and why are they important?

A Senior Distributed Systems Engineer requires deep expertise in computer science fundamentals, scalable system architecture, and proficiency in programming languages such as Java, Go, or Python, often supported by a relevant degree and significant experience in distributed systems. Familiarity with tools like Kubernetes, Docker, Kafka, and cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, or Azure) is typically expected, along with knowledge of monitoring and CI/CD pipelines. Strong problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills help in tackling complex engineering challenges and collaborating across teams. These skills are crucial for designing robust, scalable, and reliable systems that support organizational growth and high availability.

What engineers make $200,000 a year?

Senior distributed systems engineers often earn $200,000 or more annually, especially with extensive experience, advanced skills in cloud computing, and expertise in scalable architecture. Compensation can vary based on industry, location, and company size, with some roles in tech giants or specialized fields reaching or exceeding this level.

What are some common challenges Senior Distributed Systems Engineers face when designing scalable systems?

Senior Distributed Systems Engineers often encounter challenges such as managing data consistency, ensuring fault tolerance, and minimizing latency across multiple nodes. Balancing trade-offs between availability and partition tolerance (as outlined by the CAP theorem) is a frequent consideration. Additionally, coordinating between development and operations teams to maintain system reliability and efficiently resolve issues that arise in production environments is crucial. Strong communication skills and a deep understanding of distributed architectures help address these complexities effectively.

What are Senior Distributed Systems Engineers?

Senior Distributed Systems Engineers are experienced professionals who design, build, and maintain large-scale computing systems that run across multiple machines or locations. They focus on ensuring reliability, scalability, and performance of distributed applications, often dealing with challenges like data consistency, fault tolerance, and network latency. These engineers typically have deep expertise in distributed computing principles, programming languages, and cloud infrastructure. They also mentor junior team members and help architect robust solutions for complex technical problems.

What engineers make $300,000 a year?

Senior distributed systems engineers, software engineers in specialized fields like cloud infrastructure, and senior engineers with extensive experience and advanced skills can earn $300,000 or more annually. High compensation often depends on expertise in areas such as distributed architecture, performance optimization, and familiarity with tools like Kubernetes and cloud platforms, along with relevant certifications and a strong track record of project delivery.

Is L5 at Google Senior?

L5 at Google typically corresponds to a senior-level engineering role, often called Software Engineer II or equivalent, with significant experience and technical expertise. It is considered a mid-to-senior level position, with responsibilities including project leadership and mentorship. Advancement to higher levels generally requires demonstrated impact and leadership in projects.
What are the most commonly searched types of Distributed Systems Engineer jobs in Washington, DC? The most popular types of Distributed Systems Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:
What are popular job titles related to Senior Distributed Systems Engineer jobs in Washington, DC? For Senior Distributed Systems Engineer jobs in Washington, DC, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Senior Distributed Systems Engineer jobs in Washington, DC look for? The top searched job categories for Senior Distributed Systems Engineer jobs in Washington, DC are:
Senior Distributed Systems Engineer jobs near you
Systems Engineer

Systems Engineer

Que Technology Group

Fort George G Meade, MD • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 4 hours ago

Job description

Que Technology Group, Inc., is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead the analysis of user requirements, CONOPS, and system architectures to design and deliver scalable solutions across Linux server environments, containerized platforms, and NexGen architectures. The ideal candidate will leverage GOTS products and Apache NiFi to support modern, datadriven mission capabilities.
This role provides technical leadership in requirements development, system design, and integration of distributed technologies. The candidate will develop system architecture documentation, support integration and testing efforts, and collaborate with Government stakeholders to resolve technical challenges. The Senior Systems Engineer will ensure the integrity of engineering deliverables while working closely with crossfunctional teams and program leadership
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
  • Develop and allocate system and functional requirements across hardware, Linux servers, containerized platforms, and NiFi data flows, ensuring traceability and completeness
  • Design and evaluate NexGen system architectures leveraging GOTS products, container technologies, and enterprise server environments
  • Derive and manage detailed requirements, ensuring they are verifiable, unambiguous, and aligned with mission and stakeholder needs
  • Establish and maintain configuration and change management processes, including participation in CCBs and design reviews
  • Lead development and review of system engineering documentation, ensuring alignment with Linux, container, and distributed system architectures
  • Support system integration, verification, and validation efforts across serverbased and containerized environments, including security requirements implementation
  • Provide technical leadership and coordination across Integrated Product Teams, ensuring delivery of scalable, secure, and operationally effective solutions

Required Qualifications
  • Twenty (20) years of Systems Engineering experience in programs of similar scope, including experience with Linux server environments, container technologies, GOTS product integration, and data flow tools such as Apache NiFi

Security Clearance:
  • TS/SCI clearance with polygraph
BENEFITS:
  • Competitive salary
  • Company Medical/Dental/Vision plans - Company paid
  • Short-term Disability, Long-term disability and Life Insurance - Company paid
  • Business/ First Class travel upgrade for 7 hour or longer flights & company card will be provided for expenses
  • Vacation / Personal days granted at 25 days per year
  • Paid Federal Holidays - 11 days
  • $5,000 Annual Professional Development Fund plus 40 paid hours if in class
  • 401K with 6% company match; all contributions are immediately vested by Employee
  • Employee will be paid a bonus of $10,000 per employee hired based on their referral
  • Up to 3 paid Code Red days due to customer closure
Que Technology Group, Inc., is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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