Job DescriptionThe Riverbed
SME (Subject Matter Expert) System Engineer serves as the senior technical authority for Riverbed performance monitoring, digital experience management, and network visibility platforms across the enterprise environment. This role is responsible for engineering, administration, optimization, cybersecurity compliance, and lifecycle management of Riverbed technologies excluding SteelHead WAN optimization appliances.
The engineer will operate within and support multiple classified and unclassified environments, ensuring secure, compliant, and highly available performance monitoring capabilities across J6 mission systems.
This position supports operations within the following enclaves:
- NIPR (Non-classified Internet Protocol Router Network)
- SIPR (Secret Internet Protocol Router Network)
- SOCRATES (as defined by the supported command architecture)
The Riverbed SME will manage and support the following suites, as deployed:
- Riverbed AppResponse
- Riverbed NetProfiler
- Riverbed Portal
- Riverbed Aternity
- Riverbed NPM+
Key Responsibilities:1. Architecture & Engineering- Design and implement secure Riverbed monitoring architectures across NIPR, SIPR, and SOCRATES enclaves.
- Develop enclave-specific system design documentation and data flow diagrams.
- Engineer scalable deployments supporting hybrid, virtual, and physical infrastructures.
- Integrate Riverbed tools with SIEM, ITSM, cybersecurity, and enterprise monitoring platforms.
- Ensure cross-domain and enclave segmentation compliance.
2. Operations & Administration- Provide Tier II/III engineering support and root cause analysis.
- Administer platform configuration, system health monitoring, and performance tuning.
- Perform software upgrades, patching, backups, and disaster recovery validation.
- Maintain role-based access controls (RBAC) and auditing policies.
- Support configuration management and change control boards (CCB).
- Proficiency in Windows and Linux operating systems.
- Combine subsystems, resolve compatibility issues, and ensure interoperability
3. Performance Monitoring & Optimization- Analyze application, network, and endpoint performance trends.
- Generate executive dashboards and mission-impact assessments.
- Develop actionable insights to reduce latency, packet loss, and user-impacting incidents.
- Tune alert thresholds and monitoring policies to reduce noise.
4. Cybersecurity & Compliance- Maintain compliance with DoD cybersecurity standards and STIG requirements.
- Support ATO lifecycle documentation and security control validation.
- Coordinate vulnerability scanning, remediation, and patch cycles.
- Ensure enclave-specific hardening baselines are maintained.
5. Documentation & Reporting- Develop and maintain SOPs, engineering diagrams, and operational runbooks.
- Provide weekly/monthly operational reports to leadership.
- Brief senior leadership on system health, trends, and risk posture.
6. Collaboration & Leadership- Coordinate with Network, Cybersecurity, Systems, and Application teams.
- Support incident response and war-room troubleshooting efforts.
- Provide mentorship to junior administrators and engineers.
- Serve as the technical liaison between contractor teams and government leadership.
7. Troubleshooting and Support- Monitor the health and performance of the monitoring servers themselves, proactively addressing any issues.
- Investigate and resolve issues related to data collection, ensuring all monitored devices are reporting correctly.
- Basic to intermediate scripting skills (PowerShell, Bash, Python) for automation of routine tasks.
Soft Skills:- Communications: Exceptional collaboration and communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Demonstrated ability in performance optimization and system engineering processes.
- Team Collaboration: Work effectively in cross-functional teams, leveraging diverse perspectives to solve problems faster
- Clear Technical Communication: Translate complex concepts into understandable terms for engineers, managers, and stakeholders
Hard Skills:Advanced knowledge of:
- TCP/IP, SNMP, NetFlow, sFlow
- Application Performance Monitoring (APM)
- Network Performance Monitoring (NPM)
- Windows & Linux server administration
- VMware or other virtualization platforms
- Scripting (PowerShell, Python, Bash)
- REST API integrations
- Splunk, ServiceNow, or similar enterprise tools
- SQL databases
- Multi-enclave architecture support (NIPR/SIPR)
QualificationsRequired Qualifications: - DoDD 8570 01-M IAT II, specifically CompTIA Security +
- Must be DoW 8140 compliant under the Work Role Code 451 - System Administrator - Advanced level.
- Exceptional collaboration and communication skills, both written and verbal.
- Demonstrated ability in performance optimization and system engineering processes.
Highly Desired Qualifications:- Professional Certifications:
- SCSA: SolarWinds Certified Systems Administrator (Not Required but highly desired)
- RCSA: Riverbed Certified Solutions Associate. (Not Required but highly desired)
Years of Experience (YOE):- BS + 10 years of experience OR MS + 8 years of experience OR PhD with 5 years of
Clearance Requirement:- A DoW security clearance at the TS/SCI level is required.
