Hands-on Senior IT / Infrastructure Lead to provide local, on-site technical ownership across a net-new Microsoft GCC High build — infrastructure, identity and endpoints, migration and vendor coordination — holding the ground in Ashburn, VA until a permanent US lead is in place.
About the engagement
Plexlane is delivering a net-new, high-priority build in a Microsoft GCC High environment for a defense and communications-technology client. This is the on-site anchor role: a senior, hands-on lead who owns the local technical picture day to day — infrastructure, Microsoft/GCC High, identity and endpoints — and drives migration and vendor coordination through cutover and into early operations, bridging the gap until the client's permanent US lead is hired. (Client name shared with shortlisted candidates.)
What you'll do
- Own the local, on-site technical picture across infrastructure, Microsoft/GCC High, identity and endpoints.
- Lead hands-on build and configuration across Azure Government and M365 GCC High (Entra ID, Intune, Exchange Online, Teams, SharePoint).
- Plan and drive migration and cutover onto the new environment, coordinating timing and minimizing disruption.
- Coordinate vendors and third parties (networking, telecom, hardware, ISPs) and hold them to schedule.
- Provide day-to-day technical decision-making and escalation on-site as the senior resource.
- Stand up runbooks, documentation, monitoring and knowledge transfer for transition into steady-state operations.
- Bridge the build-to-operations handover and mentor/coordinate junior support during migration and early ops.
- Partner with client engineering, site and operations stakeholders on-site in Ashburn.
What you bring (required)
- 10+ years of hands-on IT infrastructure / systems engineering, including a lead or senior on-site role.
- Hands-on experience with Microsoft GCC High (Azure Government and/or M365 GCC High).
- Strong Microsoft stack: Entra ID, Intune, M365 (Exchange Online / Teams / SharePoint), Windows Server, and core networking.
- Demonstrated ownership of net-new build, migration, and cutover/transition to operations.
- Experience coordinating vendors and third parties and driving them to a schedule.
- U.S. Citizen or U.S. Green Card holder; able to pass a background check.
- Local to the Ashburn, VA / DC-metro area — fully on-site, no travel or relocation expenses provided.
- Available for a 1099 / Corp-to-Corp (C2C) engagement through migration and transition.
Nice to have
- PowerShell automation and hybrid AD / Entra ID.
- Microsoft certifications (AZ-104, AZ-700, MS-102) or equivalent; Security+.
- Prior federal / DoD / regulated experience (CMMC, NIST 800-171, ITAR).
- Network engineering / firewall background (Cisco, Palo Alto) as a complement.
Engagement details
- Type: Contract through migration & transition (until a permanent US lead is in place), 1099 / C2C only
- Rate: $65/hr
- Location / model: Ashburn, VA — On-site — local candidates only (no travel or relocation expenses)
- Work authorization: U.S. Citizen or U.S. Green Card holder; role requires a background check
About Plexlane
Plexlane is an AI-enabled IT, security, and transformation consulting and managed-services firm. We staff and deliver contract engagements for our clients across infrastructure, cybersecurity, and enterprise transformation.
Plexlane is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic.
Pay: $65.00 per hour
Application Question(s):
- Are you a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Green Card holder? (This role requires a background check.)
- This is a 1099 / Corp-to-Corp (C2C) engagement only. Does that work for you?
- How many years of hands-on IT infrastructure experience do you have, including a lead/senior on-site role, and specifically with Microsoft GCC High (Azure Government and/or M365 GCC High)?
- This is an on-site engagement in Ashburn, VA for local candidates only (no travel or relocation expenses). Are you local to the Ashburn / DC-metro area and able to be on-site through migration and transition?
- Describe a net-new build or migration where you owned the local technical picture on-site, including how you coordinated vendors and drove cutover.
Work Location: In person
