EPITEC · 7 hours ago
Software Engineer - III
Chicago, IL
Contract
Hybrid
Senior Level
$85/hr - $85/hr
5+ years expEpitec is seeking an experienced Senior Systems Engineer / Software Engineer III to lead the technical design, validation, and operational support of FedLine and FRFS solutions for the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. This role blends deep technical expertise, hands-on production support, technical leadership, and on-premises lab management within a secure, mission-critical environment.
Information TechnologyStaffing Agency
No H1B
U.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Lead technical design and validation of FedLine and FRFS configurations
Identify gaps between current and target states and develop solutions
Create and execute customer validation tests, including detailed test plans, security-aligned use cases, and compliance-driven scenarios
Collaborate across engineering, architecture, and security groups
Oversee the Chicago-based air-gapped technical lab—one of the bank’s primary test sites
Maintain lab hardware, software, licensing, patches, and network configurations
Run simulations to replicate customer environments and troubleshoot issues
Reduce technical debt and ensure the lab remains production-representative
Coordinate technical and end-user resources to execute and analyze tests
Document findings, issues, and recommended remediation steps
Estimate labor and technical skill requirements for testing efforts
Ensure all testing aligns with Federal Reserve security and regulatory expectations
Serve as the technical incident coordinator, driving outage calls and leading cross-functional troubleshooting
Support migration efforts from legacy infrastructure to cloud or co-location environments
Work heavily with Sterling technologies, including Secure Transport and Connect:Direct
Interact with customers using Axway SecureClient for secure file movement and triage
Participate in an on-call rotation (approximately every 8–10 weeks)
Influence and lead cross-functional teams without direct authority
Provide guidance during critical issue resolution when root cause is unclear
Drive process improvements across FRFS channels and customer-facing operations
Support performance optimization, cost reduction strategies, and SLA adherence
Maintain compliance with FRFS standards, security frameworks, and operational policies
Hands-on system triage across Linux/Unix shells, using tools such as TOP to assess resource usage
Working with legacy infrastructure to support modernization and migration strategies
Deep involvement with IBM middleware (MQ, Connect:Direct, WebSphere)
Regular collaboration with security, networking, and application engineering teams
Leading technical discussions for large groups and presenting updates to stakeholders
Supporting lab operations four days per week (per Chicago hybrid policy)
Qualification
Required
U.S. Citizenship ONLY
Master's degree + 5+ years of experience OR Bachelor's degree + 7+ years of experience
2+ years serving in leadership or technical lead roles (not people management)
Extensive experience with enterprise production support and infrastructure
Expertise in PKI, LDAP, routers, firewalls, and networking fundamentals
Strong experience with middleware tools: Sterling Connect:Direct, IBM MQ, SecureTransport
Experience with proxy technologies: Sterling Secure Proxy, Tivoli Access Manager
Familiarity with client-side tools including Axway SecureClient
Strong understanding of Windows, Unix/Linux, and Solaris operating systems
Ability to design and execute complex customer validation tests
Ability to troubleshoot end-to-end application flows in production-scale environments
Experience with legacy application infrastructure and cloud migration support
Strong knowledge of infrastructure and integration testing methodologies
Hands-on hardware experience inside secure, on-premises lab environments
Proven ability to lead without formal authority across large, complex organizations
Strong project management and resource coordination abilities
Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills
Ability to translate complex technical concepts into business-friendly language
Confident and composed while leading critical incident calls
Preferred
Chicago highly preferred due to responsibility for the local technical/test lab
Typically 4 days per week onsite (Monday–Thursday, subject to bank policy)
Secure, regulated environment requiring adherence to Federal Reserve standards
Company
EPITEC
Epitec is a premier technology services and professional staffing company.
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageLeadership Team
Mark Ruma
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Company data provided by crunchbase