Demo

SME - Observability, ELK Stack & Monitoring Engineer

ASCENDING Inc.
Fairfax, VA Full Time
POSTED ON 6/3/2026
AVAILABLE BEFORE 7/3/2026
Senior Observability Engineer (SME)

Long-term contract - 2 years 100% remote in the continental US
Job Description:

Our client's Enterprise Observability team is looking for a senior-level ELK Stack Subject Matter Expert (SME). The team is responsible for enterprise infrastructure, application, and network observability, with a primary focus on log management and metrics. The selected candidate will be joining a team of skilled engineers with a broad background in enterprise observability.
Your Impact:

As an ELK Stack Engineer, this role is focused on maintaining the reliability, scalability, and availability of our enterprise Elastic Stack solution. This platform is used for log management, metrics, and observability. The role heavily utilizes automation with tools like Terraform and Ansible and requires the candidate to maintain performance KPIs and define SLOs for the platform.
Responsibilities:
  • Maintain and deploy monitoring and alerting systems within the ELK Stack.
  • Design, configure, and maintain our large-scale log aggregation solution using Elasticsearch and Logstash.
  • Set up and manage data ingestion pipelines and transformations using tools like Filebeat, Logstash, and/or Fluentd/Fluentbit.
  • Embrace the mindset of "automate any task" to improve efficiency.
  • Build and maintain robust monitoring systems using Elasticsearch, Kibana, and Beats to proactively detect potential issues and trigger timely alerts.
  • Maintain associated documentation as it applies to our audit and certification requirements.
  • Participate in troubleshooting, capacity planning, and performance analysis activities related to the ELK Stack.
  • Research new observability requirements and, in many cases, write code to implement them.
  • Possess strong expertise in setting up monitoring policies, rules, and templates, and writing scripts to accomplish observability requirements.
What you need to succeed:
  • BS/MS in CS/Engineering or equivalent, OR 5 years of experience.
  • 4 years of experience working directly with the
    ELK Stack as either an Admin, SME, or Architect.
  • Hands-on experience with designing data pipelines using Logstash, and/or Fluentd/Fluentbit.
  • Expert-level knowledge of the ELK Stack (on-prem and cloud), including best practices related to performance, security, and component setup (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana, Beats).
  • Fluent in writing scripts in languages like Python and (Bash or PowerShell) to automate tasks.
  • Experience in Terraform and Ansible, including syntax, best practices, and managing complex configurations to build and manage infrastructure and applications.
  • Very good working knowledge of Linux OS.
  • Highly self-motivated and directed.
  • Good analytical and problem-solving/troubleshooting abilities.

Salary.com Estimation for SME - Observability, ELK Stack & Monitoring Engineer in Fairfax, VA
$89,590 to $116,987
If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution. Compensation Planning
Enhance your organization's compensation strategy with salary data sets that HR and team managers can use to pay your staff right. Surveys & Data Sets

What is the career path for a SME - Observability, ELK Stack & Monitoring Engineer?

Sign up to receive alerts about other jobs on the SME - Observability, ELK Stack & Monitoring Engineer career path by checking the boxes next to the positions that interest you.
Income Estimation: 
$96,585 - $120,828
Income Estimation: 
$128,151 - $159,004
Income Estimation: 
$111,369 - $141,168
Income Estimation: 
$131,745 - $167,716
Income Estimation: 
$144,503 - $184,592
Income Estimation: 
$102,541 - $137,871
Income Estimation: 
$153,752 - $200,235
Employees: Get a Salary Increase
View Core, Job Family, and Industry Job Skills and Competency Data for more than 15,000 Job Titles Skills Library

Job openings at ASCENDING Inc.

  • ASCENDING Inc. Atlanta, GA
  • OT Systems Engineer – Utility-Scale BESS Location: Atlanta, GA OR Houston, TX Direct Hire Travel: Yes – Project/Commissioning Site Visits Required Role Sum... more
  • Just Posted

  • ASCENDING Inc. Richmond, VA
  • Sr. IT Auditor 12 months contract with high potential to extend and convert Hybrid in Richmond, VA Role Overview: We are seeking a skilled Auditor to execu... more
  • Just Posted

  • ASCENDING Inc. Fairfax, VA
  • Senior Software / Cloud Engineer Location: Remote (Within the US) Employment Type: Long-term Contract Role Summary We are seeking a highly skilled Senior S... more
  • Just Posted

  • ASCENDING Inc. Richmond, VA
  • Senior IT Auditor Location: Richmond, VA (Onsite, with potential for hybrid schedule) Duration: 1-year contract with potential to extend 1 year Overview An... more
  • Just Posted


Not the job you're looking for? Here are some other SME - Observability, ELK Stack & Monitoring Engineer jobs in the Fairfax, VA area that may be a better fit.

  • ASCENDING Fairfax, VA
  • Senior Observability Engineer (SME) Long-term contract - 2 years 100% remote in the continental US Job Description: Our client's Enterprise Observability t... more
  • 28 Days Ago

  • GRVTY Springfield, VA
  • What Impact You'll Have Join a mission-focused team where your work directly supports critical national security objectives. We are seeking a Subject Matte... more
  • 2 Days Ago

AI Assistant is available now!

Feel free to start your new journey!