COTS System Engineer

COTS System Engineer  will support enterprise Time and Attendance (T&A) and payroll reporting systems, with a primary focus on GovTA. This role will provide expert-level support, strategic oversight, and hands-on program management in close collaboration with Human Resources (HR) and other key stakeholders.

This position aligns with Cayuse’s core values of Innovation, Excellence, Collaboration, Adaptability, and Integrity by fostering technical solutions that meet customer needs, promoting teamwork, and prioritizing quality in deliverables.

• Lead the engineering, implementation, and maintenance of enterprise applications hosted in AWS
• Serve as the primary SME and central liaison for all technical and functional matters related to the GovTA system.
• Interface directly with the GovTA software vendor to address product-related issues, enhancements, roadmap items, and incident resolution.
• Provide authoritative guidance on system capabilities, limitations, and configuration options to support mission and business needs.
• In conjunction with government Program Managers (PMs) or equivalent leadership, collaborate with other organizational and interagency groups to support and optimize the T&A system.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders—including HR, payroll, finance, IT, and operations—to resolve system issues, address business needs, and implement best practices.
• Facilitate working groups, tiger teams, and governance forums to ensure coordinated decision-making and prioritization.
• Assist in providing strategic direction, planning, and program management for GovTA to ensure alignment with federal regulations, organizational policies, and enterprise priorities.
• Support the development and execution of multi-year roadmaps for GovTA and related T&A and payroll capabilities, including modernization and integration initiatives.
• Track and report on program performance, risks, issues, and dependencies; recommend mitigation strategies and corrective actions.
• Oversee and coordinate testing, implementation, and deployment activities for new system features, patches, and upgrades.
• Work closely with technical teams and vendors to plan and execute release cycles, including regression testing, user acceptance testing (UAT), and production cutovers.
• Ensure changes are documented, communicated, and implemented in accordance with change management and configuration management procedures.
• Assist in developing and maintaining process documentation, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), user guides, and knowledge articles for GovTA-related workflows.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization, automation, and standardization to improve accuracy, timeliness, and user satisfaction.
• Contribute to the development of business cases and recommendations for system enhancements, integrations, and capability improvements.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting and problem-resolution support for complex system and process issues impacting timekeeping and payroll operations.
• Analyze incident trends and root causes, recommend and drive implementation of corrective and preventive measures.
• Serve as an escalation point for critical and high-impact issues, working closely with technical, functional, and vendor teams to restore normal operations.
• Train, mentor, and provide structured knowledge transfer to government staff and other team members on GovTA functionality, processes, and best practices.
• Develop and deliver briefings, workshops, and training sessions for end users, HR/payroll practitioners, and management.
• Support change management activities, including communication plans, stakeholder engagement, and adoption strategies for new features and processes.
• Other duties as assigned.

• 4-year degree in Information Technology or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 10+ years of relevant professional experience, including:
• At least 3 years in a federal program management or SME role supporting GovTA, WebTA, or equivalent federal timekeeping/payroll systems.
• Demonstrated experience working with:
• Relational databases such as PostgreSQL and/or Oracle.
• Cloud environments (e.g., AWS) and Linux-based infrastructures.
• Proven experience leading large-scale federal system implementations, upgrades, or modernization projects, preferably involving mission-critical HR, payroll, or financial systems.
• Strong knowledge of federal payroll, time and attendance, OPM, and HR regulations, and the ability to interpret and apply these requirements within a complex enterprise system.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with a demonstrated ability to brief and advise senior executives and senior government officials.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and initiatives in a large, complex, and fast-paced environment, with strong organizational and coordination skills.
• Active Top Secret Security Clearance is required.
• Must be able to pass a background check. May require additional background checks as required by projects and/or clients at any time during employment.

Minimum Skills Required:

• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to respond effectively to customers with a sense of urgency.
• Proficient in Microsoft and Adobe toolsets, including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Acrobat, etc.
• Highly motivated with the ability to handle and manage multiple tasks at any one time.
• Ability to forge new relationships, individual and teaming in nature.
• Must be a Self-starter, that can work independently and as part of a team.

Desired Qualifications:

• Previous experience supporting federal agencies or organizations of 20,000+ employees, ideally with distributed or multi-component organizational structures.
• Knowledge of federal audit, compliance, and reporting standards related to time and attendance, payroll, and financial management.
• Experience integrating GovTA or similar systems with other financial, HR, or ERP systems (e.g., NFC and related federal shared service provider platforms).
• Experience working in or with law enforcement, intelligence, or national security organizations is a plus.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, PMI-ACP, ITIL, HR/payroll certifications) are preferred but not required.

Our Commitment to you / overview of benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance; Wellness Program
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Healthcare, Dependent Care, Commuter)
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability options
• Basic Life and AD&D Insurance (Company Provided)
• Voluntary Life and AD&D options
• 401(k) Retirement Savings Plan with matching after one year
• Paid Time Off

Reports to: Program Manager

Working Conditions

• Professional office environment with the ability to work on-site.
• Must be physically and mentally able to perform duties extended periods of time.
• Ability to use a computer and other office productivity tools with sufficient speed to meet the demands of this position.
• Must be able to establish a productive and professional workspace.
• Must be able to sit for long periods of time looking at computer screen.
• May be asked to work a flexible schedule which may include holidays.
• May be asked to travel for business or professional development purposes.
• May be asked to work hours outside of normal business hours.

Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive list of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job.  Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Cayuse is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All employment decisions are based on merit, qualifications, skills, and abilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment in accordance with any applicable federal, state, or local law.