Ethan Walker has been with Atlas Tech for 12 years. Today, he serves as CANES Tech Lead on a Navy shipboard IT program and is an inaugural member of Atlas Tech’s Tech Fellows program. We sat down with him to talk about his career path, what growth really looks like at Atlas, and what it means to be recognized as one of the company’s Top 1% in technical talent.
Tell us a bit about your role at Atlas Tech.
I’m currently supporting the CANES (Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services) Navy’s shipboard IT program. I serve as the Tech Lead for Atlas on that contract, which means I work directly with the program manager, interface with our government and customer leads, and, on occasion, get involved in hiring. It’s a mix of deep technical work and collaboration across our teams.
I haven’t always sat in this position, though. My role at Atlas has really evolved over time. I started on CANES about seven years ago as an engineer, later became a team lead, and eventually moved into a program manager role.
When I took that over, we had maybe eight to 10 team members. We’ve since grown to over 20. At a certain point, managing the team and staying sharp on the technical side became two full-time jobs. Part of becoming an expert is recognizing your own capacity, and, at some point, it became clear that executing both roles was not in my or Atlas’s best interest.
So, we split the program. Atlas was supportive of the transition and, as we fleshed out a plan, someone else took the PM responsibilities, and I moved back to what I love, which is the technical work.
You’ve been with Atlas for 12 years. What did the company look like when you started?
When I joined, Atlas had around 40 people. Now we’re at over 400. That’s a significant transformation, and what’s remarkable is that top-level leadership has remained consistent throughout that growth. The people who set the culture early on are still the ones shaping it today.
I’ve been privileged to play a part in helping grow that team, from building out programs to leading customer conversations and, sometimes, helping win new contracts. It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been meaningful work.
Was your career path always straightforward for you?
Before I joined the CANES project, I was on a different Atlas contract. To be honest, I was unhappy with the work. But instead of just quietly looking for something else, I went to leadership and shared my honest experience. While I wasn’t meshing with my role, I wanted to stay with Atlas. We had a great conversation, and they helped me find a role that was actually the right fit.
That’s a moment I often think about. A lot of companies would have either shown you the door or just waited you out. Atlas didn’t do that. They invested in figuring out where I could contribute best. That told me something important about the kind of company I was working for, and it’s a big part of why I’m still here.
How does Atlas Tech approach professional development?
Atlas has four core values: flexibility, passion, teaching and learning, and I’ve actually seen those lived out.
There’s a dedicated budget for technical training, and it extends beyond certification exams. It covers the learning itself: books, courses, online platforms and traditional education. I’ve worked places that would pay for the test but not the prep. That always felt backward. Atlas gets the order right.
If there’s enough interest in a certification across the team, corporate will organize training sessions on company time. In addition, my team runs what we call “tech exchanges” or sessions led by different team members, where we dig into something new in the industry. It can be program-related or something broader, but the overall goal is to bring people together outside the normal day-to-day and keep the learning moving.
Atlas Tech recently launched the Tech Fellows program, and you’re one of its first members. What is it, and what does it mean to you?
Tech Fellows was designed to identify Atlas’ top technical talent, but not purely by technical skill. It’s about who has leadership impact, who advances the company’s mission, who can mentor younger team members, and who can practically apply their knowledge at the business level.
It’s not “who’s the smartest.” It’s those who use their expertise to create real, tangible progress for Atlas and its customers.
“Tech Fellow” is more than a title, too.
As a Tech Fellow, you’re part of the Innovation Council, which is connected to Atlas’s Innovation Program. That program solicits ideas from team members across the company, including new products, new approaches and initiatives we can implement or bring to government clients. Proposals are evaluated in rounds, and the Tech Fellows help review and assess the effectiveness and applicability of those solutions. The program provides a $15,000 award for winning proposals.
As a member of the council, Tech Fellows have a real opportunity to steer innovation within our company. Tech Fellows also have the opportunity to give company-wide presentations — think TED Talk meets tech exchange — to share knowledge at a broader level.
On a personal level, being named a Tech Fellow means a lot. Atlas has supported me throughout my career, and I’ve poured a lot into this work. It’s meaningful to have that recognized by leadership and my peers. And more than the recognition, it’s the empowerment that comes with it. Tech Fellowship has opened up conversations and opportunities I wouldn’t have had otherwise.
What advice would you give someone who hopes to join Tech Fellows?
If you’re early in your career, go deep. Become the person on your team that others come to first when something in your domain breaks or needs a decision. Immerse yourself in your role, and then start exploring what surrounds it.
What touches your sphere of influence? What can you learn from those other areas?
As you hit mid-career, get involved at the company level. Take on a team lead role. Get involved in proposals. Try to understand what it actually takes for Atlas to be successful, not just your project, but the business as a whole.
Ultimately, Tech Fellows are there to help the company, but the question is, “How can I use my smarts to further Atlas and the team?” If you’re asking yourself that question regularly and acting on the answer, you’re already on the right path.
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Whether you’re early in your career or a seasoned expert, Atlas Tech offers a path to grow, innovate and lead alongside the industry’s best. Join a team that is deeply committed to your professional development and the mission at hand. Learn more about our culture and explore our open roles to start your career journey with us today.
