Monteleone began his 14-year career at CERDEC in 2004 as a staff computer engineer at the S&TCD Satellite Communications Division at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. He then rose through various technical and leadership positions, including chief of the Tactical Networks Branch where he managed laboratory facilities and integration efforts focused on technology insertion, test and evaluation and life cycle support: including the Warfighter Information Network–Tactical and Persistent Surveillance Systems–Tethered.