Providakes began his career at
Mitre Corporation in 1991 as a lead scientist, where he continued his research into the
ionosphere and used it to help create a
radar system that could detect aircraft over the horizon. He has held leadership positions on major efforts to modernize U.S. government infrastructure and create new capabilities for national security, public health, veteran’s services, and other applications. As a senior vice president for Mitre's Center for Connected Government, Providakes testified during a 2013 hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform regarding Mitre's assessment of issues with the
HealthCare.gov website. In February 2017, Providakes was appointed as Mitre's president and CEO, leading defense, cybersecurity, healthcare, and guides the company’s stewardship of
federally funded research and development centers. Under Providakes’s leadership, Mitre has created new organizations including Mitre Labs, which reorganized the company’s research and development operations and talent into a single unit;{{cite news |last=Wilkers|first=Ross |date=2023-09-19 |title=MITRE stands up new R&D org ==References==