(I am a senior technical resource in an environment like you describe. Read this after I was pretty far along but it basically sounds like how I operated to get where I am.)
Don't waste time. Be mission/vision focused. Be polite to everyone always. Be helpful whenever possible. Be insanely organized. Do not be That Guy/Gal who is always forgetting things, late to meetings, doing the wrong thing, asking stupid questions about stuff that's already been covered in meetings, etc. Seek and respond to constructive feedback on your work. Do the sh#t work without whining. All of this will build human capital with other people in the organization, which will both practically give you more resources of help from others to draw on in your work requirements, but also increases your visibility with people who aren't on the front lines doing the work (e.g. Management). That visibility gives you the means to move in whatever direction you might desire. It also (for want of a better way to put it) usually tends to help make you layoff-proof because people know you are competent, professional, and have some flexibility to work as part of a team.
None of this means you are anyone other than who you are. Don't kiss anyone's a##, but also don't be an a##hole. At the end of the day with two people even remotely similar in "technical" capability, personal behavior will matter for increasing your effectiveness within any organization.
(I am a senior technical resource in an environment like you describe. Read this after I was pretty far along but it basically sounds like how I operated to get where I am.)
Don't waste time. Be mission/vision focused. Be polite to everyone always. Be helpful whenever possible. Be insanely organized. Do not be That Guy/Gal who is always forgetting things, late to meetings, doing the wrong thing, asking stupid questions about stuff that's already been covered in meetings, etc. Seek and respond to constructive feedback on your work. Do the sh#t work without whining. All of this will build human capital with other people in the organization, which will both practically give you more resources of help from others to draw on in your work requirements, but also increases your visibility with people who aren't on the front lines doing the work (e.g. Management). That visibility gives you the means to move in whatever direction you might desire. It also (for want of a better way to put it) usually tends to help make you layoff-proof because people know you are competent, professional, and have some flexibility to work as part of a team.
None of this means you are anyone other than who you are. Don't kiss anyone's a##, but also don't be an a##hole. At the end of the day with two people even remotely similar in "technical" capability, personal behavior will matter for increasing your effectiveness within any organization.