Network Engineer- Expert

Location: Herndon, VA
Employment Type: Full-Time
Clearance Required: Active TS/SCI with Polygraph
Experience: 9+ Years
Travel: Up to 10% CONUS and 10% OCONUS, including potential travel to hazard areas

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Expert Network Engineer to join a collaborative, multidisciplinary team supporting a U.S. Government customer in the Herndon, VA area.

This position provides technical subject matter expertise in network engineering, communications systems, network architecture, and communications modeling. The Network Engineer will design, integrate, deploy, and support secure enterprise and field-based communications systems spanning LAN, MAN, WAN, voice, video, RF, satellite, cellular, microwave, and other network technologies.

The ideal candidate has extensive hands-on experience with Cisco routing and switching, secure networking, RF communications, network security, and the design of complex voice and data networks within highly secure environments.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and optimize complex enterprise network topologies and site configurations.
• Translate customer and business requirements into telecommunications requirements, designs, and implementation plans for LAN, MAN, WAN, voice, and video systems.
• Develop network architectures while accounting for INFOSEC and COMSEC security requirements.
• Perform complex network design across multiple technologies and layers, including LAN, WAN, operating systems, and Cisco IOS environments.
• Plan network installations, transitions, migrations, and cutovers.
• Organize and direct network installations and site surveys.
• Assess and document existing site network configurations, infrastructure, and user requirements.
• Evaluate emerging network technologies and make recommendations regarding their integration into existing enterprise environments.
• Research and evaluate COTS and GOTS technologies to develop interoperable, portable, and scalable IT solutions.
• Engineer and deploy secure communications infrastructure supporting voice and data systems.
• Integrate communications system designs with enterprise network architectures to meet customer requirements.
• Provide post-design engineering support, including installation, configuration, troubleshooting, and Tier III/IV Operations & Maintenance support.
• Support both enterprise and field-deployed LAN and WAN environments.
• Create simulated network environments to evaluate application performance over low-bandwidth connections.
• Troubleshoot complex network connectivity and performance issues.
• Install and configure wide-area communications links utilizing satellite, cellular, microwave, and other RF technologies.
• Configure, test, and maintain network infrastructure connecting to enterprise architectures.
• Support secure remote administration and Virtual Private Network technologies.
• Communicate complex technical concepts, designs, recommendations, and results to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Develop and deliver technical briefings to senior government personnel.

Required Qualifications

• 9+ years of relevant professional experience in network engineering, communications engineering, or a related technical field.
• Bachelor's degree or higher in Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Equivalent professional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement.
• Active TS/SCI with Full Scope Polygraph.

Network Engineering

• Strong knowledge of Cisco routing and switching technologies.
• Experience with network architecture planning, design, implementation, and optimization.
• Thorough understanding of TCP/IP and routing protocols.
• Experience configuring and supporting:
  • Routers
  • Switches
  • Firewalls
  • VPN technologies
• Ability to design small- to medium-scale voice, video, and data networks.
• Experience with network intrusion detection concepts and technologies.
• Experience using network testing and analysis equipment, including:
  • Spectrum analyzers
  • Network sniffers
  • LAN/WAN simulation equipment
  • Commercial network analysis software

Network Security

• Knowledge of secure remote administration.
• Experience with secure VPN technologies, including IPsec and SSL.
• Understanding of commercial encryption standards and their application within IP networks.
• Familiarity with encryption devices and industry-standard commercial encryption methodologies.
• Understanding of INFOSEC and COMSEC requirements within secure network environments.

RF & Communications

• Understanding and experience applying RF communications systems, including:
  • HF
  • VHF
  • UHF
  • Microwave
  • VSAT
  • Satellite communications
  • Cellular communications
• Familiarity with wireless technologies and standards including:
  • GSM
  • CDMA
  • 802.11
  • 802.16
• Knowledge of WAN technologies including ISDN, POTS, and satellite voice/data circuits.
• Experience configuring terminal devices supporting WAN and RF communications.

Physical & Voice Infrastructure

• Understanding of wired data transport technologies, including:
  • Category 5e/6 cabling
  • Fiber optics
• Understanding of Private Branch Exchange (PBX) telephony, including Avaya/Nortel telephone switch interfaces.

Desired Qualifications

• CCIE certification or similar advanced Cisco certification.
• MCSE certification or equivalent Microsoft expertise.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Server administration.
• Experience with service-oriented system design.
• Knowledge of VMware ESX Server and virtualized system architectures.
• Familiarity with Storage Area Network (SAN) technologies.

Travel Requirements

Candidates must be willing and able to support travel based on customer requirements, including:

• Up to 10% CONUS travel
• Up to 10% OCONUS travel
• Potential OCONUS travel to hazard areas

Actual travel frequency and duration may vary depending on mission requirements.

Additional Requirements

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to communicate highly technical information to non-technical audiences.
• Comfortable briefing senior-level government personnel.
• Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary technical environment.
• Must be willing and capable of obtaining required weapons certification if needed after hire.

Benefits

This position offers a highly competitive, employer-supported benefits package, including:

• 5 weeks of PTO plus birthday leave
• 11 floating holidays
• 401(k) with 10% employer contribution
• Multiple medical plan options through Anthem, including:
  • Platinum PPO national plan
  • Gold PPO national plan
  • Gold HMO HSA national plan
• Employer-paid dental coverage through Delta Dental PPO Plus Premier
• Employer-paid vision coverage through VSP / DeltaVision
• Employer-paid Life and AD&D coverage at 2x salary, up to $400,000
• Optional voluntary Life and AD&D coverage from $10,000 to $500,000, not to exceed 5x salary
• Employer-paid Short-Term Disability, covering 60% of salary up to $2,500
• Employer-paid Long-Term Disability, covering 60% of salary up to $10,000 per month
• Health Savings Account availability, depending on selected health plan
• $1,000 annual Lifestyle Savings Account
• $5,000 annual professional development reimbursement for degrees, training, and certifications
• $1,000 annual technology reimbursement
• Candidate referral bonus program, up to $10,000
• Discretionary profit sharing
• Discretionary performance bonus opportunities
• New contract bonus opportunities, up to $10,000
• Employer-paid access to online training through Udemy and Paylocity
• Optional pet insurance through Pets Best
• Access to Working Advantage employee discounts and rewards programs at no cost