Network Monitoring System Engineer

Job Title: Network Monitoring System Engineer
Location: Woodlawn, Maryland
Type: Contract
Contractor Work Model: Hybrid
Hours: 40
Security Clearance: Must be able to obtain US Public Trust

Overview
System One is seeking a Senior Network Monitoring System Engineer to lead the design, optimization, and operational effectiveness of enterprise network monitoring capabilities. This role goes beyond tool administration and requires a deep understanding of how monitoring platforms enable mission outcomes, operational awareness, and rapid incident response.

The ideal candidate brings strong architectural and operational expertise across network monitoring ecosystems (e.g., VMware SMARTS, Broadcom DX NetOps, ScienceLogic SL1, IBM Netcool, or similar), with the ability to translate monitoring data into actionable intelligence for Network Operations Centers (NOCs) and cybersecurity teams.
This position is suited for a strategic thinker and hands-on leader who can assess current-state environments, identify gaps, and implement improvements that enhance visibility, reduce noise, and accelerate root cause identification.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, optimization, and operational effectiveness of enterprise network monitoring capabilities, ensuring mission success and operational awareness.
• Architect and evolve enterprise network monitoring solutions to improve visibility, reliability, and operational efficiency.
• Lead event correlation, topology modeling, and root cause analysis strategies across complex network environments.
• Evaluate and optimize monitoring tools (e.g., SMARTS, NetOps, SL1, Netcool) to ensure alignment with mission and operational objectives.
• Drive NOC effectiveness improvements, including alarm reduction, actionable alerting, and incident response workflows.
• Design and implement service-aware monitoring that maps infrastructure events to business/mission impact.
• Integrate monitoring platforms with SIEM/SOAR tools (e.g., Splunk) and other enterprise systems.
• Develop standards, governance, and best practices for monitoring configuration, data quality, and performance.
• Identify opportunities for automation, AIOps, and predictive analytics to enhance operational maturity.
• Mentor engineering teams and ensure a shift from tool-centric operations to outcome-driven monitoring.
• Support troubleshooting of complex network issues and guide teams toward true root cause resolution vs. symptom chasing.

• Minimum 10+ years of experience in network monitoring, network engineering, or NOC operations in large enterprise or federal environments.
• Hands-on experience with at least one major monitoring platform such as VMware SMARTS, Broadcom DX NetOps, ScienceLogic SL1, IBM Netcool, or comparable enterprise monitoring tools.
• Proven expertise in event correlation and alarm management, network topology modeling and dependency mapping, and root cause analysis in complex environments.
• Strong understanding of SNMP, NetFlow/IPFIX, telemetry, syslog, WAN/LAN, firewalls, load balancers, and hybrid cloud networks.
• Experience integrating monitoring tools with log analytics and SIEM platforms like Splunk.
• Ability to improve monitoring effectiveness, including reducing alert noise and increasing actionable intelligence.
• Strong communication skills to articulate technical impact in mission/business terms.