Senior Network (WAN) Engineer with Security Clearance

SDWAN Network Engineer
Location: Beltsville, MD or Springfield, VA Work Schedule: Hybrid (~3 days onsite, at the discretion of the customer) Security Clearance: Active Interim Secret with the ability to obtain Top Secret Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship Required Job Description
We are seeking a Senior Network Engineer to support the Department of State (DoS) Diplomatic Technology (DT) Network Operations (NO) division.

This position primarily supports operations and maintenance of foreign post network integrations with the DoS Core and other network integrations comprising a large and complex network infrastructure and cloud environments, with engineering and design responsibilities as warranted. This position supports interconnected systems and security infrastructure that enable the Department of State to carry out its U.S. foreign policy mission.

The environment includes enterprise architecture design, engineering, operations, and maintenance support for desktops, servers, networks, firewalls, cloud infrastructure, and enterprise applications. The broader IT infrastructure encompasses network devices, network perimeter security, anti-virus engineering, public key infrastructure (PKI), biometrics, encryption, monitoring tools, telephony, mobile computing platforms, virtual environments, cloud services, and enclave design/security engineering. This role offers a hybrid schedule (~3 days onsite) at the discretion of the customer.

The position can be located in Beltsville, MD or Springfield, VA. Description of Duties
Performs day-to-day operations and maintenance of network, cloud infrastructure, and voice components and systems across the enterprise. Monitors, tunes, sets standards, and maintains a range of network and cloud infrastructure to ensure optimal performance and availability. Uses monitoring, performance analysis, network management, software and hardware equipment to troubleshoot and isolate problems; gauge performance and activity across on-premises and cloud environments.

Performs problem isolation and resolution for network incidents and service requests in support of global operations. Evaluates, designs, and documents network solutions as warranted to address operational requirements and customer needs. Works with Architects and engineering teams to design and implement solutions to operational problems within the capacity and operational limitations of installed equipment and cloud services. Develops and maintains contingency plans for network related hardware failures including isolated and major outages and cloud service disruptions.

Provides internal consulting, technical guidance, information and support to application developers, computer operations, management, and departmental clients. Provides client consulting and training on the operation and use of network systems and cloud architectures. Plans, researches, evaluates and recommends new network equipment, cloud services, and related technologies – hardware and software. Designs and implements hybrid cloud network architectures integrating on-premises infrastructure with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud) as needed.

Configures and manages cloud networking components including virtual networks, subnets, security groups, load balancers, and cloud-native connectivity solutions. Implements and maintains secure connectivity between on-premises data centers and cloud environments using VPNs, Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, or similar technologies.

Qualifications
Required Education & Experience
Bachelor's degree in a network engineering/computer engineering related discipline and 10+ years IT network engineering and architecture experience (Tier III and above, network infrastructure design and implementation) with large, complex networks and cloud environments; Masters and 8+ years of related experience; may accept additional experience in lieu of degree. Expertise in operating, maintaining, and supporting scalable, secure, and high-performance enterprise network architectures, including LAN, WAN, SDWAN, and cloud-based solutions.

Cisco CCNA and/or CCNP and/or CCIE. Strong/Deep knowledge of Layer2/Layer3, routing and switching, tunneling, and networking protocols: BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, static, L2TP, IPSEC, VPN, DMVPN, GRE Spanning tree, etherchannel, vlan trunking, 802.1q, HSRP, VRRP, GLBP, VPC, MPLS, and VLANs, as well as experience with enterprise-grade routers and switches. Deep knowledge of Cisco switching and routing product lines.

Proficiency in implementing and maintaining security measures, including firewalls, VPNs, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and zero-trust architectures across on-premises and cloud environments. Strong experience in operations, support, and troubleshooting of large/complex networks end-to-end including hybrid cloud architectures. Experience operating and maintaining cloud network architectures in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. Knowledge of cloud networking services such as AWS VPC, Azure Virtual Network, Transit Gateway, Cloud Interconnect, and related technologies.

Required Clearance
US Citizenship. Active interim secret clearance with the ability to obtain a top secret clearance. Preferred Experience, Skills & Attributes
Low Earth Orbit Satellite design including Starshield design and implementations. Firsthand experience in developing and providing quality assurance review of engineering change orders relating to the replacement or enhancement of perimeter security hardware and software. Experienced with performing root cause analysis, risk identification, and risk mitigation.

Expert Knowledge of cabling standards, fiber optic and copper cable termination. Understanding of cutting-edge technologies such as SDN (Software-Defined Networking), IoT (Internet of Things), 5G, and cloud-native networking. Expert experience in one or more of the following: Unclassified Voice Systems, Secure Voice Systems to include red switch, TDM Switching, Voice Over IP (VOIP). Experience supporting the government customers in secure environments, familiarity of NIPRNET and SIPRNET operating standards and applicable guidelines. DNS / Infoblox experience.

Industry-recognized certifications such as CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert), CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional), CCDP, JDCI, CCVP, AWS Certified Advanced Networking, Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert, Google Cloud Professional Cloud Architect, or similar cloud networking certifications. Familiarity with automation tools and scripting languages (e.g., Python, Ansible, Terraform, CloudFormation) to streamline network operations and reduce manual tasks in both on-premises and cloud environments.

Expertise in network performance monitoring tools (e.g., NeuralStar, SolarWinds, Nagios, NetFlow, CloudWatch, Azure Monitor) and advanced troubleshooting techniques. Experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools for cloud network deployment and management. Knowledge of cloud security best practices, including network segmentation, encryption in transit, and cloud-native security services. Experience with multi-cloud and hybrid cloud architectures and connectivity solutions.

Familiarity with DoS environment (data and voice networks, IT security systems, policies and procedures), Foreign Affairs Handbooks (FAHs), Foreign Affairs Manuals (FAMs). Interpersonal skills including the ability to collaborate effectively, self-awareness, and excellent presentation skills.