Senior Network Engineer with Security Clearance

Senior Network Engineer Blackstone Talent Group, an award-winning technology consulting and talent agency is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to join our Client's team. Role Summary The Senior Network Engineer (Level 5) is responsible for the architecture, design, implementation, and optimization of enterprise network infrastructure across multiple locations. As a senior technical leader, this role owns complex network solutions end to end, drives strategic network initiatives, mentors engineers, and serves as the highest point of escalation for critical network issues — ensuring high availability, performance, and security across all network services. A central focus of this role is leading the organization’s standardization on the Juniper platform, driving the migration and unification of network infrastructure to Juniper (Junos) across all sites. Key Responsibilities Network Architecture && Engineering Leadership •    Serve as senior technical lead and top escalation point for LAN/WAN, SD-WAN, wireless, and firewall environments •    Architect and design scalable, resilient, and secure network solutions across multiple sites •    Lead the company-wide standardization and migration of network infrastructure onto the Juniper (Junos) platform across all sites •    Lead root-cause analysis and resolution of complex network incidents, outages, and performance issues •    Define and oversee network monitoring, capacity planning, and availability strategies using enterprise tools •    Lead incident response and direct on-call escalations Implementation && Engineering •    Lead deployment and configuration of network infrastructure (switches, routers, firewalls, VPNs) •    Own the network aspects of site buildouts, relocations, and upgrades (MDF/IDF, circuits, redundancy) •    Establish and govern change management standards for network changes •    Define and enforce standardized Juniper (Junos) configurations across all sites Security && Compliance •    Design and maintain firewall architecture, network segmentation, and secure access contr ols •    Drive compliance with corporate security policies (e.g., MFA, NAC, Zero Trust) •    Lead vulnerability remediation and serve as network subject-matter expert for audits (SOX, ISO, etc.) Project && Technical Leadership •    Lead network-related projects (cloud connectivity, tenant migrations, SD-WAN rollout) •    Manage vendor and service provider relationships (e.g., ISPs, hardware vendors), including evaluation and selection •    Establish documentation standards for network designs, diagrams, and standard operating procedures •    Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior and mid-level engineers Strategy && Continuous Improvement •    Own the long-term network roadmap and lead architecture decisions •    Identify and drive initiatives to improve performance, reliability, and cost efficiency •    Champion network automation to reduce manual effort and operational risk Required Qualifications •    Must reside within commuting distance of Waco, Dallas, or Austin, Texas •    Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience) •    10+ years of hands-on network engineering experience, including senior or lead responsibilities •    Proven experience designing and leading enterprise network architectures •    Expert knowledge of: ◦     TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, and routing protocols (OSPF, BGP) ◦     Switching technologies (Layer 2/3) ◦     Firewalls and VPN technologies •    Deep, hands-on expertise with Juniper enterprise network hardware and Junos OS (e.g., EX, QFX, MX, SRX) •    Working knowledge of Cisco and Fortinet platforms to support transition and interoperability during standardization •    Advanced proficiency with network monitoring and troubleshooting tools Preferred Qualifications •    Extensive experience with SD-WAN technologies •    Cloud networking experience (Azure, AWS) •    Advanced certifications such as: ◦     Juniper JNCIP / JNCIE (strongly preferred) ◦     Juniper JNCIS-SEC or JNCIS-ENT ◦     CCNP ◦     Fortinet NSE 4 or higher ◦     Juniper Mist, or wireless certifications such as CWNA •    Experience leading large-scale platform migrations or vendor standardization initiatives •    Experience designing EVPN-VXLAN fabrics or large-scale Juniper deployments •    Experience leading network initiatives in multi-site or manufacturing environments •    Hands-on network automation experience (Junos automation, Python/PyEZ, Ansible) Key Competencies •    Expert troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills •    Proven ability to lead projects and mentor engineers in a fast-paced environment •    Strong technical leadership and sound decision-making •    Excellent communication with technical and non-technical stakeholders, including leadership •    Detail-oriented, with strong documentation and standardization skills Security Clearance Required: N/A Blackstone Talent Group is a wholly owned subsidiary of Blackstone Technology Group, a global IT services and software firm that implements technological solutions across commercial industry verticals and the US Federal Government. Blackstone's global talent augmentation practice was founded in 1998. Blackstone Talent Group has offices in San Francisco, Denver, Houston, Colorado Springs, and Washington, DC. We specialize in providing clients the best talent across a variety of industries and sectors. EOE of Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabilities