Senior Network Engineer (100% Travel) with Security Clearance

TEKsystems is seeking a Senior Network Engineer with an active Top Secret clearance to support a Secure Development Environment (SDE) deployment for a Fortune Aerospace & Defense organization in Richardson, TX. This position will cover 100% of travel expenses (flight/hotel/per diem) for candidates outside of Richardson, TX. This effort supports classified engineering workloads associated with Department of Defense (DoD) programs. The network architecture and engineering design have already been completed.

This position is focused on implementation, configuration, integration, validation, troubleshooting, and operational support of the network environment. This engineer will serve as the primary networking resource on the deployment team and must be capable of independently configuring and troubleshooting enterprise Cisco infrastructure with minimal oversight. The engagement is projected to last up to 12 months, with an initial 6-month funding period and strong extension potential.

What You'll Do • Deploy and configure enterprise Cisco networking infrastructure based on existing architecture documentation and engineering standards. • Configure and validate routing and switching environments across multiple classified locations. • Implement and support: ○ OSPF ○ BGP ○ EIGRP ○ VLANs ○ Port Channels ○ Spanning Tree ○ QoS • Configure Cisco Catalyst, Nexus, and related enterprise networking platforms. • Implement network segmentation and security controls in accordance with established requirements. • Support integration of networking infrastructure with VMware and virtualized environments. • Troubleshoot complex routing, switching, connectivity, and performance issues. • Validate configurations against engineering documentation and operational requirements. • Support system hardening and configuration baselines in alignment with security requirements. • Maintain configuration documentation, IP management records, and operational runbooks. • Collaborate closely with infrastructure, cybersecurity, and systems engineering teams during deployment activities. • Serve as the senior networking resource during installation, configuration, testing, and troubleshooting efforts.

What We're Looking For
Required • Active Top Secret security clearance. • 8+ years of hands-on enterprise network engineering experience. • Strong Cisco networking background. • Strong experience with: ○ OSPF ○ BGP ○ EIGRP ○ VLANs ○ Layer 2 / Layer 3 networking ○ Enterprise switching ○ Enterprise routing • Experience configuring Cisco enterprise infrastructure without requiring architectural guidance. • Proven ability to troubleshoot complex networking issues independently. • Experience supporting large enterprise environments. • Experience working from architecture diagrams, implementation plans, and engineering documentation. • Ability to operate as the primary networking SME on a deployment team. • Security+ or equivalent IAT II certification Preferred • CCNP certification. • VMware NSX familiarity. • Experience supporting classified environments. • Experience supporting DoD, IC, Aerospace, or Defense programs. • Understanding of DISA STIGs, RMF, and NIST 800-53. • Network automation experience (Ansible, Python, Cisco DNA Center).