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# Network Engineer (Principal/Lead) - TS/SCI with Polygraph Required

- **Company:** Catalyst
- **Location:** Vienna, VA, United States
- **Experience:** Expert
- **Salary:** $195,000.0 - $235,000.0
- **Contract:** Permanent contract
- **Skills:** Border Gateway Protocol, Networking Hardware, Virtual Private Networks (VPN), Multi-protocol Systems, Network Architecture, Network Planning and Design, Routing, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Wide Area Networks, Juniper, Cisco
- **Published:** July 29, 2026
- **Apply:** https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=e2573a541a3ef3eb

## About the Role

US Citizenships and TS/SCI with Polygraph (no exceptions), * Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of relevant network engineering experience (Master's degree and 10+ years also acceptable); additional relevant experience may be considered in lieu of a degree, * Expert-level experience architecting and modernizing large, global enterprise network infrastructure (LAN/WAN/CAN)

 * Extensive experience with routing and switching protocols (e.g., OSPF, BGP, MPLS, VRF, VPN) at global enterprise scale
 * Demonstrated experience researching, assessing, and recommending emerging network infrastructure technologies
 * Deep expertise with network hardware from major vendors (e.g., Cisco, Juniper, Brocade)
 * DoD 8140/8570 Information Assurance Technical (IAT) Level II certification required
 * Demonstrated ability to lead large-scale network modernization and transition efforts with minimal service disruption
 * Excellent critical thinking, technical writing, and oral communication skills, including the ability to present and defend network architecture decisions to customers and senior stakeholders
 * Principal/Lead positions set technical direction for network architecture across the program and mentor Senior, Mid-Level, and Junior network engineers

## Description

Principal/Lead Network Engineers provide technical leadership across the architecture, modernization, and delivery of large, complex, global enterprise network infrastructure in support of the customer's mission. Principal/Lead Network Engineers research, assess, and recommend emerging network infrastructure technologies, own major network design decisions, and set technical direction for large-scale network modernization efforts spanning CONUS and OCONUS locations. Principal/Lead Network Engineers are expected to mentor Senior, Mid-Level, and Associate network engineers and represent network architecture decisions directly to the customer.


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