Network & Cloud Engineer

The Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) supports George Mason University’s work with the Air Force research and innovation enterprise, including AFOSR, Space Systems Command, NRO-aligned activities, and AFCENT. The PIA connects government mission partners with Mason faculty, students, laboratories, industry, startups, and investors while providing the operational and technical infrastructure necessary for collaboration, experimentation, technology transition, workforce development, and mission-focused engagement.

About the Position:

The Network & Cloud Engineer designs, deploys, secures, operates, and documents the network and cloud infrastructure supporting PIA facilities and mission activities. The position serves as the primary technical integrator across local internet service providers, campus information technology and cybersecurity teams, external support partners, and cloud service providers. The Engineer will support reliable internet access, segmented wired and wireless networks, secure remote connectivity, AWS-based environments appropriate for unclassified/IL2 workloads, identity and access controls, monitoring, backup, and continuity of operations. The position does not independently authorize classified systems or bypass Mason or sponsor security requirements.

PIA operations require dependable, secure connectivity across geographically distributed innovation facilities, including spaces that host government personnel, external partners, demonstrations, events, data-intensive technical work, and future secure environments. The Network & Cloud Engineer provides dedicated engineering capacity needed to establish and sustain those services, manage technical risks, coordinate incidents and changes, and prevent fragmented or unsupported infrastructure.

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, configure, and maintain site network infrastructure, including routers, switches, firewalls, wireless access points, VPNs, network segmentation, guest/partner access, and resilient internet connectivity;
• Architect and administer AWS cloud environments for approved unclassified/IL2 workloads, including accounts, virtual networks, compute, storage, logging, backup, identity and access management, cost controls, and infrastructure-as-code practices where appropriate;
• Operate security and reliability controls, including configuration baselines, vulnerability and patch management, monitoring, alerting, log review, access review, incident response coordination, disaster recovery, and continuity planning;
• Coordinate technical work with Mason ITS and cybersecurity offices, Mason’s Cyber Lab, internet and telecommunications carriers, facilities teams, cloud vendors, and sponsor-designated technical or security personnel; manage approved changes and service escalations; and
• Maintain network diagrams, asset and configuration inventories, standard operating procedures, access records, runbooks, service metrics, and technical recommendations; provide technical guidance and mentorship to interns and end users.

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, computer science, cybersecurity, engineering, or related field, or an equivalent combination of education, certifications, training, and experience;
• Substantial professional experience supporting enterprise networks, cloud platforms, or hybrid infrastructure;
• Hands-on experience configuring and troubleshooting network devices, firewalls, wireless networks, VPNs, and cloud resources;
• Experience documenting technical architectures, configurations, operating procedures, and incident or change activity; and
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with cybersecurity, infrastructure, facilities, vendors, and end users., * Experience supporting AWS environments for federal, defense, research, or regulated workloads, including IL2 or comparable unclassified environments;
• Experience with Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto, Aruba, Meraki, or comparable enterprise networking and security technologies;
• Experience with infrastructure as code, configuration automation, Linux administration, Microsoft Entra ID/Active Directory, and endpoint or device-management integrations;
• Current AWS, Cisco, CompTIA Security+/Network+, or comparable cloud, networking, or cybersecurity certification;
• Experience working in a university research, innovation lab, federal contracting, or Department of Defense partner environment;
• Advanced knowledge of TCP/IP, routing, switching, VLANs, DNS, DHCP, VPNs, wireless networking, firewalls, and network segmentation;
• Working knowledge of AWS architecture and administration, including VPCs, IAM, EC2, S3, CloudWatch/CloudTrail, backup, encryption, and cost management;
• Knowledge of cybersecurity principles, least privilege, zero-trust concepts, secure configuration, logging, vulnerability management, and incident response;
• Ability to troubleshoot complex network, cloud, endpoint-connectivity, and performance issues across multiple vendors and locations;
• Ability to translate operational and sponsor requirements into documented technical designs and practical implementation plans;
• Strong project coordination, documentation, customer service, and communication skills, including the ability to work with technical and nontechnical stakeholders; and
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in an evolving, mission-oriented environment and to exercise sound judgment with sensitive information.