Network and Cloud Engineer

Continuing and Professional Education (CPE) at George Mason University serves as the university’s central hub for workforce development, executive education, and applied professional learning. CPE partners with federal agencies, industry, and academic units across Mason to design and deliver high impact training programs that strengthen the region’s talent pipeline.

CPE supports strategic university initiatives by offering flexible, mission aligned programs-including short courses, certificate programs, customized federal training, and large scale workforce skilling efforts-that advance organizational performance and address emerging national security, defense, and technology needs. As part of George Mason University’s research and innovation ecosystem, CPE collaborates closely with Mason Defense, academic colleges, and research centers to ensure programs are responsive, experiential, and aligned with federal workforce priorities.

Mason Defense leads George Mason University’s efforts to expand and deliver impactful defense and national security programs through applied research, federal partnerships, workforce development, and strategic initiatives. The department collaborates closely with academic units, research centers, and federal agencies.

About the Position:

The Network and Cloud Engineer designs, deploys, secures, operates, and documents the network and cloud infrastructure supporting PIA facilities and mission activities. This 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 Network and Cloud 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. This position does not independently authorize classified systems or bypass Mason or sponsor security requirements.

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 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;
• 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;
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in an evolving, mission-oriented environment and exercise sound judgment with sensitive information;
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with cybersecurity, infrastructure, facilities, vendors, and end users; and
• U.S. citizenship is required due to the nature of the supported federal and defense activities. Employment is contingent upon completion of applicable background screening. The employee must be eligible to obtain and maintain sponsor-required facility, system, or security access. The position may require occasional travel, after-hours maintenance, and response to service interruptions. The employee must comply with George Mason University, Commonwealth of Virginia, sponsor, export-control, cybersecurity, acceptable-use, and data-handling requirements.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Current AWS, Cisco, CompTIA Security+/Network+, or comparable cloud, networking, or cybersecurity certification;
• 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; and
• Experience working in a university research, innovation lab, federal contracting, or Department of Defense partner environment.