Network Engineer

The Network Engineer is accountable for the performance, security, and stability of the Federal Government Agency's entire wired and wireless network infrastructure - encompassing the LAN, WAN, Internet, Wi-Fi, Distributed Antenna System (DAS), and cloud connectivity across all Agency locations. This individual provides expert-level escalation for network incidents, leads proactive network monitoring and problem management, and serves as the primary liaison for ISP and carrier-related coordination. As a Key Personnel position, any substitution requires prior written COR approval., Network Operations & Infrastructure Management

• Monitor, manage, and maintain the Agency's high-speed switching infrastructure, including 2 Cisco Nexus 9504 core switches, 6 Nexus 9K TOR switches, 52 Cisco 9300 floor switches, 6 external switches (9200/9300/9500), 2 ASR 1000-HX Internet routers, 3 ReadingRoom Cisco 1300 switches, and 6 regional office switches (Cisco 1200/9200/9300).
• Administer and support the Agency's Wi-Fi environment, including 16 Aruba CX6300 Wi-Fi switches, 270 Aruba IAP-734/735 wireless access points, and HPE Aruba Central cloud management platform.
• Monitor LAN performance, bandwidth utilization, and device health; apply firmware and software updates to all switches and WAPs; diagnose and resolve LAN outages, latency, and connectivity issues.
• Monitor WAN/Internet metrics including latency, jitter, packet loss, and throughput across 6 ISP Internet links, Metro Ethernet connections (3 campus sites), Comcast/Megaport WAN-to-cloud connectivity, and IBC/Department of Interior service provider connections.
• Coordinate with ISPs for circuit installation, upgrades, troubleshooting, and outage restoration; produce after-action reports for all WAN outage events.
• Support, monitor, and troubleshoot the Agency's Distributed Antenna System (DAS) at the Agency/Ross and Shapell Center campuses; engage DAS vendors as needed and assist with new DAS projects.

Incident & Problem Management

• Serve as the Tier 3 escalation point for all network incidents; lead post-incident investigations for Priority 1 and Priority 2 outages and produce Root Cause Analysis (RCA) documentation.
• Continuously monitor SolarWinds Orion and AWS CloudWatch for actionable network events; configure Alert Dependencies to suppress downstream noise when core infrastructure is impacted.
• Proactively analyze SolarWinds trend data to identify flapping interfaces or degrading hardware before service failures occur; maintain a Known Error Database (KEDB) for recurring network issues.
• Facilitate conference bridge participation during major network outages, providing real-time updates to the Service Desk Manager and Agency stakeholders until service is fully restored.
• Treat any failure impacting the Data Center, AWS cloud instances, or core network as a Priority 1 incident requiring immediate response or escalation, regardless of time of day.

Network Security & Compliance

• Develop and maintain network security recommendations aligned with industry and federal government standards; produce security assessment reports, gap analyses, and prioritized remediation lists for Agency CISO review.
• Enforce LAN/WAN security specifications throughout architecture, implementation, and continuous validation cycles; report identified security issues to the Agency CISO immediately.
• Ensure all Wi-Fi SSID configurations, authentication protocols, and RF maps comply with Agency security requirements; maintain current wireless network diagrams and configuration records.
• Manage cable infrastructure for LAN, WAN, and Internet connections, including circuit monitoring and troubleshooting among the Agency, Portals, and Shapell buildings; maintain documentation of all circuits and providers.

Cloud Network & Cabling Support

• Manage AWS network connectivity including VPC routing tables, Route 53 DNS health checks, VPN connectivity to on-premises environments, and WAN connectivity to cloud services.
• Assist in the management of cloud-based VoIP infrastructure (provisioning, configuration, and troubleshooting of hard phones and soft phones) under the direction of the Agency Technical Monitor.
• Provide technical support for the Agency Shop's point-of-sale network environment, ensuring stable connectivity and hardware functionality.
• Execute data center physical cabling, equipment labeling, and rack management tasks in coordination with the Tier 3 System Administrator Lead and Agency IT Operations staff.

Reporting & Documentation

• Maintain comprehensive network documentation including circuit inventories, provider contacts, rack diagrams, port maps, RF maps, and change logs accessible on the Agency's shared drive.
• Provide weekly and monthly contributions to action tracking and status reports as directed by the Service Desk Manager; flag network-related SLA risks proactively.
• Coordinate all significant network changes with the Agency Change Control Board (CCB) through the Technical Monitor; ensure all change requests are documented for technical accuracy review prior to CCB submission.

Do you have experience in Wireshark?, * Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) - required; current and valid at time of proposal submission and maintained throughout the contract period of performance.

• Minimum 7 years of enterprise network engineering experience, with at least 3 years at a Tier 3 / senior network engineer level.
• Expert-level knowledge of routing and switching, including Cisco Nexus, Catalyst, and ASR platforms; demonstrated experience with OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, STP, and VLANs in large-scale environments.
• Proficiency with SolarWinds Orion, including Alert Dependency configuration, trend analysis, and performance dashboards.
• Hands-on experience with Aruba Wi-Fi infrastructure (IAP-series APs and CX switches) and HPE Aruba Central cloud management.
• Experience managing ISP relationships and WAN circuits including Metro Ethernet, Internet (multi-link), and cloud connectivity (Megaport or equivalent).
• Familiarity with AWS VPC networking, Route 53, VPN connectivity, and CloudWatch network monitoring.
• Experience with Cisco CLI, HP Switch CLI, TACACS+, Wireshark, and related network diagnostic and access tools.
• Must be eligible for and obtain a Agency suitability clearance (background investigation and annual re-badging)., * Cisco Networking : 7 years (Required)
• Hands-on experience with Aruba Wi-Fi infrastructure : 5 years (Required)
• SolarWinds: 5 years (Required)

Pulled from the full job description

• Professional development assistance
• 401(k)
• Health insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance, * 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Vision insurance