Network Architect (mid-career)

About the position

The Network Design Engineer is responsible for designing, installing, configuring, securing, hardening, troubleshooting, testing, and upgrading network infrastructure, including switches, routers, firewalls, IDS/IPS, encryptors, physical cabling, protected distribution systems (PDS), and software-defined networking (SDN). This role supports mergers and acquisitions (M&A) integration, ensuring seamless onboarding into the enterprise network while maintaining security and performance standards. The engineer will collaborate with program managers, IT staff, cybersecurity teams, and program engineers to align network designs with business and security requirements. They will develop and enforce network design standards, ensuring compliance with DISA STIGs, NIST, ISO 27001, and DoD 8570. Additional responsibilities include network automation using platforms like Cisco Catalyst Center, Arista CloudVision (CCF), or Ansible to improve operational efficiency. The role requires expertise in LAN/WAN, Layer 2/3 routing and switching (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, IS-IS), network security, and capacity planning. The Network Design Engineer will also serve as a technical escalation point for complex networking issues and work with vendors to support and optimize network infrastructure.

Responsibilities

• Design, install, configure, secure, harden, troubleshoot, test, and upgrade network infrastructure.
• Support mergers and acquisitions (M&A) integration for seamless onboarding into the enterprise network.
• Collaborate with program managers, IT staff, cybersecurity teams, and program engineers.
• Develop and enforce network design standards ensuring compliance with DISA STIGs, NIST, ISO 27001, and DoD 8570.
• Implement network automation using platforms like Cisco Catalyst Center, Arista CloudVision, or Ansible.
• Serve as a technical escalation point for complex networking issues.
• Work with vendors to support and optimize network infrastructure.

Requirements

• Expertise in Layer 2/3 networking, including VLANs, STP, VxLAN, OSPF, EIGRP, and BGP.
• Hands-on experience with Cisco Catalyst switches, Cisco WLCs, and Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for NAC.
• Strong understanding of campus LAN architectures, spanning-tree optimizations, multicast, QoS, and high-availability designs.
• Experience with Cisco Catalyst Center for automation, policy-based networking, and assurance.
• Automation experience with Python, Ansible, or APIs for network provisioning and configuration management.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience designing and optimizing large-scale campus LAN architectures.
• Advanced proficiency with Cisco Software-Defined Access (SDA) and Cisco Catalyst Center.
• Familiarity with fabric networking solutions, including VxLAN, EVPN, and other SDN approaches.
• Strong scripting and automation skills using Python, Ansible, or APIs.
• Hands-on experience with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) and RF optimization.
• Understanding of Zero Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA).
• Knowledge of Cisco Smart Licensing, telemetry, and intent-based networking principles.
• Experience working with multi-vendor environments, including Arista, Juniper, and Aruba.
• Exposure to network monitoring and visibility platforms such as LogicMonitor, SolarWinds, or ThousandEyes.
• Ability to develop and present network designs, automation workflows, and technology roadmaps.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance.
• Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability.
• 401(k) match.
• Flexible Spending Accounts.
• EAP, Education Assistance.
• Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays.