Cisco Catalyst NMS Engineer – Network Automation

About the role

The Network Management System (NMS) Engineer is responsible for designing, deploying, and optimizing enterprise network management and orchestration platforms, focusing primarily on the Cisco Catalyst portfolio. This role bridges traditional network engineering and modern automated operations, ensuring full visibility, health monitoring, and automated lifecycle management of the enterprise network through tools such as Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly DNA Center), Catalyst SD‑WAN Manager, and other NMS solutions. The position is onsite in Norfolk, VA and requires an active DoD Secret clearance.

Key Responsibilities

• NMS Platform Deployment & Architecture: Design and deploy enterprise‑scale NMS solutions with high availability, disaster recovery, and backup capabilities. Install and integrate Cisco Catalyst Center (vManage/Validator/Smart) across on‑premises and virtual environments. Establish telemetry foundations, configuring and tuning SNMP, Syslog, NetFlow, and streaming gRPC telemetry. Manage identity services integration with Cisco ISE for secure role‑based access control (RBAC).
• Catalyst Switch & Router Deployment Operations: Orchestrate hardware lifecycles, including automated provisioning, switch stacking, and device upgrades for Cisco switches and routers. Develop configuration templates and blueprints within Catalyst Center for uniform campus LAN and WLAN deployments. Support software image management (SWIM) to automate patch compliance and OS upgrades across thousands of devices. Execute migration runbooks to transition legacy infrastructure to modern Catalyst platforms.
• Network Assurance & Performance Tuning: Utilize AI‑driven assurance features to proactively detect anomalies, track client health, and isolate root causes before performance degrades. Build custom dashboards and alerts to monitor KPIs such as link utilization, memory consumption, temperature, and PoE allocation. Integrate third‑party tools (e.g., ServiceNow, Splunk/SIEM) with Catalyst telemetry pipelines. Troubleshoot complex issues using NMS packet‑capture tools, Wireshark, and sensor data to resolve Layer 2/3 connectivity bottlenecks.
• Automation & Programmability: Automate repetitive tasks with Python, Ansible, or other scripting platforms alongside Catalyst Center REST APIs to scale network provisioning. Deploy Cisco Plug‑and‑Play (PnP) capabilities to achieve zero‑touch provisioning (ZTP) for remote‑site switch deployments.

Qualifications & Technical Competencies

• Deep platform expertise with Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center), Catalyst SD‑WAN, and Cisco IOS‑XE.
• Strong understanding of enterprise networking, including routing protocols (OSPF, EIGRP, BGP), VLANs, STP, and L2/L3 architectures.
• Hands‑on experience with modern campus designs, including Cisco SD‑Access (SDA), VXLAN fabric, and TrustSec segmentation.
• Proficiency in monitoring protocols: SNMP (v2c/v3), RMON, Syslog, NetFlow/IPFIX, and REST APIs.
• Scripting capabilities in Python or Ansible for parsing NMS API payloads and automating bulk workflows.
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, IT, Network Engineering, or an equivalent technical field.
• 3–5+ years of dedicated experience managing enterprise networks and network management platforms.
• Certifications: CCNP Enterprise (highly preferred) or CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure; specialized Cisco automation or Catalyst specialist certifications are a significant plus.
• Must possess an active DoD Secret clearance, be a U.S. citizen, and successfully complete a background investigation and fingerprinting.

Pay

Salary range: $85,000 – $110,000 per year. Compensation is based on responsibilities, education, experience, knowledge, skills, certifications, and other factors.

Benefits

• 100% premium coverage for Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance
• Supplemental Insurance
• 401(k) matching
• Flexible Time Off (PTO/Holidays)
• Higher Education/Training Reimbursement
• Additional benefits