Data Center Network Engineer

About the role

The Leidos Digital Modernization Sector is seeking a Data Center Network Engineer in support of the Air Force National Capital (AFNCR) IT Services program. At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customer’s success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community.

Responsibilities

• Manage, deploy, configure, and maintain core data center hardware, including switches, routers, and high-performance server network interfaces.
• Maintain comprehensive physical infrastructure documentation, including precise rack layouts, detailed port maps, and highly accurate physical asset tracking databases.
• Employ and manage enterprise-level network systems, utilizing Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly Cisco DNA Center) and Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for policy enforcement, device profiling, and automated access control.
• Configure and manage Cisco Nexus Series switches.
• Configure and manage F5 Load Balancers (LTM/GTM) to guarantee application high availability and administer RSA Authentication Manager to support multi-factor authentication (MFA) across secure enclaves.
• Monitor system performance, capacity, and overall environmental health using Cacti network monitoring and other SNMP-based telemetry tools.
• Deploy and troubleshoot multicast-based Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) platforms over the enterprise LAN.
• Install, key, configure, and support TACLANE (e.g., KG-175D, KGV-72) and other High-Assurance IP Encryptors (HAIPEs) to secure sensitive data-in-transit across classified and unclassified networks.
• Implement and enforce physical and logical cybersecurity measures to safeguard critical infrastructure, databases, and network boundaries in accordance with DoD regulations.
• Develop, update, and maintain detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for data center operations, ensuring strict alignment with military directives, safety, and environmental protocols.
• Act as the technical point of contact with higher-level support units, such as the 26th Network Operations Squadron (26th NOS) and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), ensuring rapid coordination and resolution during network outages or degraded performance periods.
• Draft, coordinate, and process Authorized Service Interruptions (ASIs) as directed by leadership, ensuring appropriate risk mitigation and stakeholder notification.
• Coordinate with multidisciplinary engineering and facility stakeholders to schedule and execute preventative hardware maintenance and routine system-wide upgrades with minimal operational disruption.
• Proactively identify single-points-of-failure and mitigate operational reliability risks to guarantee maximum network uptime and mission stability.
• Support a continuous, mission-critical operational standby and on-call rotation schedule to resolve emergent tier-3 technical issues during off-hours.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer/Electrical Engineering, or similar with 8 years of relevant experience or a Masters degree in Computer Science or a related field with 6 years of relevant experience additional experience will be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Must possess an active DoD Secret clearance.
• Must meet DoD 8140 IAT Level II or III baseline certification requirements (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE, CCNA Security, CySA+, or CISSP).
• Professional-level network certification required (e.g., Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA), Cisco CCNP Enterprise, F5-CA, or equivalent).
• Proven experience configuring and troubleshooting enterprise-grade switches and routers (specifically Cisco platforms).
• Hands-on administration of Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center), Cisco ISE, and F5 Local/Global Traffic Managers.
• Experience with RSA Authentication Manager database administration and user agent configuration.
• Direct experience configuring, keying, and troubleshooting TACLANE HAIPE encryption units.
• Proficiency knowledge of DISA STIGs for network devices and appliances.
• Familiarity with SNMP monitoring protocols, Cacti, and multicast routing protocols (e.g., PIM, IGMP snooping) for IPTV systems.

Qualifications

• Understanding of IPv6 to include configuration and common notation/nomenclature.
• Proficiency in Python and Ansible for network automation.
• Familiarity with Cisco SD-WAN, Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI).
• Experience working in air-gapped and/or classified network environments (e.g., SIPRNet) is highly desirable.
• Knowledge of Air Force, Pentagon, and/or AFNCR.
• Experienced working at the Pentagon, Joint Base Andrews (JBA), and Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB).