Lead Network Architect

About the Role

Maximus is a trusted federal partner supporting mission-critical programs across national security, defense, and public service delivery. Our work focuses on sustaining, operating, and improving essential government systems and services, with proven operational excellence and a commitment to mission success. This position is contingent upon contract award and position availability. Selected candidates will receive a contingent offer of employment, which will become final only upon successful contract award to Maximus, availability of the position, and receipt of authorization to proceed.

This role is hybrid, allowing for remote work, but requires the ability to work onsite when needed at one of the following locations in Northern Virginia: Springfield, Herndon, or Ashburn. Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust is required. Active Public Trust and/or DHS Suitability is preferred. U.S. citizenship or U.S. national status required.

Responsibilities

• Provide advanced technical leadership across enterprise network architecture, supporting design, scalability, and operational excellence for nationwide LAN, WAN, wireless, and external connectivity environments.
• Lead complex troubleshooting and resolution efforts for high-severity network incidents, including S1/S2 events, ensuring rapid restoration of mission-critical services.
• Support operational leadership during major incidents and events by guiding response actions, coordinating escalations, and driving efficient restoration activities.
• Interface with agency service providers, external partners, and third-party organizations to support secure and reliable external connectivity across government, commercial, and private networks.
• Design, evaluate, and optimize network architectures to ensure performance, scalability, resilience, and alignment with enterprise and federal standards.
• Provide subject matter expertise on advanced networking technologies, including load balancing (F5), routing, switching, firewalls, and intrusion detection/prevention systems.
• Support network security integration by coordinating response actions for identified threats and vulnerabilities within the network domain.
• Collaborate with team leads and engineering teams to align architecture with operational requirements, service delivery objectives, and governance standards.
• Contribute to capacity planning, performance optimization, and modernization initiatives across a large-scale network infrastructure environment.
• Maintain and review architecture artifacts, design documentation, and network standards to support governance, compliance, and knowledge management.

Requirements

• Demonstrated experience leading, designing, and supporting enterprise network architectures across LAN, WAN, wireless, and external connectivity environments.
• Proven expertise in advanced network troubleshooting and incident resolution, including high-severity (S1/S2) incidents.
• Hands-on experience with load balancing technologies and enterprise network infrastructure components (routers, switches, firewalls).
• Experience interfacing with external providers and partners to support secure connectivity and network integration.
• Strong knowledge of network security principles, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, and vulnerability response coordination.
• Experience supporting large-scale, geographically distributed network environments with high availability requirements.
• Ability to develop and maintain network architecture diagrams, design documents, and technical standards.
• Experience collaborating across architecture, engineering, and operations teams in a matrixed environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Network Engineering, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 10+ years of experience in network engineering or network architecture roles.
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) required; CCIE or equivalent advanced certification preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting federal government environments.
• Deep expertise in F5 load balancing and application delivery controllers.
• Experience designing high-availability and resilient network architectures supporting 24/7/365 operations.
• Familiarity with hybrid cloud networking and external connectivity integration.
• Experience supporting VoIP and VTC network architectures.
• Knowledge of ITIL-based ITSM/ITOM processes and their integration with network operations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in complex, mission-critical environments.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Pay

Annual salary range: $90,000 – $140,000. Maximus compensation is based on various factors including job location, education, training, experience, expected quality and quantity of work, required travel, external market, and internal value analysis. Other rewards may include short- and long-term incentives as well as program-specific awards.

Maximus provides a variety of benefits to employees, including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, a retirement savings plan, paid holidays, and paid time off.