Principal Network Access Control (NAC) Engineer

Grow, innovate, and generate progress: Harness your expertise to solve challenges and celebrate success! Job Summary JCS Solutions is seeking a Principal Network Access Control (NAC) Engineer to support the modernization and integration of a large-scale, geographically distributed enterprise wireless environment supporting a Department of Defense customer. This role serves as a senior technical engineer responsible for wireless infrastructure modernization, Aruba Central implementation, controller migration, network resiliency improvements, wireless security enhancements, and enterprise network access control integration. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership across Aruba wireless technologies, Aruba Central, Aruba ClearPass, Cisco ISE, enterprise authentication services, wireless security platforms, and monitoring integrations. This position will work closely with cloud, network, cybersecurity, identity management, and operations teams to deliver secure, scalable, and highly available wireless services. This role requires a hands-on engineer capable of designing, implementing, testing, documenting, and transitioning enterprise wireless solutions while providing technical guidance and leadership across engineering teams. Location: Ft. Meade, MD Clearance: Secret Salary: $104,000.00 - $149,000.00 Certification: Active DoD 8140/8570 IAT Level II certification. What’s in it for you: Join a premier technology firm specializing in innovative solutions. Be part of a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative work culture. Enjoy tremendous growth potential in a high-performing team environment. A robust benefits package:Health, dental, and vision insurance Life insurance Short-and-long term disability Paid time off (PTO) 401k retirement plan with employer match Annual Professional Development Reimbursement Program And more! What you will do: Wireless Architecture and Controller MigrationDesign, engineer, and implement the migration of existing Aruba wireless controllers to a centralized cloud-hosted infrastructureDeploy and configure Aruba Central for centralized wireless management, configuration standardization, monitoring, and operational visibilityDevelop controller migration strategies, implementation procedures, validation plans, and rollback processesStandardize NTP configurations across wireless controllers, access points, and supporting network infrastructureEvaluate and establish wireless deployment standards, including bridge versus tunnel mode and campus versus remote architecturesDevelop standardized configurations and deployment playbooks for geographically distributed sitesCoordinate cloud infrastructure integration, including connectivity, routing, security requirements, and availabilityWireless High Availability and Network ResiliencyDesign and implement Layer 2 and Layer 3 redundancy to improve wireless availability and service continuityConfigure and validate controller failover, preemption, and recovery to preferred controllers following service restorationImplement and troubleshoot VRRP, virtual IP addressing, and controller high-availability configurationsEvaluate and optimize DHCP, GRE tunnels, routing, and wireless traffic forwarding across centralized and distributed environmentsDevelop and execute failover and recovery testing to validate wireless resiliencyTroubleshoot complex controller, routing, and wireless connectivity issuesWireless Security and Network Access ControlDesign and implement enterprise wireless security standards, including WPA3, Wireless Intrusion Detection Systems (WIDS), and identity-based access controlsConfigure wireless security policies through Aruba Central and validate deployment to controllers and access pointsEvaluate hardware compatibility and develop migration strategies for WPA3 adoption, including transition-mode considerationsStandardize wireless configurations, including 5 GHz operation, authentication, and security settingsIntegrate wireless infrastructure with Cisco ISE, Aruba ClearPass, and enterprise identity servicesConfigure and troubleshoot 802.1X, RADIUS, EAP-TLS, certificate-based authentication, and wireless access policiesCoordinate identity-based policy integration with Microsoft Entra ID, VPN infrastructure, and firewall enforcementMonitoring and Enterprise IntegrationIntegrate Aruba Central with ScienceLogic SL1 to support wireless monitoring, alerting, device discovery, and performance visibilityCoordinate with monitoring engineers to establish required APIs, monitoring policies, and operational dashboardsValidate controller status, access point availability, authentication health, and wireless performance monitoringSupport integration with enterprise DNS, DHCP, NTP, routing, and security infrastructureIdentify opportunities to automate wireless configuration, monitoring, and troubleshootingGuest Wireless and Security IntegrationDevelop secure guest wireless architecture, including network segmentation and Internet connectivity optionsEvaluate guest authentication methods, including temporary credentials, PPSK, and IPSKSupport guest wireless security requirements, implementation planning, and authorization documentationCoordinate technical security assessments, configuration validation, and required infrastructure approvalsTechnical Leadership and DocumentationServe as a senior technical subject matter expert for Aruba wireless infrastructure and centralized wireless managementProvide technical direction, mentoring, and engineering guidance to network engineering personnelLead technical design reviews, implementation planning, integration testing, and troubleshooting activitiesIdentify technical risks, dependencies, and operational impacts associated with wireless modernizationEstablish repeatable engineering standards and implementation procedures for deployment teamsSupport production migration, validation, and transition to operationsDevelop and maintain wireless architecture and cloud integration diagramsDevelop Aruba Central and controller configuration standardsCreate controller migration procedures, failover designs, test plans, validation procedures, SOPs, migration playbooks, and operations transition documentation. What you will bring: Bachelor's degree with 12+ years of relevant experience, or Master's degree with 10+ years of relevant experienceAdditional relevant experience, education, or training may be considered in lieu of a degreeU.S. Citizenship requiredActive DoD Secret security clearanceActive DoD 8140/8570 IAT Level II certificationSignificant hands-on experience engineering, implementing, and supporting enterprise Aruba wireless infrastructure, including controllers, access points, and centralized management platformsExperience with Aruba Central, including configuration management, controller integration, and enterprise wireless deploymentsStrong knowledge of enterprise wireless networking, including 802.11 standards, RF fundamentals, WLAN architecture, VLANs, routing, and switchingExperience implementing and troubleshooting wireless controller redundancy, high availability, failover, and network resiliencyExperience with wireless security and authentication, including WPA2/WPA3, 802.1X, RADIUS, and enterprise NAC platformsExperience integrating wireless infrastructure with enterprise networking services, including DNS, DHCP, NTP, routing, and monitoring platformsExperience developing and executing engineering designs, implementation plans, migration procedures, test plans, and production deploymentsStrong troubleshooting and analytical skills with the ability to resolve complex wireless connectivity, authentication, and network performance issuesStrong written and verbal communication skillsExperience providing technical guidance and developing engineering documentationMust meet applicable cybersecurity workforce qualification requirements for the assigned position. How you will wow us: Experience migrating Aruba wireless controllers to cloud-hosted or centrally managed environmentsExperience with Aruba Central On-Premises or cloud-managed Aruba deploymentsExperience implementing VRRP, controller preemption, and Layer 2/Layer 3 failover architecturesExperience with bridge-mode, tunnel-mode, campus, and remote wireless architecturesExperience integrating Cisco ISE and Aruba ClearPass with enterprise wireless infrastructureExperience integrating wireless authentication with Microsoft Entra ID, Active Directory, and PKIExperience implementing WPA3, WIDS/WIPS, PPSK/IPSK, and wireless security standardsExperience integrating Aruba Central with ScienceLogic SL1 or comparable monitoring platformsExperience designing secure guest wireless networks with isolated Internet connectivityExperience with wireless RF optimization, 5 GHz deployments, and high-density environmentsExperience with Python, REST APIs, Ansible, or similar network automation technologiesExperience supporting security authorization activities, configuration hardening, and compliance assessmentsExperience supporting geographically distributed enterprise networks. JCS Solutions (JCS) is a premier technology firm providing innovative solutions and high-quality services in defense, national security, and civilian sectors. JCS offers enterprise-wide solutions including cloud computing, software development, cybersecurity, digital modernization, and management consulting for the federal government. At JCS, we elevate our customers’ mission through the application of technology and professional services. Our commitment to investing in our workforce drives innovation and progress for our clients, employees, and communities. JCS is both a Great Place to Work and a Top Places to Work certified company. Our employees embody our core values, and we are looking for others who do too! Customer Experience: Strive for excellence and delight our clients Innovation: Embrace creative thinking to enable continual growth and powerful solutions Accountability: Take ownership of and pride in our actions and service delivery Inspire: Be inspired to be your best self and have fun in the process Integrity: Do the right thing, the right way, every time! Stewardship: The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to our care. At JCS Solutions, compensation is based on a number of factors such as location, qualifications, and applicable contract terms. The general salary range for this position is as follows: $104,000.00 - $149,000.00 Commitment to Non-Discrimination All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. NOTICE: Please be aware that all JCS Solutions communications related to job interviews and offers from our recruiting team will only come from @JCSSolutions.com. We want to emphasize that we do not conduct any interviews over Discord, Slack, Skype, Zoom, or any chat app. Powered by JazzHR LuaGJbFwyv