Senior-Level Network Engineer

Location: San Diego, CA (100% onsite)
Clearance: Active Secret Clearance required
Position Status: Contract-to-Hire
Pay Rate: $60–$65/hr (based on experience)

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior-Level Network Engineer to provide network engineering, integration, testing, troubleshooting, security, and day-to-day operational support for complex physical network environments supporting mission-critical government systems. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with enterprise network technologies including HPE Aruba, Palo Alto, OSPF, BGP, IPsec, Aruba ClearPass, 802.1X, NAC, Zero Trust, AWS, and Azure.

Responsibilities

• Provide engineering and operational support for physical network environments, including network hardware/software installation, configuration, firmware upgrades, STIG compliance, maintenance, and performance optimization.
• Monitor, analyze, and troubleshoot network performance at both the physical and IP packet levels using enterprise network monitoring and analysis tools such as Zabbix and inMON Traffic Sentinel.
• Design, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot routers, switches, firewalls, and network distribution infrastructure.
• Configure and troubleshoot OSPF, BGP, IPsec, VLANs, routing tables, IP addressing, and network segmentation.
• Establish and maintain connectivity to AWS and Azure cloud environments, including IP space, VLANs, route tables, VPCs, and virtual gateways.
• Develop and maintain network infrastructure test environments, review test cases, execute testing, analyze results, and document findings.
• Establish and maintain corrective-action processes to identify, track, and resolve network issues in coordination with internal teams and vendors.
• Conduct regression testing to validate network corrections, configuration changes, and infrastructure updates.
• Prototype, install, configure, and maintain network infrastructure supporting routing, distribution, firewall, and boundary-routing functions.
• Work extensively with HPE Aruba networking and Palo Alto firewalls/security technologies.
• Implement and manage Network Access Control (NAC) capabilities, including Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager and 802.1X authentication.
• Support implementation of Zero Trust network architectures, including dynamic segmentation and policy-based network access.
• Participate in an on-call rotation and respond to critical network outages during evenings, weekends, and holidays. Must be able to report onsite within two hours of notification when required.
• Maintain network security and configuration standards in accordance with applicable DoD security requirements and STIG guidelines.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 10+ years of relevant network engineering experience, including experience working independently on complex network environments.
• Strong hands-on experience with enterprise networking, routing, switching, network architecture, and troubleshooting.
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting OSPF and BGP.
• Experience with IPsec, VLANs, routing, IP addressing, and network segmentation.
• Experience supporting AWS and/or Azure cloud connectivity and associated networking components.
• Hands-on experience with HPE Aruba networking technologies.
• Experience with Palo Alto firewalls and network security infrastructure.
• Experience with Network Access Control (NAC) and 802.1X authentication.
• Strong understanding of network security, Zero Trust principles, and dynamic segmentation.
• Ability to analyze network performance at the packet and infrastructure levels.
• Strong troubleshooting, analytical, documentation, and communication skills.
• Ability to work 100% onsite in San Diego, CA.
• Ability to participate in after-hours/on-call support as required.
• Active Secret Clearance required.

Qualifications

Candidates must hold one certification from each category below:

• IAT Level II Security Certification:
  • CompTIA Security+ CE
  • CompTIA CySA+
  • GIAC Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)
  • Security Certified Network Professional (SCNP)
  • Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP)
• Networking Certification:
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
  • Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
  • Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Zabbix and/or inMON Traffic Sentinel.
• Strong experience with Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager.
• Experience implementing NAC, 802.1X, Zero Trust, and dynamic segmentation.
• Additional experience with HPE Aruba switching and wireless technologies.
• Experience supporting DoD/NIWC, federal, military, or other government network environments.
• Experience with STIG compliance and secure network configuration.
• Experience with network performance monitoring, packet analysis, and enterprise network management platforms.

Benefits

• Competitive pay
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) retirement plans
• Dedicated support team