Cisco Catalyst NMS Engineer – Network Automation (w/ active Secret)
About The Position
The Network Management System (NMS) Engineer designs, deploys, and optimizes enterprise network management and orchestration platforms, focusing primarily on the Cisco Catalyst portfolio. The role connects traditional network engineering with automated operations and ensures network visibility, health monitoring, and automated lifecycle management using platforms such as Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly DNA Center), Catalyst SD-WAN Manager, and other NMS tools. This is a full-time, 100% onsite position in Norfolk, Virginia. The engineer deploys and architects enterprise NMS solutions, manages Catalyst switch and router operations, improves network assurance and performance, and automates provisioning and other network workflows. The role requires an active DoD Secret clearance and U.S. citizenship. The selected candidate must also undergo a federal agency background investigation and fingerprinting and pass the preceding requirements.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, IT, Network Engineering, or an equivalent technical field.
- Deep expertise with Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center), Catalyst SD-WAN, and Cisco IOS-XE.
- Strong understanding of enterprise networking, including OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, VLANs, STP, and Layer 2/Layer 3 architectures.
- Hands-on experience with Cisco SD-Access (SDA), VXLAN fabric, and TrustSec segmentation.
- Proficiency with SNMP (v2c/v3), RMON, Syslog, NetFlow/IPFIX, and REST APIs.
- Python or Ansible scripting capabilities for parsing NMS API payloads and automating bulk workflows.
- Must possess an active DoD Secret clearance.
- U.S. citizenship is required.
- Must undergo a federal agency background investigation and fingerprinting and successfully pass the preceding requirements.
Nice To Haves
- CCNP Enterprise certification is highly preferred.
- CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure certification.
- Specialized Cisco automation or Catalyst specialist certifications.
Responsibilities
- 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.
- Configure and tune SNMP, Syslog, NetFlow, and streaming gRPC telemetry.
- Integrate NMS platforms with Cisco ISE for secure, role-based access control.
- Orchestrate hardware lifecycles, including automated provisioning, switch stacking, and device upgrades for Cisco switches and routers.
- Develop configuration templates and blueprints in Catalyst Center for consistent campus LAN and WLAN deployments.
- Manage software image management (SWIM) to automate patch compliance and operating system upgrades.
- Execute migration runbooks to transition legacy infrastructure to modern Catalyst platforms.
- Use NMS assurance features to detect network anomalies, monitor client health, and identify root causes.
- Build dashboards and alerts for network KPIs, including link utilization, memory, temperature, and PoE allocation.
- Integrate Catalyst telemetry with third-party systems such as ServiceNow and Splunk/SIEM.
- Troubleshoot Layer 2/3 connectivity bottlenecks using NMS packet-capture tools, Wireshark, and sensor data.
- Automate repetitive workflows using Python, Ansible, scripting platforms, and Catalyst Center REST APIs.
- Deploy Cisco Plug-and-Play capabilities for zero-touch provisioning of remote-site switches.
Benefits
- 100% premium coverage for medical, dental, vision, and life insurance.
- Supplemental insurance.
- 401(k) matching.
- Flexible Time Off (PTO/holidays).
- Higher education and training reimbursement.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
