Field/Base Communications Network Engineer

Leidos•Bethesda, MD

About The Position

Leidos is hiring a Field/Base Network Engineer on its Service Management, Integration and Transport (SMIT) Contract, the Navy’s largest IT services program. The SMIT team delivers the core backbone of the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet, including cybersecurity services, network operations, service desk, and data transport. This role supports Navy shore-based networks and data management in a large Department of Defense enterprise network environment. The engineer works on an operations-focused team supporting BAN/LAN/WAN network operations and NGEN-R architectures. Duties include troubleshooting, repair, installation, cabling, configuration, implementation, integration, COMSEC support, documentation, system upgrades, asset and configuration management, cybersecurity controls, maintenance coordination, and network monitoring. The role also involves interfacing with the Network Operations Center and coordinating with program and customer stakeholders. The position requires operations and engineering leadership, customer relationship management, and the ability to support a dynamic, team-oriented, mission-focused environment. Local and overnight travel by car or air may be required, including possible OCONUS travel. Work may be scheduled or called in during off-hours and weekends to meet customer mission requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and 4+ years of relevant experience, or MS/MBA and 2+ years of relevant experience; additional experience may be accepted in lieu of a degree at the Hiring Manager’s discretion.
DoD Secret Security Clearance, with the ability to upgrade to and maintain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
DoD 8570.01 IAT Level II certification before onboarding, such as CompTIA Security+ CE, CDN, ISC2 SSCP, GSEC, GICSP, or CYSA+.
Network Vendor Associate-level or higher certification, such as Cisco CCNA or CCNP.
Working knowledge of defense-in-depth principles, network and hardware/software security architecture, network topology, IT device integrity, and common security elements.
Ability to travel 25%, including possible OCONUS travel.
5+ years of experience troubleshooting complex routing and switching issues.
5+ years of experience configuring switches, routers, network appliances, and WAN acceleration devices.
Customer service experience.
Ability to be scheduled or called in to work off-hours and weekends to meet customer mission support requirements.
Ability to lift and carry 50 pounds up to 100 feet and lift 25 pounds vertically using ladders.
Ability to work in confined spaces, including raised floors and communications closets, and in noisy environments such as data centers and operations centers.
Ability to stand or sit for 8 hours at a time.
Ability to use basic hand tools, including screwdrivers and wrenches, to rack-mount active and passive equipment.
Normal color vision to identify wire and cable colors; correctable vision to 20/20 or better; and depth perception sufficient to work safely on ladders and in confined spaces.
Ability to use and read digital test equipment such as OTDR.
Valid state driver’s license and ability to drive a corporate vehicle to project and troubleshooting locations.

Nice To Haves

Top Secret Security Clearance.
Master’s degree from an accredited college or university in IT Management, Engineering, or a related field.
MPLS experience.
DevOps or CI/CD experience.
Scripting experience, such as Python.
Automation experience, such as Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.
SDN or SD-WAN experience.
Professional- or Expert-level vendor certifications.
ITIL certifications.

Responsibilities

Work as an operations-focused Network Engineer supporting BAN/LAN/WAN network operations and current and future NGEN-R network architectures.
Troubleshoot, repair, install, cable, configure, implement, and integrate network systems according to approved processes and procedures.
Provide COMSEC Local Element support, including management of COMSEC hardware/software assets and key inventories; loading keys into encryption devices; and installing, configuring, troubleshooting, upgrading, and replacing equipment.
Follow prescribed COMSEC processes and procedures and interact with Government KOAMs.
Document work activities and maintain accurate site documentation.
Initiate software upgrades and changes to NGEN-R systems and communications infrastructure as prescribed by Domain Architects, Design, and Configuration Teams.
Maintain, troubleshoot, repair, and replace faulty hardware using documented procedures, work instructions, vendor guidance, SOPs, and TTPs.
Interface with the Network Operations Center as needed to support incident troubleshooting and service restoration.
Support network configuration and asset management, manage configuration drift, and create or modify network documentation to reflect current or planned environments.
Support cybersecurity requirements and implementation of security controls, including STIG compliance.
Coordinate network upgrades and planned maintenance with NGEN-R Program and customer stakeholders.
Monitor network system health and status, identify potential issues proactively, and recommend or apply corrective actions.
Travel locally or overnight by car or air to assigned locations for operations-focused work, including break/fix and COMSEC support.