Network Administrator

Agile Defense•Huntsville, AL

11d

About The Position

Agile Defense is seeking an experienced network professional to manage, secure, and maintain critical network infrastructure at a U.S. Army installation in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama. The role supports mission-critical network services and requires advanced networking expertise and knowledge of DoD security protocols. The position enforces security standards, including STIGs, and uses automation to improve network efficiency and reliability. The successful candidate will administer Palo Alto firewalls; manage Cisco campus switching, identity and access control, and wireless infrastructure; conduct security audits and vulnerability remediation; and respond to cybersecurity incidents with the security operations team. They will monitor and troubleshoot network services, maintain technical documentation, and provide senior-level support and mentorship. The role also involves developing scripts and contributing to a network automation framework.

Requirements

At least 5 years of experience as a Network Engineer or Senior Network Operator in a DoD or similar high-security environment.
Active DoD Secret or Top Secret security clearance.
DoD 8570 IAT Level II certification, such as CompTIA Security+ CE.
Hands-on experience with Palo Alto firewalls, including PAN-OS and Panorama.
Advanced knowledge of Cisco switching, including Catalyst 9300 and 9400 series, StackWise Virtual, and high availability.
Experience deploying and managing Cisco ISE for 802.1x and network access control.
Proficiency managing campus mesh Cisco 9800 Wireless Controllers and associated Wi-Fi 6 access points.
Basic knowledge of F5 BIG-IP load balancers (LTM).
Comprehensive understanding and practical application of DoD STIGs for network devices.
Basic scripting and automation skills with at least one of Python, PowerShell, or Ansible.

Nice To Haves

Experience managing and deploying Zero-Trust Architecture concepts.
Hands-on experience with Cisco Software-Defined Access (SD-Access).
Knowledge of VPN-less network solutions and secure remote access technologies.
Familiarity with Privileged Access Security/Management (PASM/PAM) solutions.
Experience with IPv6 planning, implementation, and management.
Experience using Elasticsearch (Elastic Stack) for log analysis and monitoring.
Advanced industry certifications such as CCNA, CCNP Enterprise/Security, or Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE).
Experience with advanced network monitoring, logging, and analysis tools such as SolarWinds, Splunk, or Wireshark.
Advanced scripting capabilities for complex network automation workflows.
Bachelor's degree in a related technical field.
Experience with Linux Bash scripting.

Responsibilities

Administer, configure, and maintain Palo Alto firewalls, security policies, and threat-prevention capabilities.
Manage and troubleshoot Cisco Catalyst 9300 stacked switches and 9400 series chassis.
Implement and manage network access control policies using Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).
Configure, deploy, and manage Cisco 9800 wireless controllers and associated wireless infrastructure.
Maintain network devices in compliance with DoD STIGs and Army cybersecurity directives.
Conduct security audits and vulnerability assessments, and remediate issues identified through ACAS and CTO initiatives.
Respond to and investigate cybersecurity incidents in coordination with the security operations team.
Develop and maintain scripts using Python, PowerShell, or Ansible to automate network administration, device configuration, and compliance checks.
Assist in developing a network automation framework.
Monitor network performance, troubleshoot connectivity and performance issues, and maintain high availability of network services.
Maintain accurate documentation of network architecture, device configurations, and standard operating procedures.
Provide senior-level technical support and mentorship to junior team members.