Network Engineer Principal

SAIC

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

SAIC is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to support the Department of the Air Force's (DAF) Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) Digital Infrastructure (DI), Digital Infrastructure Processing Node (DIPN) Product Line Team. ABMS represents the next-generation command and control (C2) system and is one of the top modernization priorities for the DAF. This critical system will serve as the backbone for a network-centric approach to battle management, integrating capabilities across all Department of Defense (DoD) services under the broader Joint All Domain Command and Control (JADC2) initiative. The DIPN Product Line Team is tasked with developing and delivering innovative products such as the Deployable Digital Infrastructure (DDI) and Fixed Digital Infrastructure (FDI), providing the foundational architecture to enable dynamic rapid-response capabilities for the warfighter. This position is part of a highly collaborative environment working alongside industry leaders specializing in systems engineering, digital engineering, model-based systems engineering (MBSE), cybersecurity, integration & testing, and operations and sustainment. The ideal candidate will have expertise in designing and implementing robust network solutions for Platforms-as-a-Service (PaaS) and Kubernetes-based environments while keeping pace with advancing technologies to meet mission goals.

Requirements

Education: Bachelor's degree with 9+ years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of experience and education.
Technical Expertise:
Hands-on experience with large-scale Kubernetes networks, including Leaf/Spine and CNI architectures.
Proficiency in designing and implementing high-performance routing protocols, including BGP.
Demonstrable skills with VXLAN, identity-based networking, and SDN architecture development.
Advanced automation skills with tools like Ansible, Terraform, Docker, and/or Jenkins (Ansible and Terraform highly preferred).
Familiarity with Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), Rancher Harvester, and HashiCorp technologies.
Consulting & Collaboration:
Senior-level consulting experience, including interfacing with both internal teams and external stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively within highly distributed and collaborative team environments.
Strong organizational, written, and oral communication skills.
Security Clearance: Secret or above

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of enterprise application development and deployment processes.
Experience supporting highly distributed, collaborative teams in mission-critical environments.
Experience interfacing with Digital Infrastructure Processing Nodes or DoD-related implementations.

Responsibilities

Integrate a variety of familiar and unfamiliar networking technologies into orchestrated solutions.
Analyze gaps in networking and infrastructure solutions and design innovative approaches to close them.
Design and support Kubernetes networking architectures, including Leaf/Spine, CNI (Container Network Interface), and VXLAN configurations.
Deliver identity-based and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) solutions to enhance scalability and security.
Develop automated infrastructure testing and codified deployments using Ansible, Terraform, and Jenkins (strong preference for Ansible and Terraform).
Configure advanced BGP design and implementation for high-performance routing requirements.
Create, document, and follow installation, integration, and testing procedures for infrastructure deployment.
Automate manual procedures to improve efficiency and reduce error rates.
Provide senior-level technical consulting, interfacing with both internal teams and external stakeholders to deliver results.
Collaborate with team members across Agile ceremonies, including sprint and program increment (PI) planning, daily stand-ups, and retrospectives.
Conduct demonstrations to varying audiences, showcasing developed solutions and product performance.
Review, mentor, and guide team deliverables, offering actionable feedback to ensure continuous improvement.