NOC Technician Tier 3

Koniag Government Services, LLC•Washington, DC

20h•$110,000 - $135,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Koniag IT Services, Inc., a Koniag Government Services company, is seeking a senior-level Network Operations Center (NOC) Tier 3 Technician to support KITS and a government customer in Washington, DC. The position is hybrid and requires four days onsite. The successful candidate must be able to obtain a Public Trust or higher security clearance. The technician will serve as the highest level of technical escalation in an elite 7x24x365 NOC supporting mission-critical infrastructure used by thousands of internal users and millions of external users. The role handles complex network and system incidents, provides technical leadership, and leads incident response in high-pressure situations. The technician will also contribute to network optimization, architecture, security, automation, documentation, and continuous operational improvement, while mentoring junior technicians and coordinating with technical teams, stakeholders, vendors, and service providers.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and extensive experience.
At least 7 years of progressive experience in network operations, network engineering, or systems administration.
At least 5 years of experience working in a 7x24x365 NOC or similar mission-critical operations environment.
Demonstrated experience serving as a senior escalation point for complex technical issues.
Experience supporting large-scale enterprise networks with thousands of users.
Advanced industry certification such as Cisco CCNP, CCNP Security, JNCIP, or equivalent.
Expert-level knowledge of network protocols, routing, and switching, including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, MPLS, spanning-tree, and VLANs.
Advanced troubleshooting expertise using packet analysis tools such as Wireshark and tcpdump.
Deep understanding of network security technologies, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPN, and NAT.
Extensive experience with enterprise network equipment from multiple vendors, including Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Arista, and F5.
Proficiency with network monitoring and management platforms such as SolarWinds, Nagios, Splunk, and NetFlow/sFlow analysis.
Advanced knowledge of the TCP/IP stack, network services such as DNS, DHCP, and NTP, and application protocols.
Expertise in load balancing, traffic engineering, and high-availability architectures.
Strong understanding of data center networking, including fabric technologies and virtualization.
Experience implementing routing policies and traffic optimization techniques.
Advanced troubleshooting skills across network, systems, applications, and security domains.
Ability to read and interpret network diagrams, technical specifications, and vendor documentation.
Strong analytical and critical-thinking skills, including the ability to solve complex problems under pressure.
Leadership and mentoring abilities to guide junior team members.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for working with stakeholders at all levels.
Ability to manage and prioritize multiple critical incidents simultaneously.
Experience leading bridge calls and coordinating resources during major incidents.
Proficiency with scripting and automation tools such as Python, Ansible, PowerShell, and Bash.
Deep understanding of the ITIL framework, particularly Incident, Problem, and Change Management.
Knowledge of cloud networking architectures and technologies, including AWS, Azure, and GCP.
Ability to work under extreme pressure and make sound technical decisions rapidly.
Flexibility to work rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, and holidays as required.
Strong documentation skills and commitment to maintaining accurate technical records.
Ability to obtain a Public Trust or higher security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
At least 10 years of network operations or engineering experience.
Expert-level certifications such as Cisco CCIE, Juniper JNCIE, or equivalent.
Experience in federal government IT environments.
Experience working in a federal government IT environment with a security clearance.
Active security clearance or ability to obtain Public Trust or higher clearance.
Expert-level vendor certifications such as CCIE, JNCIE, PCNSE, or F5-CTS.
Experience with SD-WAN technologies and implementation, including Cisco Viptela, VMware VeloCloud, or Silver Peak.
Knowledge of CDN architectures and DDoS mitigation technologies.
Advanced security certifications such as CISSP, GIAC certifications, or CEH.
Experience with network automation frameworks such as Ansible, Terraform, or NSO.
Proficiency in multiple programming or scripting languages.
Deep knowledge of IPv6 implementation and dual-stack environments.
Experience with multicast routing and troubleshooting.
Expertise in VoIP and unified communications infrastructure, including SIP, H.323, and QoS.
Knowledge of wireless technologies, including 802.11 standards and enterprise wireless controllers.
Experience with application performance monitoring and optimization.
Understanding of database systems and SQL for log analysis.
Familiarity with DevOps practices and CI/CD pipelines.
Experience with container networking, including Docker and Kubernetes.
Knowledge of compliance frameworks such as NIST, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, FedRAMP, and FISMA.
Experience designing and implementing network monitoring solutions.
Background in capacity planning and traffic forecasting.
Incident Commander or ITIL Expert certification.
Teaching or technical training experience.
Published technical articles, blogs, or presentations at industry conferences.
Experience with multiple ticketing and ITSM platforms such as ServiceNow, Remedy, or Jira.
Knowledge of telecommunications and carrier technologies such as SONET, DWDM, and Metro Ethernet.

Responsibilities

Serve as the final escalation point for complex Tier 1 and Tier 2 incidents requiring advanced technical expertise.
Lead troubleshooting and resolution of critical network outages, performance degradation, and complex technical issues.
Perform root cause analysis on major incidents and develop measures to prevent recurrence.
Provide technical leadership and guidance to junior NOC technicians during critical incidents.
Design and implement solutions for network optimization, automation, and performance improvements.
Conduct packet analysis and protocol troubleshooting to diagnose complex connectivity issues.
Configure and troubleshoot advanced network devices, including core routers, multilayer switches, firewalls, and load balancers.
Participate in and lead Major Incident Management calls with stakeholders and executive leadership.
Develop, maintain, and improve NOC procedures, runbooks, and technical documentation.
Analyze network and system performance using monitoring and diagnostic tools.
Collaborate with Network Engineering, Security, and Systems Administration teams on cross-functional issues.
Evaluate and recommend improvements to network architecture, monitoring capabilities, and operational processes.
Mentor and train Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians in advanced troubleshooting techniques and best practices.
Participate in change advisory board reviews and provide technical assessments of proposed changes.
Execute complex network changes during maintenance windows while minimizing service disruption.
Monitor and optimize network capacity, bandwidth utilization, and traffic patterns.
Coordinate with vendors and external service providers to resolve carrier and equipment issues.
Develop and maintain disaster recovery procedures and participate in failover testing.
Implement network security measures and respond to security incidents with security teams.
Create and present technical reports on network performance, incidents, and trends to management.
Participate in an on-call rotation as the senior technical escalation resource.
Stay current with emerging technologies and industry best practices to continuously improve operations.