Principal Enterprise Network Engineer

Va Tech Foundation•Arlington, VA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

VT-ARC is seeking a Principal Enterprise Network Engineer & Architect to provide technical authority and leadership for Cisco-centric enterprise WAN and communications architectures supporting mission-critical programs within TS/SCI environments. This role combines enterprise architecture leadership with hands-on engineering expertise, ensuring routing, SD-WAN, and secure communications infrastructures are resilient, interoperable, and aligned with mission integration objectives. The Principal Engineer will guide WAN, Unified Communications, and network performance engineers while actively contributing to system stand-up, modernization efforts, and cross-domain integration within classified enterprise environments. Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required. This position is contingent based upon contract award

Requirements

Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, or related technical discipline, or equivalent professional experience in enterprise network engineering.
10+ years of progressive enterprise network engineering experience, including leadership of architecture or modernization efforts in classified environments.
Demonstrated expertise designing and implementing Cisco enterprise networking solutions (ISR, ASR, Catalyst, Nexus).
Advanced hands-on experience with enterprise routing and transport protocols including BGP, OSPF, MPLS, and QoS.
Experience architecting and deploying Cisco SD-WAN solutions (e.g., Viptela).
Experience standing up, operating, and modernizing networks within TS/SCI or multi-enclave classified environments.
Strong understanding of network segmentation, secure enclave integration, and Zero Trust-aligned architecture.
Experience supporting RMF processes and ATO documentation for network infrastructure.
Ability to develop technical architecture documentation, configuration baselines, and implementation roadmaps.
Active Top Secret/SCI clearance required.
CCNP Enterprise certification required; CCIE Enterprise strongly preferred.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related discipline, or equivalent senior-level technical leadership experience in enterprise network environments.
15+ years of enterprise network engineering experience with demonstrated technical and systems architecture leadership.
Experience integrating WAN and unified communications transport in mission-critical communications environments.
Experience with cloud networking architectures in AWS GovCloud or Azure Government.
Experience with infrastructure automation and scripting (e.g., Python, Ansible, REST APIs).
Experience with network modeling or simulation tools.
Familiarity with systems engineering lifecycle reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR).
Experience producing architecture artifacts aligned with DoDAF or Mission Engineering constructs.

Responsibilities

Architect and modernize enterprise Cisco-based WAN and secure communications infrastructures.
Provide technical leadership for enterprise routing architecture and SD-WAN modernization initiatives.
Develop cross-domain and multi-enclave network integration strategies.
Lead design and deployment of enterprise routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, MPLS) and advanced QoS frameworks.
Provide architectural oversight of unified communications transport integration.
Ensure compliance with DoD network standards, STIGs, RMF, and interoperability requirements.
Conduct risk-informed architecture assessments for enterprise communications infrastructures.
Collaborate with WAN, UC, cybersecurity, and network performance engineers to ensure end-to-end communications integration.
Lead proof-of-concept demonstrations, architecture validation, and enterprise integration pilots.
Mentor engineering staff and establish architectural standards and best practices across the program.