Senior Network Engineer/Strategist
About The Position
Riverside Research is seeking an experienced Network Strategist to support the National Air & Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio. The position leads the design, modernization, and long-term planning of enterprise network capabilities, blending architecture, strategy, and cross-functional leadership so network infrastructure supports evolving business, security, and IT transformation needs. The role calls for deep technical expertise, strong analytical and communication skills, and the ability to influence engineering, operations, cybersecurity, and leadership teams. Riverside Research is an independent national security nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest, providing technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions. All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. citizenship. The position requires a Top Secret clearance with SCI adjudication and a bachelor's degree in a related field, along with at least 16 years of relevant experience. The compensation range is $150,000–$185,000, depending on experience, location, and other factors. Riverside states that it offers comprehensive compensation and benefit packages.
Requirements
- U.S. citizenship.
- Top Secret clearance with SCI adjudication.
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
- 16+ years of hands-on network engineering, architecture, or strategy experience.
- Expert-level understanding of enterprise networking technologies, including routing, switching, wireless, BGP/OSPF/EIGRP, MPLS, SD-WAN, VPN, and DNS/DHCP/IPAM.
- Strong experience with modern architectures such as SASE, ZTNA, SD-WAN, cloud networking (AWS, Azure, GCP), and micro-segmentation.
- Proven ability to lead multi-year roadmap development and strategic planning.
- Experience collaborating with cybersecurity, cloud teams, and infrastructure leadership.
- Strong analytical and communication skills, including the ability to convey complex solutions to technical and non-technical audiences.
Nice To Haves
- Master’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field.
- Experience with DevSecOps and/or cross domain solutions.
- Experience with cloud-native architectures.
- Professional certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, JNCIP/IE, PCNSE, AWS/Azure networking specialty, or equivalent.
- Experience with network automation frameworks such as Python, Ansible, or Terraform.
- Experience with large-scale enterprise or multi-site environments.
Responsibilities
- Investigate hardware and software technologies to design network configurations that support the transition to modern cloud environments.
- Deliver a monthly Network Strategy Posture Report documenting progress on architectural designs and recommended technical standards.
- Work with stakeholders to deliver appropriate engineering artifacts, including configuration management, architecture, and cybersecurity artifacts, and track IT modernization network requirements across the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP).
- Develop and maintain enterprise network strategy covering LAN/WAN, SD-WAN, wireless, data center, cloud networking, and edge connectivity.
- Assess current-state network environments and define multi-year evolution roadmaps aligned with organizational priorities.
- Lead network modernization initiatives, including zero trust networking, segmentation, automation/orchestration, and observability upgrades.
- Partner with cybersecurity to align networking and security strategies, including SASE, firewall architecture, and secure access approaches.
- Evaluate new technologies, vendors, and industry trends; provide recommendations supported by business cases and technical assessments.
- Collaborate with network engineering teams to translate strategic direction into actionable designs, standards, and implementation plans.
- Drive capacity planning, resilience improvements, and performance optimization across global network environments.
- Establish and maintain reference architectures, standards, and governance models.
- Communicate strategy, risks, and impacts to leadership and stakeholders in clear, business-focused language.
- Guide and mentor junior and mid-level network engineers and architects.
- Execute government-approved plans.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Benefits
- Comprehensive compensation and benefit packages are offered; specific benefits are not listed.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
