Senior Network Engineer – ExtraHop

Thomas Premier Consultancy•Oakton, VA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Senior Network Engineer will provide advanced network engineering support within a DoD environment. This position requires expertise in packet -level analysis, anomaly detection, and secure network traffic monitoring. The candidate will analyze PCAPs, inspect packet headers, and identify deviations from expected traffic patterns to support mission objectives. The role involves monitoring syslog data, flow records, and network management protocols while ensuring compliance with security requirements.

Requirements

Active TS/SCI clearance or TS/SCI eligibility
Experienced Network Engineer or Network Security Analyst with demonstrated capability:
- PCAP analysis and packet -level troubleshooting
- Understanding of TCP/IP stack, routing, and switching fundamentals
- Flow analysis tools and log aggregation platforms (Splunk)
- Wireshark proficiency
Familiarity with syslog protocols and secure network management practices
Ability to identify plaintext traffic, unexpected fragmentation, and other anomalies
Excellent oral and written communication skills for technical documentation and reporting

Nice To Haves

Professional certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, CISSP, GCIA, GNFA, or equivalent
Prior experience supporting DoD networks or other classified environments
Knowledge of Zero Trust Architecture and NIST cybersecurity frameworks

Responsibilities

Perform Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and analyze PCAP files for malicious or abnormal network activity.
Identify traffic anomalies including fragmented packets where fragmentation is not expected and unencrypted traffic that should be encrypted per policy.
Inspect packet headers for protocol misuse, abnormal fields, or suspicious metadata.
Monitor syslog traffic and network management protocols (e.g., SNMP) for health and security compliance.
Analyze flow data (e.g., NetFlow, IPFIX, sFlow) to detect unusual communication patterns.
Aggregate and correlate logs using Splunk or similar SIEM tools to support threat hunting and network performance assessments.
Document findings and provide recommendations to strengthen network posture.
Support network troubleshooting, performance tuning, and compliance checks in a classified environment.