Lead Wireless Engineer - Remote Eligible

Wireless Engineer Lead

The Wireless Engineer Lead provides technical leadership, oversight, and quality governance for all wireless (WiFi) engineering, design, survey, and installation activities across global Air Force and Space Force modernization sites. This role is responsible for coordinating wireless engineering tasks, ensuring design accuracy, validating survey data, and guiding implementation teams through installation, configuration, and optimization of the wireless infrastructure. The Wireless Engineer Lead oversees wireless engineers, survey technicians, and subcontractor wireless resources to ensure the resulting wireless network meets performance, coverage, security, and DoD compliance requirements.

MEANINGFUL WORK AND PERSONAL IMPACT

• Provide on-site and remote leadership for wireless engineering teams, including wireless engineers, wireless survey technicians, wireless installers, and subcontractor personnel
• Oversee end-to-end wireless lifecycle activities: predictive design, active/passive surveys, validation surveys, installation, configuration, tuning, and troubleshooting
• Ensure all wireless designs and implementation activities comply with DoD, Air Force, Space Force, and industry standards including TIA/EIA, UFC, I3A, DoD WiFi security requirements, and OEM best practices
• Review, validate, and approve predictive wireless designs, heatmaps, channel plans, AP placement, and performance modeling
• Manage and validate survey data (active, passive, and sensor-based) for accuracy, completeness, and adherence to program-specific survey guidelines
• Coordinate with the Site Implementation Lead on scheduling, resource management, risk identification, and daily task execution
• Provide SME-level support for wireless system architecture, wireless optimization, performance tuning, and interference mitigation
• Collaborate with network engineers to ensure proper integration of wireless LAN controller (WLC) configurations with switching, routing, authentication, and security infrastructures
• Oversee quality assurance by inspecting installed APs, cabling, labeling, mounting, and wireless system configurations
• Ensure accurate documentation including RF designs, survey reports, as builts, configuration files, and post-install validation
• Support troubleshooting and root cause analysis for wireless performance, coverage, security, and spectrum issues
• Coordinate with base communications teams, cybersecurity personnel, and Government stakeholders on wireless design and deployment requirements
• Develop status reports, contribute to briefings, and support weekly project meetings and stakeholder engagements

WHAT YOU'LL NEED TO SUCCEED

• 10+ years experience in wireless network engineering, WLAN design, wireless survey, or enterprise wireless deployment
• BS degree or additional years of experience in lieu of degree
• Experience leading wireless engineering or installation teams in complex environments (DoD, federal, campus, or largescale enterprise preferred)
• Strong hands-on experience with predictive and validation wireless survey tools (Ekahau, Hamina, iBwave, or similar)
• Strong familiarity with TIA/EIA wireless-relevant standards and cabling/pathway requirements
• Understanding of RF fundamentals, antenna types, power levels, interference sources, and spectrum analysis
• Experience integrating wireless systems into enterprise authentication and network security frameworks
• Experience managing subcontractor and field technicians in installation and survey operations
• Experience supporting modernization, upgrade, or large-scale deployment projects
• Active Secret clearance
• Preferred Experience DoD or AF/SF network modernization experience
• Direct experience with Cisco or Aruba/HPE wireless infrastructure
• Experience conducting wireless validation surveys on secure or classified networks
• Experience with wired/wireless convergence, network access control, or policy driven wireless architectures

Certifications (Preferred or Required)

• Security+ CE (required for 8570 compliance)
• CWNA (Certified Wireless Network Administrator) – strongly preferred
• CWDP, CWSP, or CWNE – highly desirable
• Ekahau ECSE (Design, Troubleshooting, or Advanced) – preferred
• Cisco Wireless (e.g., CCNA Wireless, CCNP Enterprise with Wireless specialization) – preferred
• BICSI Technician, Installer 2, or other cabling-related certifications considered a plus

Additional Requirements

• Ability to conduct physical wireless surveys (walking, equipment transport, ceiling-level installation checks)
• Strong communication and leadership skills to guide multi-disciplinary wireless teams
• Ability to produce and validate high-quality engineering documentation