Network Engineer 3 (onsite)

Network Engineer 3 (Onsite)

Location: Richmond, VA

Duration: 06 Months with possible extension

The Client seeks a Network Engineer to support and maintain a secure, stable, and high-performing enterprise network environment. This role is responsible for administering and troubleshooting core networking infrastructure across multiple office locations, data centers, and remote access environments.

The Network Engineer is a hands-on technical role responsible for routing, switching, firewalls, VPN connectivity, wireless infrastructure, and network resiliency. The position works under the direction of the Director of Infrastructure & Operations and collaborates with Infrastructure, Information Security, End User Services, Application/Data Services, vendors, and service providers.

This role emphasizes operational discipline, secure network design, structured change management, and reliable service delivery within a government environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Network Infrastructure Administration
• Configure and maintain LAN, WAN, wireless, and remote access environments
• Support hybrid MPLS and SD-WAN connectivity across multiple locations
• Maintain network availability, resiliency, and performance

• Firewall & Secure Connectivity Management
• Administer firewalls, VPN solutions, and secure remote connectivity
• Implement and maintain network segmentation and access controls
• Support secure connectivity for cloud and hybrid environments

• Monitoring & Troubleshooting
• Monitor network health, utilization, and performance
• Respond to outages, connectivity issues, and infrastructure incidents
• Perform network troubleshooting across routing, switching, wireless, and VPN environments

• Security & Compliance Support:
• Support implementation of network security controls and standards
• Collaborate with the Information Security Office on vulnerability remediation and risk reduction
• Assist with logging, monitoring, and audit activities
• Support secure configuration and hardening practices

• Change Management & Operations:
• Execute network changes through defined change management processes
• Validate planned changes and maintain rollback procedures
• Participate in maintenance windows and operational planning
• Maintain network documentation and diagrams

• Vendor & Carrier Coordination:
• Coordinate with telecommunications providers and vendors
• Support circuit provisioning, troubleshooting, and escalations
• Assist with hardware lifecycle and support renewals

• Cross-Team Collaboration:
• Partner with Systems Administration on infrastructure dependencies
• Coordinate with End User Services regarding user-impacting network issues
• Support Application/Data teams with connectivity and performance needs
• Communicate operational risks and system impacts to leadership

Required Qualifications:

• Experience administering enterprise network environments
• Strong knowledge of routing and switching concepts
• Experience with firewalls, VPNs, and secure remote access
• Experience troubleshooting network connectivity and performance issues
• Familiarity with wireless networking technologies
• Understanding of structured operational and change management processes

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with Cisco networking technologies
• Experience with SD-WAN and hybrid network environments
• Experience in government or regulated environments
• Familiarity with network monitoring and logging tools
• Knowledge of security frameworks such as NIST
• Relevant certifications such as CCNA or CCNP

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills
• Ability to manage multiple operational priorities
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to work collaboratively across technical teams
• Focus on reliability, security, and operational consistency

Working Conditions:

• Office-based environment
• Occasional after-hours support for maintenance or incident response
• Limited travel between office locations may be required

Additional Information: This position supports the agency’s core network infrastructure and plays a critical role in ensuring secure and reliable connectivity for agency operations. The Network Engineer operates within established governance and operational processes to support stability, resiliency, and risk reduction across the enterprise environment.

Skills:

Skills - Required / Desired - Amount - of Experience

Routing and switching - Required - 5 - Years

TCP/IP networking - Required - 5 - Years

VLAN configuration - Required - 3 - Years

VPN administration - Required - 3 - Years

Firewall administration - Required - 4 - Years

Wireless networking administration - Required - 3 - Years

Network troubleshooting - Required - 5 - Years

LAN/WAN support - Required - 4 - Years

SD-WAN support - Required - 2 - Years

Network monitoring tools - Required - 3 - Years

DNS fundamentals - Required - 3 - Years

Network performance analysis - Required - 3 - Years

Cisco networking technologies - Required - 4 - Years

Remote access technologies - Required - 3 - Years

Circuit troubleshooting - Required - 3 - Years

Carrier/vendor coordination - Required - 2 - Years

Network resiliency concepts - Required - 2 - Years

High availability concepts - Required - 2 - Years

Network documentation/diagramming - Required - 2 - Years