Sr Network Engineer

Network Engineer IV (Senior Network Engineer)

Location: Washington, DC (Onsite 5 days/week)
Worksite: U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division
Employment Type: Contingent (6-month assignment with extension potential; possible Leidos FTE)
Security Clearance: Public Trust (DOJ preferred)

Role Summary

Leidos is seeking a Senior Network Engineer (Network Engineer IV) to provide advanced network engineering support for a large U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Antitrust Division program. This role supports the full system engineering lifecycle across complex enterprise environments, including planning, design, implementation, monitoring, optimization, and troubleshooting. The position requires deep technical expertise, independent judgment, and the ability to work on extremely complex network challenges with significant operational impact. The role is fully onsite in Washington, DC.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end network engineering support across the full system engineering lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, development, integration, testing, and implementation.
• Lead the design, configuration, maintenance, and optimization of complex enterprise network environments to ensure performance, scalability, reliability, and security.
• Configure and manage Cisco routers, switches, and firewalls in accordance with best practices and organizational requirements.
• Implement and support advanced network protocols and technologies, including OSPF, BGP, MPLS, VLANs, QoS, and IPSec.
• Monitor network health, availability, and performance using Nagios, including proactive alerting and issue detection.
• Respond to network incidents, troubleshoot complex issues, and deliver timely resolutions to minimize downtime and operational impact.
• Manage network configuration, inventory, and performance using Cisco Prime Infrastructure, including automation and optimization of network provisioning.
• Configure, manage, and troubleshoot Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) to enforce wired and wireless access control policies.
• Integrate Cisco ISE with network security tools to support centralized AAA (authentication, authorization, and accounting).
• Develop and maintain Splunk dashboards and alerts for network performance, incidents, and security events.
• Identify network optimization opportunities and implement improvements to enhance performance and scalability.
• Automate routine network management tasks such as configuration backups and monitoring to improve operational efficiency.
• Maintain accurate documentation for network configurations, procedures, troubleshooting steps, and incident resolutions.
• Provide guidance and technical leadership to other personnel as required and interact regularly with senior management and customer stakeholders.

Required Technical Skills

• Hands-on experience designing and supporting large, complex enterprise network environments.
• Strong experience with Nagios for network monitoring, alerting, and performance analysis.
• Expertise with Cisco Prime Infrastructure for network management, configuration, and automation.
• In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for access control and network security.
• Proficiency using Splunk for network log management, analysis, and custom dashboards.
• Advanced knowledge of networking protocols and technologies, including OSPF, BGP, MPLS, VLANs, QoS, and IPSec.
• Extensive experience with Cisco routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Strong understanding of network security best practices, including ACLs, VPNs, and IDS/IPS.
• Proficiency with scripting languages such as Python and/or Bash for network automation.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills for resolving complex network issues.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills for collaboration with technical teams, management, and customers.
• Ability to work independently under consultative direction and manage complex assignments.

Preferred / Nice-to-Have Skills

• Experience integrating on-premise networks with cloud environments such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Familiarity with SD-WAN solutions.
• Experience with network automation tools such as Ansible or Terraform.
• Knowledge of ITIL or other IT service management frameworks.
• Industry certifications such as CCNP (preferred), CCIE (plus), CompTIA Network+, or Splunk Certified Admin.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, or a related field (relevant certifications and experience may be considered).
• 8+ years of experience performing complex network engineering assignments aligned to the scope of this role.
• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Public Trust clearance required; candidates with an active DOJ Public Trust are strongly preferred, though candidates without clearance may be considered (clearance processing can take up to 16 weeks and includes personal disclosure and soft credit check).
• Willingness to work onsite in Washington, DC, five days per week.
• Credit check required.

About the Team / Company

Leidos supports mission-critical programs across the U.S. federal government. This role supports the U.S. Department of Justice Antitrust Division, which enforces federal antitrust laws and promotes fair competition in the marketplace. The Network Engineer will work within a high-impact government environment supporting critical national systems and operations.