Telecom Software Engineer

Overview

On Site
Depends on Experience
Full Time

Skills

Software Development
Linux

Job Details

Telecom Software Engineer
Department: Engineering
Location: Herndon, VA (Onsite 5 days a week with a normal 8-5 schedule, with some flexibility in hours)
Role Type: Full-time position

About Our Client
Our client provides advanced analytic and cyber solutions that enable critical decisions derived from vast data sources. They serve the US national security community and allies with custom telecommunications solutions. The company operates with a US-based operations team supported by expert international developers and application engineers. They seek talented, customer-facing professionals to provide technical guidance on key projects both locally and in the field.

Job Description
As a Telecommunications Software Engineer, your primary focus will be monitoring and analyzing the performance of core telecommunications networks spanning 2G through 5G technologies.
You will work in a SCIF environment (approximately 80% of your time) as part of a small, self-sufficient team while collaborating with geographically distributed operations and development staff.
Your responsibilities will include analyzing network behavior, pinpointing root causes of issues, resolving software-related faults, and improving application and systems monitoring. You'll directly participate in systems planning, installation, commissioning, site surveys, and troubleshooting for custom solutions. Additionally, you'll assist internal development teams by applying your understanding of software development lifecycles and working with tools like Jira, Confluence, Jenkins, and Ansible.
The ideal candidate is a Linux systems engineer with telecommunications expertise who can work independently and collaboratively in a mission-critical environment. This role emphasizes systems engineering (Linux) with telecom knowledge and familiarity with software development practices.

Duties and Responsibilities
Systems Engineering
  • Configure and administer CentOS 7 and Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) systems supporting telecommunications infrastructure.
  • Set up and manage monitoring tools for system and network performance (e.g., Nagios, Zabbix, or Grafana).
  • Automate systems administration tasks using tools like Ansible or Puppet.
  • Perform system diagnostics and troubleshooting to identify and remediate performance bottlenecks.
  • Implement best practices for hardening Linux systems and maintain secure system configurations.
Software Development & Maintenance
  • Use Python and C++ knowledge for understanding and debugging software.
  • Support and maintain CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins or similar tools.
  • Collaborate with internal development teams using Jira and Confluence.
  • Assess and improve application performance monitoring systems.
  • Apply software lifecycle process knowledge to assist in issue remediation and internal development activities.
Telecommunications Network Support
  • Monitor and analyze telecommunications systems across 2G, 3G, 4G VoLTE, and 5G networks.
  • Utilize packet capture and analysis tools like Wireshark and tcpdump.
  • Diagnose and resolve core network performance issues using effective remediation strategies.
  • Evaluate network configuration and performance metrics to identify bottlenecks or faults.
  • Work with core telecom network protocols, including SS7, SIP, VoIP, TCP/IP, and Diameter.

Required Experience/Skills
  • Active TS/SCI clearance (MUST HAVE)
  • Bachelor's degree in computer science, telecommunications, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
  • 5+ years of experience in telecommunications, systems engineering, or software operations
  • Advanced proficiency with RHEL/Rocky/CentOS Linux administration
  • Experience using and supporting tools like Jenkins, Jira, Confluence, and Ansible
  • Strong understanding of telecommunications network protocols across 2G to 5G generations
  • Proven ability to identify root causes of system or network performance issues and remediate effectively
  • Experience collaborating with geographically distributed teams on mission-critical projects
  • Ability to work in a small team environment and be self-sufficient and intuitive
  • Willingness to travel internationally (5%-10% to OCONUS locations)

Nice-to-Haves
  • Understanding of mobile telecom network architectures and related hardware, software, and protocols
  • Experience working directly with development teams to resolve software and hardware problems
  • Strong knowledge of networking protocols such as TCP/IP, NAT, routing, and switching
  • Experience with analyzing logs, stack traces, debug libraries, software/hardware
  • Proficiency with Python, Bash, and SQL databases
  • Experience creating installation guides and as-built documentation
  • Experience with Linux firewall and VPN configuration

Education
Bachelor's degree in computer science, telecommunications, or related field (or equivalent experience)

Pay & Benefits Summary
Salary range: $220,000 - $235,000
Comprehensive benefits package

Additional Requirements
Must work on-site in Herndon, VA office (40 hours per week)
Active TS/SCI clearance is required
Must be able to work in a SCIF environment (80% of the time)
International travel required (5%-10% to OCONUS locations)
No relocation assistance is currently available

Join Our Team!
If you're an experienced Linux systems engineer with telecommunications expertise and active security clearance, we invite you to apply. Join our team in Herndon VA and contribute to mission-critical projects serving the US national security community.

Keywords: Telecommunications | Linux Administration | Systems Engineering | TS/SCI Clearance | Network Protocols | RHEL | CentOS | Ansible | Jenkins | Telecom Networks | 5G | Herndon VA
Employers have access to artificial intelligence language tools (“AI”) that help generate and enhance job descriptions and AI may have been used to create this description. The position description has been reviewed for accuracy and Dice believes it to correctly reflect the job opportunity.

About Catapult Solutions Group