Network Architect

Overview:

• Seeking a Senior Network Architect to serve as the technical authority for enterprise network architecture, strategic planning, solution design, governance, and technical leadership across statewide network infrastructure.
• The consultant will support network environments spanning hundreds of locations, data centers, cloud environments, and mission-critical transportation systems.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain enterprise network architecture standards, reference designs, and strategic technology roadmaps.
• Lead architecture and design initiatives across campus, WAN, SD-WAN, wireless, cloud, security, and data center networking.
• Develop network modernization strategies and technology lifecycle plans.
• Provide architecture review and approval for major network projects and infrastructure initiatives.
• Design highly available, resilient, and secure network solutions supporting statewide operations.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams on Zero Trust, network segmentation, and security architecturestrategies.
• Develop hybrid cloud networking architectures, including Azure connectivity.
• Lead network resiliency, business continuity, and disaster recovery planning.
• Create and maintain architecture documentation, technical standards, network diagrams, and implementation guidance.
• Provide technical leadership and mentoring to network engineering, operations, and project teams.
• Review technical proposals, vendor solutions, Statements of Work, and project deliverables.
• Support network monitoring, observability, and automation initiatives through architecture and standards development.
• Partner with executive leadership, business stakeholders, vendors, and project teams to align network solutions with agency objectives.

Required Qualifications:

• 10+ years of enterprise network architecture and design experience.
• 10+ years of Cisco routing and switching experience.
• 10+ years of CCIE-level Cisco networking experience.
• 8+ years supporting State or Federal government networks.
• 8+ years of experience with BGP, OSPF, MPLS, WAN, and data center networking.
• 7+ years of network security architecture and firewall design.
• 5+ years of SD-WAN architecture and deployment.
• 5+ years of Cisco ISE or Network Access Control (NAC) solutions.
• 5+ years of cloud networking and hybrid connectivity solutions.
• 5+ years supporting large-scale enterprise network modernization initiatives.
• 5+ years of technical leadership and architecture governance.
• 3+ years of network automation and Infrastructure-as-Code concepts.
• Strong technical leadership, architecture, documentation, and stakeholder communication skills.
• Ability to work 100% onsite in Austin, TX, 5 days per week.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5+ years of disaster recovery and business continuity planning.
• 5+ years in public-sector or large enterprise network environments.
• Experience with ThousandEyes, SolarWinds, or other enterprise monitoring platforms.
• 3+ years of Cisco ACI architecture.
• 3+ years of vendor management and technical SOW development.
• 2+ years of Infoblox DDI/IPAM.
• 2+ years of Zero Trust architecture and network segmentation strategies