22 Systems Engineer Architect SME – Senior Network Architect

Defense Engineering Inc.; Fort Belvoir (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental and vision insurance

401K

Life insurance

Education reimbursement

Gym membership reimbursement

Mass transit and parking benefits

Job summary

Defense Engineering Inc. is seeking a Senior Network Architect to support a contract at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency in Fort Belvoir, VA. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in network architecture and have expertise in F5 BIG-IP platforms and Infoblox technologies.

This position involves leading the design and implementation of enterprise application delivery and DDI infrastructure while ensuring the reliability and security of critical networks. A Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience are required.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years in network engineering with focus in application delivery.
• Active IAT Level II certification is required.
• Experience leading technical working groups.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize application delivery infrastructure.
• Lead network solutions utilizing F5 and Infoblox technologies.
• Ensure secure and scalable application delivery across networks.

Skills

F5 BIG-IP platforms configuration

Application delivery networks (ADN)

Network engineering

Leadership in technical groups

Network automation tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Ansible

Python

Terraform

F5 AS3

Job description

Company Overview

Defense Engineering Inc. (DEi) is seeking a Senior Network Architect to support our long-term contract located at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) at Fort Belvoir, VA.

DEi is a leading small IT business leader in the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area. DEi combines experience and innovative ideas to provide our clients with the right solution with the right people at the right time. We are a proven IT services and solutions provider for full-life-lifecycle engineering of network, storage, cyber security, communication and policy compliance needs. We focus on delivering IT solutions to meet complex technological and business challenges within mission‑critical enterprises.

In addition to the traditional full‑time employee benefits package (health, dental, vision, 401K, life insurance, short‑term and long‑term disability plans, vacation time and holidays, DEi also offers Education and professional Certification Reimbursement, Gym Membership reimbursement, Mass Transit and Parking benefits.

Job Category

Information Technology – Senior Network Architect

Salary

Negotiable

Location

Fort Belvoir, VA US

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess

• TS/SCI
• US Citizenship

Certifications (Baseline)

• 8570 Baseline Active IAT Level II (Minimum of one)
  • Security+ CE
  • CySA+
  • GICSP
  • GSEC
  • SSCP

Education/Experience

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical discipline.

Experience Level: Minimum of 8‑10 years of progressive experience in network engineering and architecture, with a dedicated focus on application delivery networks (ADN).

F5 Expertise: Deep, demonstrable expertise in F5 BIG‑IP platforms, specifically configuring, upgrading, and migrating.

Additional Certifications

Cisco CCNA Certification (CCNP or CCIE Preferred).

Schedule

Full‑time

Potential for Teleworking

Situational

Travel

None

Shift

Day Job

Job Description

DEi is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Network Architect to lead the design, implementation, and optimization of our enterprise application delivery and DDI (DNS, DHCP, and IPAM) infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have deep, hands‑on expertise with F5 technologies and Infoblox, ensuring highly available, secure, and scalable application delivery models across the enterprise network in support of critical mission requirements that enhance the reliability and security of Department of War (DoW) networks and systems.

Key Responsibilities

Acting as the technical lead for this initiative, you will architect and deploy network solutions utilizing F5 and Infoblox technologies in concert to provide intelligent and scalable global server load balancing (GSLB), secure DNS solutions, and enterprise IP address management across our customer’s rapidly evolving hybrid multi‑cloud environment.

Required Qualifications

• Certification: Active IAT Level II certification (e.g., Security+ CE, CySA+, GSEC, or SSCP) required.
• Cisco CCNA Certification (CCNP or CCIE Preferred).
• Citizenship: United States Citizenship is required.
• Experience Level: Minimum of 8‑10 years of progressive experience in network engineering and architecture, with a dedicated focus on application delivery networks (ADN).
• F5 Expertise: Deep, demonstrable expertise in F5 BIG‑IP platforms, specifically configuring, upgrading, and migrating.
• LTM and GTM/F5 DNS environments.
• Infoblox / DDI Mastery: Extensive experience designing and operating enterprise‑class Infoblox DDI environments, including Grid architecture and seamless IPAM integration.
• Core Networking: Mastery of OSI model layers 2‑7, TCP/IP, routing protocols (e.g., BGP, OSPF), and solid experience with SSL/TLS offloading and certificate management.
• Leadership: Experience leading technical working groups and directing the efforts of adjacent infrastructure and development teams.
• Operational Experience: Prior experience working within a DoW/DoD Operations Center (NOC/SOC) or supporting mission‑critical systems and networks.
• Communication: Must be able to present designs, plans, and analyses of alternatives to technical leadership boards for approvals.

Desired Qualifications

• Automation skills including experience with network automation and orchestration tools (e.g., Ansible, Python, Terraform, or F5 AS3) is highly desired.
• Certifications: F5 Certified Technology Specialist (F5-CTS) or Solution Expert (F5-CSE), and Infoblox Core DDI certifications are strongly preferred.