Network Engineer

Amentum company; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 92,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) matching

Educational reimbursement

Parental leave

Stock purchase plan

Job summary

Amentum is seeking an early to mid-level Network Engineer to support the COSMOS contract at NASA's Johnson Space Center on-site in Houston, TX. You will design, implement, and troubleshoot enterprise networks, with emphasis on routing, switching, security, and VPNs, collaborating across teams.

We value initiative, continuous learning, and strong problem-solving. Requires a BS/MS and 3+ years of experience, with eligibility for NASA PIV. CCNA and cloud/networking familiarity preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor/Master of Science degree and minimum of 3 years of general experience.
• Able to obtain NASA PIV badge.

Responsibilities

• Implement approved network and system designs.
• Coordinate implementation activities with teams.
• Support network modifications and upgrades.
• Design and maintain all managed network hardware.
• Generate/configure cabinet drawings, floor plans, cable lists, cross-connect lists, maintenance instructions, and subsystem tests.

Skills

Routing & switching

Network security

VPN technologies

Wireshark

Change management

ITIL processes

Mentoring juniors

Cross-functional collaboration

Independent decision making

Education

B.S./M.S. in a technical field

Tools

Cisco hardware

Aruba hardware

Palo Alto / Fortinet / ASA/Firepower firewalls

Cisco ISE

IPSec / SSL VPN

ISE

VXR/NSX is not applicable

Job description

Job Description

This position is for an early to mid-level Network engineer with 5-10 years of experience on the Contract for Organizing Spaceflight Mission Operations and Systems (COSMOS) which is NASA’s next-generation mission operations contract located on-site at Johnson Space Center. COSMOS ensures the continuity of critical human spaceflight support by providing mission control services, advanced training systems, and full-scale spacecraft mockups for astronaut preparation and engineering analysis.

Description of Duties

• Implement approved network and system designs, ensuring alignment with project objectives and stakeholder requirements.
• Support the development of project schedules and provide regular status updates to contract management and project engineering teams.
• Coordinate implementation activities with integration teams, maintenance personnel, and other project stakeholders.
• Consult and coordinate contract requests for network modifications and upgrades.
• Support the design and maintenance of all managed network hardware.
• Generate and update configuration management documents such as cabinet/console drawings, facility floor plans, cable running lists, cross-connect wire lists, maintenance instructions, and subsystem tests.

Successful candidates will:

• Demonstrate strong initiative, a commitment to continuous learning, and the ability to expand their technical skill set.
• Work effectively in team environments, contributing positively to collaboration and shared goals.
• Apply strong problem-solving abilities to technical, operational, and project challenges.
• Communicate clearly across engineering, integration, maintenance, security, cloud, and infrastructure teams.
• Show confidence in working independently and making well-informed technical decisions when needed.

Job Requirements

Must have the following education and experience: Bachelor/Master of Science degree and minimum of 3 years of general experience. The candidate must be able to obtain a NASA Personal Identity Verification (PIV) Badge for NASA credentials.

Core Technical Skills

• Strong knowledge of routing and switching technologies (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, STP, VLANs, trunking).
• Deep familiarity with Cisco and Aruba network hardware.
• Solid experience with firewalls (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco ASA/Firepower).
• Hands‑on experience with VPN technologies (IPSec, SSL VPN, site-to-site tunnels).
• Understanding of network security best practices (ACLs, IDS/IPS, segmentation).
• Experience with Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE).

Operational & Troubleshooting Skills

• Ability to design and implement network solutions for enterprise environments.
• Strong troubleshooting skills using tools like Wireshark, packet captures, and CLI diagnostics.
• Experience supporting enterprise‑class networks and managing escalation workflows.
• Understanding of change management, documentation standards, and ITIL processes.

Additional Skills

• Ability to work cross‑functionally with diverse technical teams.
• Strong communication skills for incident response and root‑cause analysis.
• Experience leading projects or mentoring junior engineers.
• Comfortable working independently and exercising sound technical judgment.

Required Certifications

• CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate).

Desired Requirements

Advanced / Modern Networking

• Experience with network automation tools or scripting languages (Python, Ansible).
• Familiarity with cloud networking concepts (AWS VPC, Azure VNets, hybrid connectivity).
• Understanding of network virtualization technologies (VXLAN, VMware NSX).
• Experience with network monitoring tools (SolarWinds, Splunk).

Preferred Certifications

• CCNP (Enterprise, Security, or Data Center).
• CompTIA Network+ or Security+.
• Cloud provider certifications (AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Administrator).

This position is expected to pay $90k - $120k annually; depending on experience, education, and any certifications that are directly related to the position.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or other legally protected status.

Final compensation is determined through a comprehensive evaluation of several key factors, including the candidate’s educational background, specialized technical expertise, and relevant professional experience. We also consider internal equity, prevailing market data, and specific contractual or funding requirements to ensure competitive and equitable offer alignment.

Compensation Details:

Salary starts at $92k. Final pay will be commensurate with the candidate's experience, skills, and qualifications.

The compensation range or hourly rate listed for this position is provided as a good‑faith estimate of what the company intends to offer for this role at the time this posting was issued. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as job responsibilities, education, experience, skills, internal equity, market data, applicable collective bargaining agreements, and relevant laws.

Benefits Overview:

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to support you and your priorities. Offerings include:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Paid time off and holidays
• Retirement benefits (including 401(k) matching)
• Educational reimbursement
• Parental leave
• Employee stock purchase plan
• Tax-saving options
• Disability and life insurance
• Pet insurance

Note: Benefits may vary based on employment type, location, and applicable agreements. Positions governed by a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the McNamara‑O'Hara Service Contract Act (SCA), or other employment contracts may include different provisions/benefits.