Network Engineer

KaylaTek®; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision

401(k) with company matching

PTO and holidays

Job summary

KaylaTek in Washington, DC is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to lead enterprise-grade network operations, security hardening, and DoD-compliant incident response across unclassified and classified environments.

Responsibilities include continuous surveillance, rapid triage, and coordinating with vendors to restore circuits, while enforcing STIGs and DoD security mandates. Must hold active DoD Secret clearance and 8140 IAT II (Advanced).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent with 5+ years of progressive network engineering experience.
• Active DoD Secret clearance required.
• 8140 IAT Level II (Advanced) certificate (CCNA/CCNP Security).
• Expert LAN tech, VLANs, STP, and Layer 2/3 switching.
• Experience with EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS and DoD security standards.

Responsibilities

• Continuous surveillance of enterprise network infrastructure and data systems.
• Triage, isolate, and resolve network anomalies using SOPs and automation.
• Escalate complex issues to higher-tier engineering or leadership.
• Configure and maintain enterprise routers and switches for peak performance.
• Coordinate with vendors to restore circuits and improve reliability.
• Plan and execute ASIs following change management procedures.
• Enforce DoD security mandates and apply STIGs and patches.
• Deliver technical execution for special projects and on-call rotation.

Skills

LAN technologies

Routing protocols

Security clearance

DoD compliance

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/CS

Tools

Cisco IOS

ISE

DNA Center

GEM-X

Job description

Come join our growing team with a 21st Century Vision! At KaylaTek, we understand that the key to our success is the quality of the people we employ. Our focus is not just on jobs, but on building and enhancing your career through ongoing professional development, training, and high quality of life. Our team members choose KaylaTek for a number of reasons including our competitive compensation and benefit packages, dedication to education, as well as our outstanding service. Our Grow Strong Vision encompasses a place for employees to grow, learn and feel a sense of belonging, not just a place to work.

Employee Benefit Offerings

• Medical, Dental, Vision, Health Savings Account, FSA, 401(k) with company matching, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, Life and AD&D Insurance, Paid Time Off, 11 Paid Holidays, Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Professional Development Program, Military Leave Support, Referral bonuses and more!

Location:

Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington DC - 100% on site (with ad-hoc telework)

Shift:

Day Shift - 0600-1400, Monday - Friday; participates in on-call rotational schedule

Certifications Required

• Requires a current 8140 IAT Level II (Advanced) certificate (SEC+) and
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) and/or Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Security

Security Clearance

• Active DOD Secret clearance

Role Summary

The Senior Network Engineer performs critical tier-tier engineering, administration, and security hardening of enterprise-level network infrastructures. Ensures high availability, rapid incident resolution, and strict compliance with defense security mandates across unclassified and classified operational environments.

The AFNCR IT Services program provides support services for information systems for Headquarters Air Force (HAF), Air Force District of Washington (AFDW), Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), Joint Chiefs of Staff, and other Air Force activities within the AFNCR, missions to include the Pentagon, Joint Base Andrews (JBA), Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), and other locations, leased spaces, and alternate sites. The major support areas required are IT Operations and Maintenance; Plans, Projects, and Engineering (PP&E); and National Military Command Center (NMCC). The senior leaders and national defense missions that are supported require that the AFNCR operations never fail, resulting in a fast-paced, challenging, but also rewarding environment.

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Continuous surveillance of enterprise network infrastructure and data systems to identify real-time alerts, system alarms, and anomalous behavior.
• Triage, isolate, and resolve network anomalies using standard operating procedures (SOPs) and automated scripting.
• Escalate complex, multi-system issues to higher-tier engineering or leadership as appropriate.
• Configure, deploy, maintain, and optimize enterprise-class routers and switches to sustain peak network performance.
• Coordinate directly with external hardware and service vendors to drive rapid resolution of circuit outages or degraded performance periods.
• Plan, schedule, and execute Authorized Service Interruptions (ASIs) in accordance with command-directed change management processes.
• Enforce DoD and local command security mandates.
• Execute operating system (IOS) upgrades, apply Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs), and implement critical patches.
• Deliver technical execution for special projects, maintain site-lead directed daily operations, and participate in the unit's on-call rotation schedule.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree paired with 5+ years of progressive network engineering experience (or equivalent combination of education, military training, and experience in lieu of degree).
• Security Clearance: Must possess an active DoD Secret clearance.
• Requires a current 8140 IAT Level II (Advanced) certificate (Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) / Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Security).
• Expert-level mastery of Local Area Network (LAN) technologies, including VLANs, VTP, Port Security, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), and Layer 2/3 switching configurations.
• Extensive hands-on experience implementing and troubleshooting routing protocols, specifically EIGRP, OSPF, and IS-IS, utilizing industry best practices.
• Expert ability to diagnose and resolve Layer 1 and Layer 2 transport issues across both Unclassified and Classified network fabrics.
• Deep knowledge of DoD-specific network, transport, and application security hardening standards.
• Proven experience programming, maintaining, and managing Type-1 inline network encryptors (INE) at network points of presence, including management via GEM-X or adjacent DoD element managers.
• Fully proficient in DoD COMSEC handling and custody procedures.

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience operating and managing Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) and Cisco DNA Center.
• Prior familiarity with Air Force (AF) networks, the Air Force District of Washington (AFDW), or AFNCR architectures.
• Previous operational experience working within highly secure campuses, specifically The Pentagon, Joint Base Andrews (JBA), or Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB).

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

MUST BE A US CITIZEN

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

KaylaTek is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

E-VERIFY AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form upon hire. KaylaTek participates in the DHS e-Verify program. KaylaTek also conducts a background check on all candidates post offer though PROScreening LLC.