Network Engineer Level 5

SAIC; Arlington (VA); Hybrid; USD 155,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) matching

Competitive salary

Comprehensive benefits

Job summary

SAIC is seeking a seasoned Network Engineer to design, deploy, and optimize a high-traffic carrier-grade network. You will lead complex troubleshooting, ensure robust security, and drive modernization including SDN automation across transport, data link, and network layers.

This role is remote with travel and requires Top-Secret/TS/SCI clearance. The successful candidate will have 5–15+ years in network engineering within service providers or data centers, hands-on experience with major vendors,

Qualifications

• Masters Degree in Network Engineering or related field + 8 years experience, or Bachelors + 10 years experience.
• 5+ years provisioning carrier-class networks.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and maintain high-performance IP network infrastructure (MPLS, IP/Ethernet).
• Provide Tier 3/4 escalation support and RCA for outages.
• Manage BGP, OSPF, ISIS with traffic engineering and internet peering.
• Implement CGNAT, AAA/RADIUS, and high-capacity wireless/mobility cores.
• Monitor capacity and optimize performance for high-traffic volumes.
• Develop automation scripts using Python, Ansible, or Terraform.
• Ensure ISO27001/PCI-DSS compliance and network security measures.
• Create network diagrams, MOPs, and detailed documentation.

Skills

Network protocols (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF,-

MPLS & VPNs

L3/L2 routing

Python/Ansible scripting

Linux CLI

Education

Master's Degree in Network Engineering or related field

Bachelor's Degree in Network Engineering or related field

Tools

Ciena

Cisco ASR/NCS/Nexus

Juniper MX/Mist

Nokia

Arista

Python

Ansible

Dark fiber / wavelength services

CGNAT platforms (F5 BIG-IP)

VMware/OpenStack

Job description

Job ID 2616439

Location Arlington, VA, US

Date Posted 2026-09-02

Category Information Technology

Subcategory Network Engineer

Schedule Full-Time

Shift Day Job

Travel Yes - 25% of the time

Minimum Clearance Required Top_Secret

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain TS/SCI

Potential for Remote Work ORA_HYBRID

Description SAIC is seeking a seasoned Network Engineer to join our Network Team. You will be responsible for the architecture, design, deployment, and optimization of our high-traffic, carrier-grade network infrastructure. The ideal candidate has deep, hands-on experience maintaining five-nines (99.999%) availability in a dedicated infrastructure (utilizing dark fiber, wavelength services), service provider, and/or large-scale data center. You will lead complex troubleshooting, ensure robust security, and drive network modernization, including advanced L0 optimization, IPv4/IPv6 transition and SDN (L0-L3) automation physical transport, data link, and network layers simultaneously. This position is remote with travel.

Key Responsibilities

• Architecture & Design Design, implement, and maintain high-performance, scalable, and resilient IP network infrastructure (MPLS, IP/Ethernet).
• Operations & Troubleshooting Provide Tier 3/4 escalation support, conducting deep-packet inspection and root cause analysis (RCA) for complex outages.
• Routing & Switching Manage and optimize advanced routing protocols including BGP, OSPF, and ISIS, specifically focusing on traffic engineering and internet peering.
• Carrier Grade Technologies Implement and manage carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT) for IPv4/IPv6 transition, AAA/RADIUS infrastructure, and high-capacity wireless/mobility cores.
• Performance Optimization Maximize network performance through continuous monitoring and capacity planning to handle high-traffic volumes.
• Automation Develop and implement automation scripts using Python, Ansible, or Terraform to streamline configuration, provisioning, and MOP (Method of Procedure) execution.
• Security & Compliance Ensure compliance with security standards (e.g., ISO27001, PCI-DSS) and implement network-level security, such as DDoS protection and lawful intercept.
• Documentation Create and maintain detailed network diagrams, MOPs, and technical documentation.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Masters Degree in Network Engineering or related field + 8 years experience or Bachelors Degree in Network Engineering or related field + 10 years experience. 5+ years experience with provisioning 1/carrier class networks.

Required Skills & Experience

• U.S. citizenship and an active Top-Secret clearance, with the ability to obtain a TS/SCI.
• Experience 5 -15+ years in network engineering, specifically within a service provider, ISP, or carrier-grade data center environment.
• Technical Proficiency (L2-L3) TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, ISIS, MPLS, IKE, IPSEC, VPNs, and VLANs.
• Technical Proficiency (L0-L2) SONET/SDH,FDDI, OTN (ITU-T G.709, OTU4, OTU2).
• Hardware Expertise Hands-on experience with carrier-grade platforms (e.g., Ciena, Cisco ASR/NCS/Nexus, Juniper MX/Mist, Nokia, or Arista).
• Automation/Scripting Intermediate to advanced proficiency in Python or Ansible.
• Linux/Unix Strong Linux CLI skills.
• Education Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.
• Certifications CCNP/CCIE (Service Provider or Routing & Switching) preferred, but no required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with CGNAT platforms (e.g., F5 BIG-IP, A10 Networks).
• Knowledge of 5G core networking or virtualized platforms (VMware, OpenStack).
• Experience with Fiber transport technologies (DWDM, ROADM, WSS, PON).

Why Join Us

• Work on one of the largest infrastructure deployments in the region.
• Direct influence on network architecture and modernization projects.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package, including 401(k) matching.

Target salary range $160,001 - $200,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.