Network Engineer Research Triangle Park, NC

Vulcan Elements Inc.; North Carolina; On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Vulcan Elements Inc. is seeking a Network Engineer in North Carolina to design and maintain network infrastructure for their office and manufacturing facilities. The role emphasizes secure, reliable, and high-performance connectivity across IT and Operational Technology environments.

The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience in network engineering, particularly in defense or manufacturing sectors, and will possess strong knowledge of Cisco Meraki and Ubiquiti UniFi platforms.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in network engineering, preferably in regulated environments.
• Hands-on experience with OT/IT converged networks.
• Strong fundamentals in BGP, OSPF, VLANs, and QoS.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and maintain network infrastructure.
• Ensure secure connectivity across IT and OT environments.
• Implement network security controls aligned with NIST and CMMC.

Skills

Network Engineering

Security Mindset

Problem Solving

Routing and Switching

OT Network Experience

Education

Cisco CCNA or CCNP

CompTIA Network+

CompTIA Security+

Tools

Cisco Meraki

Ubiquiti UniFi

Job description

Vulcan Elements is manufacturing American rare‑earth permanent magnets for a secure, resilient future. With a focus on national security and economic resiliency, we serve critical industries such as defense, aerospace, and automotive powering a high‑technology future. Vulcan Elements is building a team of ambitious professionals committed to Mission Focus, Technical Excellence and Transparency.

As a Network Engineer, you will design, deploy, and maintain the network infrastructure that powers our office and manufacturing facilities. You will be a key contributor to ensuring secure, reliable, and high‑performance connectivity across IT and Operational Technology (OT) environments. This role requires deep technical expertise in enterprise networking, a strong security mindset aligned with CMMC and NIST 800‑171, and hands‑on experience in regulated or government‑adjacent environments.

Responsibilities

• Network Design and Deployment: Architect, implement, and maintain LAN/WAN/WLAN infrastructure across office and manufacturing environments using Cisco Meraki and Ubiquiti UniFi platforms.
• OT Network Management: Design and maintain segmented OT/IT network environments supporting industrial control systems, PLCs, and manufacturing floor devices. Enforce strict zone isolation in accordance with NIST and CMMC control families.
• Security and Compliance: Implement and enforce network security controls aligned with NIST and CMMC requirements, including access control, boundary protection, audit logging, and incident response.
• Firewall and Segmentation: Configure and manage firewalls, VLANs, ACLs, and micro‑segmentation policies to protect CUI and sensitive manufacturing data.
• Monitoring and Troubleshooting: Proactively monitor network health, respond to outages, and perform root cause analysis across both IT and OT segments.
• VPN and Remote Access: Administer and maintain secure remote access solutions including site‑to‑site and client VPN configurations, ensuring least‑privilege access.
• Documentation: Maintain detailed network diagrams, configuration baselines, change logs, and system security plans (SSPs) as required for CMMC assessments.
• Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Partner with Engineering, Operations, and IT teams to support network requirements for automation, data acquisition, and production systems.
• Government and Compliance Support: Support internal audits, CMMC assessments, and government contract compliance reviews with thorough documentation and evidence collection.

Qualifications

• Experience: 3+ years of experience in network engineering, preferably in a manufacturing, defense, or government‑regulated environment.
• OT Network Experience: Hands‑on experience designing or maintaining OT/IT converged networks including familiarity with industrial protocols (Modbus, EtherNet/IP, PROFINET) and IICS/SCADA network architecture.
• Platform Proficiency: Direct hands‑on experience with Cisco Meraki (switching, wireless, security appliances) and Ubiquiti UniFi (switches, APs, gateways) required.
• Security Mindset: Working knowledge of NIST 800‑171, CMMC, and network‑level controls. Experience supporting or preparing for CMMC assessments is strongly preferred.
• Government Experience (Preferred): Prior experience supporting federal contractors, DoD programs, or government‑adjacent facilities with CUI handling and export‑controlled environments (ITAR/EAR).
• Routing and Switching: Strong fundamentals in BGP, OSPF, spanning tree, VLANs, QoS, and SD‑WAN concepts.
• Problem Solving: Ability to diagnose and resolve complex network issues across both IT and OT environments with minimal downtime.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, work in a manufacturing environment, and perform cable runs, rack installations, and equipment mounting.
• Preferred Certifications: Cisco CCNA or CCNP, Meraki ECMS, CompTIA Network+, CompTIA Security+.

Must be a U.S. Person due to required access to U.S. export‑controlled information or facilities.

As set forth in Vulcan Elements’s Equal Employment Opportunity policy, we do not discriminate on the basis of any protected group status under any applicable law.