Network Engineer (Senior)

Computer World Services; North Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Computer World Services, Corp. in North Chicago, IL, seeks a Senior Network Engineer to support data-center networking, SDN, enterprise connectivity, and outage restoration for the USMEPCOM ENLIST program.

The role emphasizes hands-on work with Cisco Nexus and ACI fabrics, VLANs, routing, and network security, with collaboration across stakeholders and the Outage Response Team. Hybrid schedule in North Chicago, IL is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Networking, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant network engineering, network administration, data-center networking, or enterprise infrastructure experience.
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule in North Chicago, IL.

Responsibilities

• Engineer, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco Nexus data-center switching environments and Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) fabrics, including APICs, tenants, VRFs, bridge domains, endpoint groups, contracts, and external connectivity.
• Install, configure, refresh, and troubleshoot top-of-rack and data-center switches, network appliances, and software-defined networking configurations.
• Configure and troubleshoot VLANs, trunks, port channels, virtual port channels, routing, access controls, and redundant paths supporting servers, storage, virtualization, cloud, and enterprise networks.
• Support network architecture planning, integration, testing, and performance analysis; gather requirements and develop implementation procedures, cutover plans, validation steps, rollback procedures, and outage contingencies.
• Execute approved installations, refreshes, configuration changes, and equipment replacements, and lead relocation cutovers at USMEPCOM and MEPS locations from staging through post-cutover verification.
• Coordinate with cabling personnel on rack layouts, patching, fiber, copper, and network drops; support site surveys and maintain network diagrams, as-built documentation, and equipment inventories.
• Test devices before production deployment and apply approved firmware, OS, and security updates in accordance with DISA STIGs.
• Monitor network availability, performance, and capacity; diagnose and resolve complex Layer 2/Layer 3, fabric, routing, latency, and packet-loss issues, including WAN, SD-WAN, firewall, VPN, wireless, and cloud connectivity.
• Participate in Outage Response Team activities, providing diagnosis, workarounds, restoration support, and root-cause input; coordinate escalation with Cisco, DISA, carriers, cloud providers, and vendors.
• Identify recurring problems, capacity constraints, points of failure, and modernization opportunities, and recommend corrective actions.
• Follow approved ITSM processes, maintain configurations and technical documentation, and provide technical guidance to network administrators and support personnel.

Skills

Cisco Nexus

ACI fabrics

Data-center networking

Outage coordination

Education

Bachelor’s degree in IT/Networking

Tools

APICs

Nexus switches

SDN (ACI)

Job description

Computer World Services, Corp. (CWS) seeks a Senior Network Engineer to support data-center networking, software-defined networking, enterprise connectivity, infrastructure modernization, and outage restoration for the USMEPCOM ENLIST program.

The Network Engineer provides hands-on engineering support for Cisco Nexus and Application Centric Infrastructure environments, top-of-rack switching, and data-center connectivity, supporting installations, technology refreshes, maintenance, outages, and equipment-relocation cutovers. The successful candidate works with network leadership, infrastructure and cybersecurity teams, Government stakeholders, vendors, and the Outage Response Team to maintain secure, reliable, and resilient network services.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities

• Engineer, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco Nexus data-center switching environments and Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) fabrics, including APICs, tenants, VRFs, bridge domains, endpoint groups, contracts, and external connectivity.
• Install, configure, refresh, and troubleshoot top-of-rack and data-center switches, network appliances, and software-defined networking configurations.
• Configure and troubleshoot VLANs, trunks, port channels, virtual port channels, routing, access controls, and redundant paths supporting servers, storage, virtualization, cloud, and enterprise networks.
• Support network architecture planning, integration, testing, and performance analysis; gather requirements and develop implementation procedures, cutover plans, validation steps, rollback procedures, and outage contingencies.
• Execute approved installations, refreshes, configuration changes, and equipment replacements, and lead relocation cutovers at USMEPCOM and MEPS locations from staging through post-cutover verification.
• Coordinate with cabling personnel on rack layouts, patching, fiber, copper, and network drops; support site surveys and maintain network diagrams, as-built documentation, and equipment inventories.
• Test devices before production deployment and apply approved firmware, OS, and security updates in accordance with DISA STIGs.
• Monitor network availability, performance, and capacity; diagnose and resolve complex Layer 2/Layer 3, fabric, routing, latency, and packet-loss issues, including WAN, SD-WAN, firewall, VPN, wireless, and cloud connectivity.
• Participate in Outage Response Team activities, providing diagnosis, workarounds, restoration support, and root-cause input; coordinate escalation with Cisco, DISA, carriers, cloud providers, and vendors.
• Identify recurring problems, capacity constraints, points of failure, and modernization opportunities, and recommend corrective actions.
• Follow approved ITSM processes, maintain configurations and technical documentation, and provide technical guidance to network administrators and support personnel.

Education & Experience

Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Networking, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant network engineering, network administration, data-center networking, or enterprise infrastructure experience.
• Ability to work a hybrid schedule in N. Chicago, IL.

Preferred:

• Hands-on experience with Cisco Nexus, ACI, software-defined networking, and policy-based data-center network architectures.
• Experience with Cisco routing and switching technologies, including EIGRP, OSPF, BGP, VLAN routing, and Quality of Service.
• Experience developing method-of-procedure documents, implementation and test plans, rollback procedures, and cutover checklists for refreshes, migrations, and relocations.
• Experience with network-monitoring, configuration-management, and observability platforms.
• Experience applying DISA STIGs and supporting DoD RMF, ATO, IAVA, CND Directive, and POA&M requirements in a federal or DoD environment.
• Strong troubleshooting, documentation, change-management, and stakeholder-coordination skills.

Certifications

• Required: Current Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) certification.
• Preferred: CCNP Data Center, CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE), CompTIA Security+, ITIL Foundation, or equivalent credentials.

Security Clearance

• Active Secret clearance or higher is required.

Other (Travel, Work Environment, DoD 8570 Requirements, Administrative Notes, etc.)

Work Environment / Travel:

• Hybrid position based in N. Chicago, IL.
• After-hours availability may be required during outages, maintenance windows, installations, equipment refreshes, and relocation cutovers.

Administrative Notes:

Period of Performance: March 1, 2027 – February 28, 2033

Contract Start Date: March 1, 2027

Note: By applying to this position, the candidate acknowledges and consents to having their resume included in an active competitive Government contract bid.

$140,000 - $170,000 a year

The offered rate will be based on the selected candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities and/or experience and in consideration of internal parity. The posted range is appropriate for a typical candidate meeting, at a minimum, all the core requirements of the position.

Computer World Services is an affirmative action and equal employment opportunity employer. Current employees and/or qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.

Computer World Services is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Computer World Services will ensure that individuals with disabilities (IWD) are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at [e-mail].