NETWORK LEAD

IGNITE; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Ignite is seeking a driven Network Lead to join our team supporting the U.S. Army on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL.

This onsite role directs secure voice, data, and video network engineering across Enterprise and classified networks, ensuring high availability and robust security for multiple facilities. The Network Lead will guide engineers, oversee complex designs, coordinate implementations, maintain security and configuration control, and respond to outages or degraded performance.

Qualifications

• Ten or more years of relevant network-engineering experience at the Senior/Lead level.
• Experience installing, configuring, supporting, securing, monitoring, and maintaining LAN, WAN, intranet, internet, voice, video, and other data-communications systems.
• Experience supervising or mentoring network personnel and leading complex, multi-technology designs and integrations.
• Experience translating business and mission requirements into telecommunications architectures and implementation plans.
• Advanced knowledge of routing, switching, firewalls, IDS/IPS, DNS/DHCP/IPAM, network access control, load balancing, cabling/fiber, network operating systems, and management platforms.
• Knowledge of INFOSEC/COMSEC, classified and unclassified network separation, access control, STIGs, vulnerability remediation, and incident coordination.
• Ability to provide on-site support and lead after-hours restoration of mission-critical network services.
• CompTIA Security+ is required.

Responsibilities

• Lead network planning, engineering, implementation, administration, monitoring, testing, and sustainment.
• Design and optimize firewalls, IDS/IPS, Active Directory-related network services, switches, routers, hubs, bridges, cabling, fiber, and network operating systems.
• Diagnose and resolve LAN, WAN, voice, video, and interconnected-network issues across classified and unclassified environments.
• Maintain secure 24/7 network availability and lead outage, degradation, and cybersecurity incident response.
• Evaluate new technologies and recommend secure, interoperable, supportable solutions.
• Develop and maintain network schematics, SOPs, configurations, status accounting, and audit evidence.
• Analyze load balancing, traffic, capacity, performance, vulnerabilities, and failure trends; implement approved improvements.
• Control and coordinate approved network changes with the CIO, Government leads, cybersecurity personnel, and affected customers.
• Lead, mentor, and quality-check network administrators, engineers, and support technicians.

Skills

Network planning

LAN/WAN engineering

Firewalls/IDS/IPS

Routing & switching

DNS/DHCP/IPAM

Security best practices

DoD 8140/DCWF

CompTIA Security+

Education

MA/MS

BA/BS with 12+ years experience

Tools

Cisco Catalyst Center

ISE

Secure Firewall Management Center

Secure Network Analytics

Web Appliance

Unified communications

Meeting/video systems

F5 BIG-IP/BIG-IQ

Infoblox

SolarWinds

VMware networking

Job description

Igniters operate in the world’s most demanding environment. Igniters are self-motivated, mission-driven, and relentless in solving the Warfighters’ hardest problems. We move fast, think differently, and execute with precision to tackle high-stakes challenges across AI/ML, space and missile defense intelligence, EMSO, advanced analytics, and programmatic domains. As an employee-owned SDVOSB headquartered in Huntsville, AL, our team delivers mission-critical impact for the Army, Air Force, Space Force, MDA, NASA, DIA, and FBI.

Ignite exists to outpace the threat and deliver results that matter in the moments that count.

Ignite is currently seeking a driven Network Lead to join our team supporting the U.S. Army on Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, AL. This position is expected to be onsite The Network Lead will direct secure voice, data, and video network engineering and operations across the Enterprise Network, classified networks, standalone systems, and associated devices spanning approximately 20 facilities. This role is responsible for reliable, secure, and highly available LAN, WAN, telecommunications, and network-security services.

The Network Lead will guide engineers and technicians, oversee complex network designs, coordinate approved implementations and upgrades, maintain network security and configuration control, and lead response to outages or degraded performance.

This position is pending contract award.

Responsibilities Include, But Are Not Limited To

• Lead network planning, engineering, implementation, administration, monitoring, testing, and sustainment.
• Design and optimize firewalls, IDS/IPS, Active Directory-related network services, switches, routers, hubs, bridges, cabling, fiber, and network operating systems.
• Diagnose and resolve LAN, WAN, voice, video, and interconnected-network issues across classified and unclassified environments.
• Maintain secure 24/7 network availability and lead outage, degradation, and cybersecurity incident response.
• Evaluate new technologies and recommend secure, interoperable, supportable solutions.
• Develop and maintain network schematics, SOPs, configurations, status accounting, and audit evidence.
• Analyze load balancing, traffic, capacity, performance, vulnerabilities, and failure trends; implement approved improvements.
• Control and coordinate approved network changes with the CIO, Government leads, cybersecurity personnel, and affected customers.
• Lead, mentor, and quality-check network administrators, engineers, and support technicians.

Job Requirements And Qualifications

• Ten (10) or more years of relevant network-engineering experience at the Senior/Lead level.
• Experience installing, configuring, supporting, securing, monitoring, and maintaining LAN, WAN, intranet, internet, voice, video, and other data-communications systems.
• Experience supervising or mentoring network personnel and leading complex, multi-technology designs and integrations.
• Experience translating business and mission requirements into telecommunications architectures and implementation plans.
• Advanced knowledge of routing, switching, firewalls, IDS/IPS, DNS/DHCP/IPAM, network access control, load balancing, cabling/fiber, network operating systems, and management platforms.
• Knowledge of INFOSEC/COMSEC, classified and unclassified network separation, access control, STIGs, vulnerability remediation, and incident coordination.
• Ability to provide on-site support and lead after-hours restoration of mission-critical network services.
• CompTIA Security+ is required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Cisco Catalyst Center, ISE, Secure Firewall Management Center, Secure Network Analytics, Web Appliance, unified communications, meeting/video systems, and related platforms.
• F5 BIG-IP/BIG-IQ, Infoblox, SolarWinds, network configuration management, performance monitoring, packet analysis, and traffic engineering.
• Network bridging, protocol conversion, cross-network data sharing, data protection, NLB, VMware networking, and global user support.
• Network schematics, SOPs, configuration audits, change control, modernization, and capacity planning.
• DoD 8140/DCWF-aligned qualification; CCNP Security, SecurityX (CASP+), GCIA, or equivalent preferred.

Security Clearance Requirements

Must have an active DoD Top Secret Clearance (SCI and SAP eligible)

Education Requirements

• MA/MS.
• Permitted substitution: BA/BS with 12 or more years of relevant experience.