Network Specialist

Leidos; Suffolk (VA); On-site; USD 59,000 - 107,000; Full time

Job summary

Leidos in Reston, Virginia, seeks a Network Specialist to provide advanced operational support for the enterprise network, focusing on transport services (MPLS, VPLS, Carrier Ethernet) and SD-WAN.

You will serve as escalation point for complex incidents, perform planned changes, and collaborate with engineering and government personnel to ensure reliability, security, and performance of WAN infrastructure.

Qualifications

• Current Top Secret security clearance.
• BS degree with 4+ years IT relevant experience or Master’s degree with 2–6 years of IT relevant experience.
• CCNA or CCNP certification.
• Current SD-WAN certifications (e.g., Cisco SD-WAN Solutions, VMware VeloCloud).
• Current CompTIA Network+.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational support for the enterprise network, serving as the primary escalation point for unresolved incidents related to transport and SD-WAN services.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and fault isolation to resolve network outages and performance degradation issues, and document all actions taken in the government provided ticketing system.
• Manage, configure, and maintain the SD-WAN environment, including implementing application aware routing policies, traffic shaping rules, and security policies as directed by government personnel.
• Act as the technical liaison with telecommunications carriers and service providers to report and resolve transport circuit issues, including coordinating dispatched technicians and testing.
• Utilize network monitoring tools to proactively identify, analyze, and report on network performance, availability, and utilization trends for all WAN and SD-WAN links.
• Implement and verify approved network configuration changes including router/switch configurations, firewall rule modifications, and SD-WAN policy adjustments in accordance with established change management procedures.
• Maintain accurate and up to date documentation of the network infrastructure, including network diagrams, device configurations, and circuit information.

Skills

WAN/LAN troubleshooting

Routing protocols

Switching

Telecom provider coordination

Network monitoring tools

Education

BS degree + 4+ years IT experience

MS degree + 2–6 years IT experience

CCNA or CCNP

SD-WAN certifications

CompTIA Network+

Tools

Cisco SD-WAN Solutions

VMware VeloCloud

Government ticketing system

Job description

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions guided by our commitment to deliver mission success for our customers. Our Mission, Vision, and Values guide the way we do business serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. The Leidos Digital Sector is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Network Specialist who will be responsible for the advanced operational support, management, and troubleshooting of the enterprise network infrastructure, with a specific focus on transport services (e.g., MPLS, VPLS, Carrier Ethernet) and the Software Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) environment. The Network Specialist serves as a critical escalation point for the help desk, handling complex incidents, performing planned network changes, and ensuring the reliability, availability, and performance of the enterprise network. The role will work closely with the engineering teams to resolve persistent issues and contribute to the overall stability and optimization of the network.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational support for the enterprise network, serving as the primary escalation point for unresolved incidents related to transport and SD-WAN services.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and fault isolation to resolve network outages and performance degradation issues, and document all actions taken in the government provided ticketing system.
• Manage, configure, and maintain the SD-WAN environment, including implementing application aware routing policies, traffic shaping rules, and security policies as directed by government personnel.
• Act as the technical liaison with telecommunications carriers and service providers to report and resolve transport circuit issues, including coordinating dispatched technicians and testing.
• Utilize network monitoring tools to proactively identify, analyze, and report on network performance, availability, and utilization trends for all WAN and SD-WAN links.
• Implement and verify approved network configuration changes including router/switch configurations, firewall rule modifications, and SD-WAN policy adjustments in accordance with established change management procedures.
• Maintain accurate and up to date documentation of the network infrastructure, including network diagrams, device configurations, and circuit information.

Required Education and Experience

• Requires a current Top Secret Security Clearance.
• Requires BS degree with 4+ years of prior IT relevant experience or Master’s degree with 2 – 6 years of prior IT relevant experience.
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP).
• Current SD-WAN specific certifications (e.g., Cisco SD-WAN Solutions, VMware VeloCloud).
• Current CompTIA Network+.

Required Skills

• Demonstrated experience managing and troubleshooting WAN and LAN technologies, including routing protocols, and switching.
• Proven experience working with telecommunications providers to troubleshoot and resolve issues with commercial and carrier transport services like MPLS, Metro Ethernet, or broadband.
• Experience using network monitoring and management tools to diagnose and resolve network issues.

Clearance Required: Must possess an active Top Secret security clearance at time of consideration.

ECNOMS If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares.

Original Posting: October 14, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.

Pay Range

Pay Range $59,150.00 - $106,925.00. The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.

Pay and Benefits

Pay and benefits are fundamental to any career decision. That's why we craft compensation packages that reflect the importance of the work we do for our customers. Employment benefits include competitive compensation, Health and Wellness programs, Income Protection, Paid Leave and Retirement. More details are available here.

Securing Your Data

Leidos will never ask you to provide payment-related information at any part of the employment application process. And Leidos will communicate with you only through emails that are sent from a Leidos.com email address. If you receive an email purporting to be from Leidos that asks for payment-related information or any other personal information, please report the email to [e-mail].

Leidos Leidos is an industry and technology leader serving government and commercial customers with smarter, more efficient digital and mission innovations. Headquartered in Reston, Virginia, with 47,000 global employees, Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $17.2 billion for the fiscal year ended January 2, 2026. For more information, visit www.Leidos.com.

Commitment and Diversity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, ethnicity, age, national origin, citizenship, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy, family structure, marital status, ancestry, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, or any other basis prohibited by law. Leidos will also consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories consistent with relevant laws.