Network Systems Engineer

Zachary Piper, LLC; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

Dental benefits

Vision benefits

401(k) plan

PTO

Job summary

Zachary Piper Solutions seeks a Network Systems Engineer to support enterprise network infrastructure and modernization for a large federal IT environment in Norfolk, VA. The role emphasizes vulnerability remediation, Cisco IOS upgrades, and Tier III troubleshooting onsite five days a week with an active Secret clearance.

Responsibilities include patching, firewall and VPN configurations, network documentation, and collaboration with engineering teams to ensure security and performance.

Qualifications

• Active Secret clearance.
• Active DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II certification (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE, CySA+, or equivalent).
• Active networking vendor OS certification (e.g., Cisco CCNA, Juniper JNCIA, or equivalent).
• 5+ years of hands-on network engineering experience.
• Experience with enterprise routing and switching technologies including OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, MPLS, and VLANs.
• Hands-on experience with network patching, Cisco IOS upgrades, firmware updates, and vulnerability remediation.
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting firewalls, VPNs, and DMZ environments.
• Experience providing Tier III network troubleshooting, incident resolution, and technical escalation support.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP, subnetting, routing protocols, and network security fundamentals.
• Experience supporting production network environments, change management, and infrastructure maintenance activities.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing technical priorities and support time-sensitive network engineering initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Perform network vulnerability remediation, security patching, and OS upgrades across enterprise network infrastructure.
• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and other network appliances.
• Execute Cisco IOS upgrades, firmware updates, and network configuration changes with minimal disruption.
• Provide Tier III network engineering support, troubleshooting routing, switching, firewall, VPN, and connectivity issues.
• Support enterprise routing protocols such as OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, and MPLS.
• Configure and troubleshoot VLANs, IP addressing, and switching technologies.
• Support firewall, VPN, and DMZ configurations across Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, and other platforms.
• Collaborate with network automation teams to streamline patching, configuration management, and remediation processes.
• Identify and resolve network vulnerabilities while deploying security updates and infrastructure improvements.
• Participate in daily network operations, projects, incident resolution, and change management.
• Develop and maintain network documentation and standard operating procedures.
• Communicate technical issues and remediation progress to engineering teams and stakeholders.

Skills

Analytical skills

Communication

Problem solving

Education

IAT Level II certification (e.g., Security+ CE, CySA+, or equivalent)

Vendor OS certification (e.g., CCNA, JNCIA)

CCNP/JNCIS certifications (preferred)

Tools

Cisco IOS

Ansible

Python

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Job description

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Network Systems Engineer to support enterprise network infrastructure, vulnerability remediation, and network modernization initiatives for a large-scale federal IT environment in Norfolk, VA. The Network Systems Engineer will focus on network patching, Cisco IOS upgrades, routing and switching, and Tier III troubleshooting across a geographically distributed enterprise network. This individual will work closely with network operations, engineering, and automation teams to maintain network security, performance, and operational readiness. This position is fully onsite in Norfolk, VA, five days per week, and requires an active Secret clearance!

Responsibilities of the Network Systems Engineer

• Perform network vulnerability remediation, security patching, and operating system upgrades across enterprise network infrastructure
• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and other network appliances
• Execute Cisco IOS upgrades, firmware updates, and network configuration changes while minimizing operational disruption
• Provide Tier III network engineering support, troubleshooting complex routing, switching, firewall, VPN, and connectivity issues
• Support enterprise routing protocols including OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, and MPLS
• Configure and troubleshoot VLANs, network interfaces, IP addressing, and switching technologies
• Support firewall, VPN, and DMZ configurations across Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, and other network platforms
• Collaborate with network automation teams to streamline patching, configuration management, and vulnerability remediation processes
• Identify and resolve network vulnerabilities while supporting rapid deployment of security updates and infrastructure improvements
• Participate in daily network operations, engineering projects, incident resolution, and change management activities
• Develop and maintain network documentation, implementation procedures, and standard operating procedures
• Communicate technical issues, project progress, and remediation activities to engineering teams and stakeholders

Qualifications for the Network Systems Engineer

• Active Secret clearance
• Active DoD 8570/8140 IAT Level II certification, such as CompTIA Security+ CE, CySA+, or equivalent
• Active networking vendor operating system certification, such as Cisco CCNA, Juniper JNCIA, or equivalent
• 5+ years of hands‑on network engineering experience supporting operational enterprise networks
• Strong experience configuring and troubleshooting Cisco routers, switches, and network infrastructure
• Experience with enterprise routing and switching technologies including OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, MPLS, and VLANs
• Hands‑on experience with network patching, Cisco IOS upgrades, firmware updates, and vulnerability remediation
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting firewalls, VPNs, and DMZ environments
• Experience providing Tier III network troubleshooting, incident resolution, and technical escalation support
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP, subnetting, network interfaces, routing protocols, and network security fundamentals
• Experience supporting production network environments, change management, and infrastructure maintenance activities
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, communication, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing technical priorities and support time‑sensitive network engineering initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced Cisco networking experience, including Cisco IOS configuration, upgrades, and troubleshooting
• Experience with Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, Brocade, or other enterprise networking platforms
• Experience supporting large‑scale, geographically distributed federal or DoD networks
• Familiarity with network automation technologies such as Ansible, Python, or Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Experience automating network patching, configuration changes, or vulnerability remediation workflows
• Experience with network vulnerability management, security compliance, and remediation tracking
• CCNP, JNCIS, or other advanced networking certifications
• Experience collaborating with network automation, security engineering, and Network Operations Center (NOC) teams

Compensation for the Network Systems Engineer includes

• Salary: $90,000 - $110,000
• Comprehensive Benefits Package including Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), PTO, and Paid Holidays

#LI-MM1 #LI-ONSITE

Keywords

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