NOC Shift Lead – Network Operations (TS/SCI Clearance Required) Washington, DC

Kaizen Lab Inc.; Washington; On-site; USD 95,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

A mission-critical IT services provider is seeking an experienced NOC Shift Lead for an onsite position in Washington, D.C. The ideal candidate will have a TS/SCI clearance and extensive network operations experience in a federal environment. This leadership role involves overseeing network performance, managing incidents, and directing a team of engineers. Candidates must be proficient in routing, switching, and monitoring tools, with a strong problem-solving background. This position offers competitive pay and shift differentials.

Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance is mandatory.
• 5+ years of experience in Network Operations, preferably in a federal or DoD environment.
• 2+ years in a lead role in a 24x7 NOC or similar setting.

Responsibilities

• Act as the lead for NOC operations during assigned shifts.
• Monitor and maintain the performance of network connectivity.
• Oversee event triage and resolution for outages.

Skills

Routing

Switching

Firewalls

Network monitoring tools

Excellent troubleshooting

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in IT, Network Engineering, or related field

Tools

SolarWinds

Nagios

Wireshark

Amazon AWS

Azure VPC

Job description

NOC Shift Lead – Network Operations (TS/SCI Clearance Required)

Rapid Strategy provides mission-critical IT and cybersecurity services across federal, defense, and commercial sectors. Our Network Operations teams ensure high availability, reliability, and security of the IT infrastructure that supports national and mission operations.

We are seeking an experienced NOC Shift Lead to oversee network operations during swing, weekend, and holiday shifts in Washington, D.C. This position is 100% onsite and requires an active TS/SCI clearance.

Position Overview

The NOC Shift Lead is responsible for the health, stability, and performance of enterprise network infrastructure. The role oversees real-time network monitoring, event management, escalation, and coordination with other technical teams.

This position requires expertise in network monitoring, SD‑WAN, VPC connectivity, and incident handling in a mission‑critical federal environment. The Shift Lead ensures all events are properly tracked, prioritized, and resolved to maintain uninterrupted connectivity for users and systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the lead for NOC operations during assigned swing/weekend/holiday shifts.
• Monitor and maintain the performance of LAN/WAN, VPN, and cloud network connectivity (AWS/Azure VPC).
• Oversee event triage, troubleshooting, and resolution for network outages and performance issues.
• Direct a team of network engineers and technicians during live incidents.
• Manage and optimize network monitoring tools (SolarWinds, Nagios, Splunk, or similar).
• Coordinate with SOC, Systems, and Cloud teams to ensure cross‑domain operational continuity.
• Maintain documentation, shift logs, and configuration records for network changes.
• Ensure compliance with DISA STIGs, RMF, and federal security policies.
• Support SD‑WAN, firewall, and routing/switching troubleshooting.
• Provide daily shift briefings and ensure smooth transitions between teams.

Required Qualifications

• Active TS/SCI clearance (mandatory)
• Bachelor’s degree in IT, Network Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 5+ years of experience in Network Operations, preferably in a federal or DoD environment
• 2+ years in a lead or supervisory position in a 24x7 NOC or similar setting
• Expertise in:
  • Routing, switching, and firewalls (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto)
  • Network monitoring tools (SolarWinds, Nagios, Wireshark)
  • Cloud networking (AWS/Azure VPCs, VPNs, SD‑WAN)
• Familiarity with ACAS, Tenable, and network vulnerability remediation
• Excellent troubleshooting, documentation, and communication skills

Preferred Qualifications

• DoD 8570 IAT Level II/III certification (e.g., Security+, CCNA Security, CASP+, or CCNP)
• Familiarity with Zero Trust and network segmentation practices
• Experience supporting Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) or Intelligence networks
• Exposure to automation and orchestration tools (Python, Ansible)

Shift Details

• Swing shift with evening, weekend, and holiday rotation
• Onsite leadership role with shift differential pay

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