Principal Network Administrator

Vodafone; Aurora (IL); On-site; USD 89,000 - 163,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the cybersecurity sector is seeking a Principal Network Administrator to oversee the enterprise network infrastructure. This role involves leading the design, implementation, and security of network systems to support critical government operations. Candidates should possess extensive experience and an active security clearance, with a strong focus on network architecture and security best practices.

Qualifications

• Experience: 8-12 years for Bachelor's, 6-10 years for Master's.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance required.
• Experience may substitute for a degree.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and maintenance of enterprise network infrastructure.
• Oversee cloud networking and ensure network resilience.
• Develop network policies and conduct vulnerability assessments.

Skills

Network Architecture

Security

Automation

Cloud Networking

Problem Solving

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Doctorate

Tools

Python

Ansible

Terraform

Job description

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. The Leidos National Security Sector (NSS) combines technology-enabled services and mission software capabilities in the areas of cyber, logistics, security operations, and decision analytics to support our defense and intel customers’ mission to defend against evolving threats around the world.

Your greatest work is ahead!

The Multi-domain Solutions Division (MDS) within the Leidos National Security Sector is seeking a skilled Principal Network Administrator to join a new cyber security program and play a key role in supporting government-critical systems. You will be part of a program that oversees development, integration, delivery, and operations and maintenance of IT managed security services, which encompasses support to monitor the cybersecurity threat and security posture situational awareness for the enterprise. This opportunity is in anticipation of a future contract award!

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead the design, implementation, security, and maintenance of our enterprise network infrastructure.
• Apply deep expertise in network architecture, security, automation, and cloud networking to ensure high availability, performance, and security across our IT environments.
• Oversee network operations, troubleshoot complex issues, optimize performance, and guide IT teams in adopting best practices.
• Utilize extensive experience with routing, switching, firewalls, VPNs, SD-WAN, and cloud networking, along with strong problem-solving and leadership skills.
• Design, deploy, and maintain enterprise-level LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, and wireless networks.
• Manage and optimize network hardware, including routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and VPNs.
• Oversee cloud networking (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), including hybrid cloud integrations.
• Develop and enforce network segmentation, access control, and zero-trust security models.
• Implement network security best practices, firewall policies, IDS/IPS, and NAC solutions.
• Conduct regular network vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and risk mitigation.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards (NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, SOC 2, etc.).
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to detect and mitigate network threats.
• Monitor network traffic, bandwidth usage, and performance metrics, identifying and resolving bottlenecks.
• Automate network configurations and management tasks using scripting tools (Python, Ansible, Terraform).
• Optimize VoIP, QoS, and video conferencing solutions for high-performance communication.
• Provide technical leadership to junior network administrators and IT teams.
• Develop network policies, procedures, and documentation to support scalability and business continuity.
• Stay up to date with emerging networking technologies and recommend innovations.
• Lead incident response efforts for major network outages, security breaches, or performance issues.
• Troubleshoot complex Layer 2/3 network issues and coordinate resolution with vendors when necessary.
• Maintain disaster recovery and failover strategies to ensure network resilience.

What does Leidos need from me?

• Active Top Secret/SCI (TS/SCI) with Polygraph security clearance required. Must be U.S. Citizen.
• Bachelor's degree and 8 to 12 years of prior relevant experience or Masters with 6 to 10 years of prior relevant experience. May possess a Doctorate in technical domain. Experience may be considered in lieu of degree.

Favorable if you have:

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).
• Juniper Networks Certified Internet Professional (JNCIP) or Expert (JNCIE).
• Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE).
• AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) - Networking focus.

Original Posting:
March 28, 2025
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 $89,700.00 - $162,150.00

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.