Principal Network Engineer

Mystic Spear, LLC; Florida; On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Mysticspear is seeking a Principal Network Engineer based in the Town of Florida, NY. This role focuses on designing and implementing a secure network infrastructure for government programs, ensuring compliance with CMMC standards.

The successful candidate will have extensive experience in network engineering, must hold a CISSP certification, and will lead the development of network security strategies while collaborating with government auditors.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or Network Engineering required.
• CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) is mandatory.
• 10-15+ years in network engineering and systems administration required.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and maintenance of ATO artifacts aligned with CMMC and NIST standards.
• Architect and manage resilient high-availability network topologies including Mesh Networks.
• Oversee security postures including Identity and Access Management and secure MFA provisioning.

Skills

Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA)

CMMC compliance

Vulnerability management

Cloud architecture (AWS GovCloud/Azure)

Systems administration

Hybrid-cloud environments

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or Network Engineering

CISSP Certification

Tools

Nessus

ACAS

SIEM tools

Job description

PrincipalNetworkEngineer(Must be eligible for clearance)

Position Summary:

As aPrincipalNetworkEngineer, you will support the design, implementation, and audit-readiness of a securenetworkinfrastructure for high-priority government and corporate programs. This role will include technical execution (building secure cloud/on-prem environments, resilientnetworkdesign including mesh) and security governance (CMMC compliance and corporate IT posture). This role requires you to maintain a CISSP certification.

Core Responsibilities(includes but not limited to):

Lead the progressive development and maintenance of all ATO/ATO-C artifacts, ensuring continuous alignment with CMMC (Level 2/3) and NIST 800-171 standards.

Architect and manage resilient, high-availabilitynetworktopologies, including MeshNetworks, Software-DefinedNetworking (SDN), and secure VPN tunnels.

Perform comprehensive Systems Maintenance and technical support for hosting environments, including proactive troubleshooting, routine patching, and firmware updates across Windows and Linux server ecosystems.

Drive Vulnerability Management programs by conducting regular system scans (ACAS/Nessus), performing rapid remediation, and managing the POA&M (Plan of Action and Milestones) process.

Design and deploy secure, cloud-agnostic environments in AWS GovCloud or Azure Government, ensuring all infrastructure meets DISA STIG requirements.

Support DevSecOps initiatives by integrating security monitoring, automated gatekeeping, and container security into CI/CD pipelines.

Oversee corporate and program-specific security postures, including Identity and Access Management (IAM), secure MFA/CAC user provisioning, and SIEM transparency for user behavior analytics.

Implement "Zero Trust" principles and secure file-upload pipelines, incorporating integrated virus scanning and sandbox isolation.

Engineerand maintain cross-platform integration between legacy systems and modern data-driven operations, ensuring robust audit logging and data retention meeting NARA standards.

Serve as the primary technical liaison for government auditors, defending security controls and providing full transparency into the system's risk posture.

Education

Minimum: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or Network Engineering.

Mandatory Certification: CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) is required for this role.

Preferred Certifications: CCNP/CCIE (Enterprise or Security), AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Professional (SAP), or Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert.

Experience

Total Experience: 10–15+ years in network engineering and systems administration.

Role-Specific: 4+ years in a Principal, Lead Architect, or Senior Systems Engineer role focusing on secure government infrastructure.

Compliance Leadership: Proven track record of leading at least 2 full ATO (Authority to Operate) processes or CMMC Level 2/3 certifications from gap analysis through successful audit.

Technical Depth: Extensive experience designing Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) and managing hybrid-cloud environments (AWS GovCloud/Azure Government) within DISA STIG requirements.

Security Operations: Demonstrated expertise in vulnerability management using ACAS/Nessus and managing complex POA&Ms for federal programs.

Infrastructure Strategy: Experience mentoring mid-level network engineers and advising executive leadership on long-term infrastructure roadmaps, including "Cloud vs. On-Prem" cost-benefit and risk analysis.

Mystic Spear, LLC is an equal opportunity employer, drug-free workplace, and complies with ADA regulations as applicable. All applicants are considered for all positions without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, sexual orientation, pregnancy, age, national origin, ancestry, physical/mental disability, medical condition, military/veteran status, genetic information, marital status, ethnicity, alienage or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. By completing this application, you are seeking to join a team of hardworking professionals dedicated to consistently delivering outstanding service to our customers and contributing to the financial success of the organization, its clients, and its employees. Equal access to programs, services, and employment is available to all qualified persons. Those applicants requiring accommodation to complete the application and/or interview process should contact a management representative.