Senior Network Engineer

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation; Arlington (VA); On-site; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Benefits

Supportive work environment

Job summary

A leading research and technology organization is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to design and implement secure, high-performance network solutions. The role requires experience in advanced network design and collaboration with stakeholders. Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree and 7+ years in network engineering, with strong knowledge of routing, switching, and network security. Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required for this position. A competitive salary and benefits are offered, with work to be performed fully onsite in Arlington, VA.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in network engineering roles.
• Strong knowledge of TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MPLS.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise networking platforms.

Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and development of advanced network solutions.
• Implement network configurations to meet program requirements.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and ensure alignment with the overall architecture.

Skills

Network architecture

Routing and switching

Network security principles

Collaboration

Cloud networking

Automation and scripting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field

Tools

Cisco

Juniper

Job description

About Us

VT-ARC is a technical services and applied research company guided by four core values: Teamwork, Integrity, Excellence, and Service. We pride ourselves on solving complex problems through collaboration and valuing the contributions of every employee. Our culture emphasizes integrity, high-quality work for our clients, and an engaging, supportive work environment. We are committed to serving our country and community, and we recognize excellence through service and merit awards. VT-ARC is proud to be recognized by Emergent Magazine as a Best Workplace in Defense, honoring organizations with strong cultures and meaningful impact.

About You

You are a senior network engineer with experience designing and implementing secure, high-performing network solutions in mission critical, classified environments. You bring strong expertise in network architecture and modern networking technologies, along with the ability to collaborate effectively with government and industry partners. Driven by mission impact, you thrive in complex settings and are eager to help deliver transformational communications capabilities as part of VT-ARC’s engineering team.

Position Overview

VT-ARC is seeking a highly skilled Senior Network Engineer to support the design, implementation, and evolution of a transformational network engineering program. In this role, you will serve as a key technical leader responsible for developing advanced network designs and architectures, implementing solutions, and ensuring secure, reliable, and high-performance network operations. The Senior Network Engineer will collaborate closely with government and industry stakeholders and work alongside senior engineering leadership to support the development of next generation communications networks. This role plays a critical part in delivering resilient, scalable infrastructure that supports end to end network and user communication requirements.

An Active Top Secret/SCI Clearance Is Required

This position is contingent based upon contract award.

Duties/Responsibilities

• Assist in the design and development of advanced network solutions for enterprise and mission‑critical environments.
• Implement network configurations, routing, and switching to meet program requirements.
• Collaborate with the Principal Network Engineer to ensure alignment with overall architecture.
• Provide technical input for network transformation initiatives, including SD‑WAN and cloud design and integration.
• Troubleshoot and resolve advanced network issues throughout the design, implementation, testing and operations as appropriate.
• Maintain network documentation, standards, and best practices.
• Work with cybersecurity and systems engineering teams to ensure compliance with security and interoperability standards.
• Develop and maintain network documentation, standards, and best practices.
• Work closely with the onsite government and contractor technical team to develop capabilities to support end‑to‑end network and end‑user communication requirements.

Required Education, Certifications, Skills And Capabilities

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• 7+ years of experience in network engineering roles.
• Strong knowledge of routing, switching, firewalls, and network protocols (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MPLS).
• Hands‑on experience with Cisco, Juniper, or similar enterprise networking platforms.
• Understanding of network security principles and technologies (VPN, IDS/IPS, NAC, scanning) and network monitoring.
• Experience with cloud networking (AWS, Azure) and SD‑WAN solutions.
• Relevant certifications (CCNP or equivalent) highly desirable.
• Previous experience working with Federal agencies on critical networks and communications services.
• Strong interpersonal and teambuilding skills.

Desired Education, Certifications, Skills And Capabilities

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related engineering discipline.
• 10+ years of experience in network engineering roles.
• Experience with network performance monitoring and optimization tools.
• Automation and scripting experience (e.g., Python, Ansible, etc.).
• Familiarity with Zero Trust architecture and advanced security frameworks.
• Experience with network simulation tools.

Primary Work Location

Work is to be performed fully onsite in Arlington, VA.

Security

• Must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Active Top Secret/SCI clearance is required.

Special Work Conditions

• Occasional CONUS travel may be required; up to 15%.
• Possible travel to OCONUS locations; up to 10%.

Competitive Salary

VT-ARC offers competitive pay based on a number of factors including but not limited to conducting comparable salary market research, education, years of experience, and benefits.

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation

VT-ARC is a 501(c)(3), non‑profit R&D organization affiliated with Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech or VT). Our mission is to provide superior analytic and technology solutions across multiple domains by leveraging Virginia Tech’s multidisciplinary research and innovation ecosystem. With unique access to the broad and rich research enterprise found at Virginia Tech, VT-ARC forms multi‑disciplinary teams to apply innovative solutions to the real‑world problems that strain our social, political, industrial, and economic foundations.

Benefits & Culture

To learn more about VT-ARC’s Benefits, Perks, Culture & more visit our Careers page: https://vt-arc.org/careers/

Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation is an equal‑opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation uses E‑Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. To learn more about E‑Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit www.E-Verify.gov.