Senior SDN Architect & Systems Engineer (TS/SCI) Onsite

Nightwing; Maryland; On-site; USD 122,000 - 253,000; Full time

Job summary

Nightwing is seeking a Senior Network Engineer / Systems Engineer to analyze and extend software-defined networking platforms. You will architect modules, prototype southbound protocols, and develop northbound API extensions for customizable network control.

This role demands deep SDN expertise, Java proficiency, and strong documentation. The position is onsite in Maryland with security clearance requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Network Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related STEM field
• 7+ years of experience in network engineering, systems engineering, or software-defined networking
• Deep hands-on experience with SDN controller platforms including architecture, deployment, and customization
• Strong understanding of model-driven architectures and service abstraction layers in SDN controllers
• Expertise in network protocols including OpenFlow, NETCONF, RESTCONF, BGP, OSPF, and SNMP
• Proficiency with YANG data modeling for network device configuration and state management
• Strong knowledge of OSGi framework and Apache Karaf runtime environments
• Experience analyzing large-scale Java codebases and understanding architectural patterns
• Solid understanding of Java programming and ability to read/modify Java code for prototyping
• Knowledge of RESTful API design and implementation
• Experience with distributed systems, microservices architectures, and data consistency challenges
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to architectural details
• Proven ability to evaluate technical trade-offs and make sound architectural recommendations
• Excellent documentation and communication skills for conveying complex technical concepts
• Active TS/SCI security clearance with Polygraph
• U.S. citizenship is required

Responsibilities

• Conduct deep technical analysis of software-defined networking controller architectures, including core modules, southbound/northbound plugins, and internal service dependencies
• Evaluate existing SDN platform capabilities against mission requirements to determine gaps and necessary extensions
• Architect and design custom modules, plugins, and features to extend platform functionality for specialized networking needs
• Perform detailed code analysis of controller internals, understanding the interactions between core services, data abstraction layers, and protocol plugins
• Assess whether requirements should be implemented as additions to the existing architecture or as separate modular components
• Design and prototype southbound protocol plugins for specialized network devices and protocols
• Develop northbound API extensions and custom applications that leverage network programmability capabilities
• Analyze platform performance characteristics, identify bottlenecks, and recommend optimization strategies for high-scale deployments
• Work with data models to define structures for network device configuration and operational state
• Evaluate integration points with external systems, network orchestration platforms, and management tools
• Document architectural decisions, technical trade-offs, and implementation strategies for platform customizations
• Collaborate with software engineers to implement and test custom modules and extensions
• Stay current with SDN community developments, emerging technologies, and industry best practices

Skills

SDN controllers

Java programming

YANG modeling

OpenFlow

NETCONF

RESTCONF

BGP

OSPF

SNMP

OSGi framework

Apache Karaf

RESTful APIs

Distributed systems

Microservices

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Network Engineering, Systems Engineering, or related STEM field

Tools

Apache Karaf

OSGi framework

Job description

Nightwing is seeking a Senior Network Engineer / Systems Engineer to analyze and extend software-defined networking platforms. You will architect modules, prototype southbound protocols, and develop northbound API extensions for customizable network control.

This role demands deep SDN expertise, Java proficiency, and strong documentation. The position is onsite in Maryland with security clearance requirements.