Automation Engineer

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Network Automation Engineer to support a long-term Federal network modernization program. This is a full-time remote role with occasional travel and in-person meetings in the DMV. The ideal candidate will have expertise in network automation, multi-vendor environments, and Federal compliance frameworks, with the ability to design scalable, secure automation solutions.

• Design, develop, and maintain Ansible playbooks, roles, and collections to automate configuration and compliance for routers, switches, firewalls, and other network devices.
• Create reusable automation frameworks for multi-vendor environments (Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Palo Alto, etc.).
• Build modular automation pipelines integrated with CI/CD tools (Git Lab CI, Jenkins, Git Hub Actions).
• Develop Python scripts and RESTful API integrations for custom automation and reporting workflows.
• Collaborate with network architects to translate manual operations into automated workflows.
• Implement Infrastructure-as-Code best practices for repeatable deployments and version-controlled configurations.
• Integrate automation into change management, configuration management, and compliance enforcement systems
  .
• Support large-scale configuration rollouts, template-based provisioning, and software image management.
• Incorporate DISA STIG, DoD RMF, and Comply-to-Connect (C2C) standards into automation workflows.
• Automate compliance verification and reporting against Federal cybersecurity policies.
• Provide training, documentation, and code reviews for team adoption of automation practices.

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field.
• 3+ years of Cisco networking experience
  , with at least 3 years in a network automation role.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP, routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), VLANs, QoS, and ACLs
  .
• Proficiency with Ansible, YAML, Jinja2, and Git
  .
• Experience automating Cisco IOS-XE, NX-OS, ASA/FTD, and wireless controllers
  .
• Familiarity with Python scripting for REST API integration and data manipulation
  .
• Experience with CI/CD platforms (Git Lab, Jenkins, Git Hub Actions).Understanding of DoD networking standards, DISA STIGs, and RMF documentation requirements
  .
• Ability to work collaboratively and communicate effectively.

• Certifications:
  
  Cisco Dev Net Professional, CCNP Enterprise or Security, Red Hat Ansible Automation
  .
• Experience with Zero Trust and C2C-aligned automation
  .
• Familiarity with SDN technologies (Cisco DNA Center, ACI, NSX).
• Experience with multi-domain integration
  : cloud networking (AWS, Azure), firewalls, NAC systems.

• Compensation: $70,000 - $85,000
• Benefits: PTO, Paid Holidays, Medical, Dental, Vision, 401(k), Sick Leave (as required by law).