Network System Engineer

NSA has received approval from the Department of Defense to hire for specific critical positions during the hiring freeze, per DOD memorandum 'Immediate Civilian Hiring Freeze for Alignment with National Defense Priorities' dated 28 February.

The National Security Agency is seeking results driven individuals that strive for excellence, enjoy the challenges of a fast paced environment and the desire to make a difference. We are looking for talented networking professionals to design, develop, deploy, sustain and monitor state-of-the-art network solutions (WAN, CAN, LAN, DCN and Satellite communications networks) that are deployed across NSA worldwide.

• Multi‑vendor infrastructure platforms (Cisco, Brocade, Juniper, Arista)
• Network encryption devices and WAN accelerators
• Multi‑vendor Layer 3 routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, IGRP, HSRP, VRRP)
• Virtual Private Networking (MPLS, GRE, L2
  
  VPN, EVPN, Pseudowire, IPsec, MACSEC)
• Data center architectures and converged networks
• Current networking trends, including commercial implementations of Software Defined Networks (SDN) for both Data Center Network and WAN applications
• Load balancing and Application Delivery Controller technologies and implementations
• WAN architectures (Carrier Ethernet, Optical Fabrics (OTN), SONET)
• Network monitoring tools (Net Flow Tracker, HP Network Node Manager, Cisco LMS, Cisco Call Manager, Wireshark, Splunk)
• Network modeling (River Bed/OPNet, Net Sim)
• Network boundary (Next Generation Firewalls – Palo Alto, Cisco FIREPOWER; IPSEC/SSL VPN Concentrators)
• Cross Domain Solutions (Safe Net MDeX System, OWL Cyber Defense Cross Domain Solutions)
• Technical certifications (CCNA, CCNP, SEC+)

Degree must be in Network Engineering, Systems Engineering, Information Technology or a related field. Relevant experience must be in network or system administration. Additional experience may be in programming, cyber/network security, vulnerability analysis, penetration testing, computer forensics, information assurance or systems engineering. Military training such as JCAC, UCT, NWBC/INWT, or Cyber Defense Operations may be considered toward the experience requirement.

Entry/Developmental:
Entry with a Bachelor's degree and no experience. Associate's degree plus 2 years of relevant experience may also be considered.

Full Performance:
Bachelor's degree plus 3 years of relevant experience, or Master's degree plus 1 year of relevant experience, or Doctoral degree with no experience. Additional experience or military coursework may also be considered.

Senior:
Bachelor's degree plus 6 years of relevant experience, or Master's degree plus 4 years of relevant experience, or Doctoral degree plus 2 years of relevant experience. Additional experience or military coursework may also be considered.

Expert:
Bachelor's degree plus 9 years of relevant experience, or Master's degree plus 7 years of relevant experience, or Doctoral degree plus 5 years of relevant experience. Additional experience or military coursework may also be considered.

The ideal candidate is someone with excellent problem‑solving, communication and interpersonal skills who is motivated, flexible, innovative, works effectively in diverse environments, well‑organized and can handle multiple assignments. Other desired skills and certifications include Network Security, Network Routing and/or Switching, Risk Management Framework (RMF), CCNA, CCNP, CCNA Security, CISSP, ISSP, Computer Security, Threat analysis, and Cybersecurity.

Pay:
Salary is based on education level and years of experience. Salary range: $87,362 – $197,200. Training will be provided as needed.

This is a full‑time position, Monday – Friday, with an 8‑hour/day requirement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. (flexible).

Selected employees must serve a two‑year DCIPS trial period, unless veterans’ preference‑eligible (one‑year). Completion of the trial is contingent upon performance and certification that continued employment advances the public interest.

U.S. citizenship is required for all applicants.

NSA is an equal opportunity employer and complies with applicable employment laws and regulations.

All applicants and employees are subject to random drug testing in accordance with Executive Order 12564. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a security background investigation and polygraph. NSA is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants with disabilities.

NSA applies veterans’ preference in accordance with DoD Instruction 1400.25. Eligible veterans must provide documentation such as DD‑214, a certification of service, Standard Form 15, or a VA letter of disability. Failure to provide sufficient documentation may preclude preference eligibility.