Network Engineer

Network Engineer

Richmond, VA – Hybrid (3–4 days onsite during the first 6 months; statewide Virginia travel required)

Contract

$55+/hr D.O.E.

Our client is seeking an experienced Network Engineer to design, implement, secure, and optimize enterprise network infrastructure supporting a large, multi-site environment across Virginia.

This position requires strong hands‑on expertise in Cisco routing and switching, Cisco SD‑WAN, WAN/LAN infrastructure, network security, and Layer 2/Layer 3 networking protocols
. The Network Engineer will support architecture, implementation, troubleshooting, monitoring, security, and optimization across a distributed enterprise network.

The ideal candidate brings deep Cisco networking experience, hands‑on knowledge of IOS/NX‑OS, vManage, vSmart, vEdge/IOS‑XE SD‑WAN, Cisco ISE, firewalls, VPNs, and enterprise routing protocols
. This individual will also help drive network automation, Zero Trust initiatives, infrastructure modernization, and technical best practices.

Candidates must hold an active CCNA certification and be able to provide their Cisco certification  date received for verification.

• Design, implement, administer, and optimize enterprise LAN/WAN infrastructure across multiple locations.
• Configure and support Cisco IOS/NX‑OS, Catalyst, and Nexus routing and switching environments.
• Design and troubleshoot Layer 2 and Layer 3 technologies, including VLANs, STP, Ether Channel, OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, MPLS, VRF, and QoS
  .
• Support Cisco SD‑WAN architecture and operations using vManage, vSmart, vEdge/IOS‑XE SD‑WAN, application‑aware routing, centralized policies, segmentation, templates, and transport redundancy.
• Monitor and troubleshoot network connectivity, availability, latency, routing, and performance across distributed locations.
• Support Cisco ISE and Network Access Control (NAC), including 802.1X, MAB, profiling, Trust Sec/SGT, posture, and access policies.
• Configure and support network security technologies, including Cisco Secure Firewall, NAT, IPS, VPN, and network segmentation
  .
• Support Zero Trust and identity‑aware security initiatives using technologies such as Duo MFA and Cloudflare Zero Trust.
• Configure and support Cisco Meraki networking technologies and utilize Meraki Dashboard APIs for provisioning, automation, and reporting.
• Integrate enterprise networking with Azure and AWS cloud environments
  , including VPN, Express Route, Direct Connect, and hybrid connectivity.
• Develop network automation and configuration‑management solutions using Python, Power Shell, Ansible, REST APIs, and Git‑based workflows
  .
• Automate configuration validation, compliance checks, telemetry, device onboarding, reporting, and large‑scale network changes.
• Utilize tools such as Thousand Eyes, Solar Winds/PRTG, Net Flow, and Splunk to monitor network health, performance, and availability.
• Perform advanced troubleshooting and root‑cause analysis for complex network incidents and develop recommendations for long‑term remediation.
• Support vulnerability management and remediation using tools such as Qualys and Tenable.
• Participate in change management and CAB processes, including implementation planning, documentation, testing, and rollback procedures.
• Provide technical leadership and guidance during statewide site deployments, network migrations, circuit turn‑ups, infrastructure upgrades, and emergency repairs.
• Coordinate with telecommunications carriers and technology vendors for provisioning and troubleshooting.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity, cloud, server/storage, Active Directory/PKI, and application teams on enterprise infrastructure initiatives.
• Mentor junior network staff and promote network engineering,…