Principal Network Engineer

Who we are:

Fuse builds innovative communications, networking, and computing solutions that improve the sharing of information, video, text, and voice among operators distributed throughout the airborne, maritime, and ground environments. We are a Technology firm creating in-house software, network and hardware solutions that support our noble cause of advancing warfighter capabilities with elegant, user-focused communications, networks, and software systems.

The Principal Network Engineer sits at the pointy end of Fuse’s engineering spear. Reporting to the Director of Engineering & Technology and working alongside the Chief Architect, you’ll chart technical strategy, uphold engineering rigor, and keep innovation throttled wide‑open. You’ll translate tomorrow’s concepts into today’s reference architectures, mentor cross‑disciplinary teams, and serve as the engineering voice in company briefings and customer engagements.

You’ll drive excellence, safeguard alignment with Fuse’s mission, and champion our tech story to stakeholders inside and out.

• Develop and provide input for network architectures for our systems and customers
• Translate user and system requirements to system functionalities and reality
• Develop and implement network security architectures with HAIPE, IPSEC, TLS, and other protocols
• WAN, LAN, WLAN, VOIP setup and troubleshooting
• Support design, development, and test efforts for airborne tactical networking systems
• Implement dynamic routing protocols including OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, BGP, PPPoE, and MANET
• Implement IA controls and ensure compliance with DoD RMF
• Work as a team throughout the design process, supporting sprint planning sessions, code reviews, and scrums
• Get in front of real‑world operators to understand needs and requirements from an end‑user point of view

• Direct enterprise-level engineering oversight for multi-million-dollar programs, enforcing rigorous technical baselines, proactive risk registers, and transparent status comms to executives and mission partners.
• Partner with PMs and chief engineers to apply Fuse’s Warfighter Engineering & Design Process,driving on‑schedule, on‑spec delivery.
• Translate forward‑looking concepts into modular reference architectures that unlock future capability inserts and rapid refresh cycles.

• Champion emerging tech adoption—AI‑enabled network orchestration, SOSA‑aligned hardware, zero‑trust enclaves—by codifying best practices and coaching scrum teams through thorny edge cases.
• Align customer pain points with IR&D dollars, prioritizing prototypes that close validated gaps and boost ROI.
• Continuously scan the battlespace: track regulatory shifts, MIL‑STD updates, and competitor pivots to recalibrate tech roadmaps ahead of the curve.
• Co‑author cross‑functional product roadmaps with Technology, Growth & Strategy, and Operations, ensuring every campaign has a tech glide‑slope and a clear value prop.

• Serve as the technical conscience in executive reviews, translating complex trade‑space decisions into crisp, business‑centered narratives
• Solicit and integrate feedback from operators, customers, and internal guilds to keep initiatives mission‑relevant and revenue‑aligned.
• Conduct thorough market research and competitive analysis to inform strategic decisions and identify growth opportunities.
• Support the hunt and qualification of new opportunities: leverage intel on platform roadmaps, SWaP‑C trends, and coalition needs to seed the funnel.
• Nurture strategic alliances across DoD PEOs, prime integrators, and niche innovators, positioning Fuse as the go‑to edge‑networking house.

• Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Engineering,…