Network Engineer - SME

UNITED STATES CITIZENSHIP REQUIRED

REQUIRES TOP SECRET CLEARANCE  (WITH UPGRADE TO SCI)

ONSITE - ALEXANDRIA, VA

Salary is dependent upon the candidates skills, experience, certifications and education as it pertains to this specific position  

Salary Range: 
High end of the salary range is considered for those who exceed Required Qualifications

Soft Tech offers competitive BENEFITS in the areas of: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401K, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Life Insurance, PTO, AND Paid Holidays

Soft Tech Consulting is seeking a highly motivated, self-directed individual to fill the role of Network Engineer - SME for an existing government client. The place of performance for this contract is in Alexandria, VA.

SME Network Engineer will be responsible for ensuring the stable operation and efficient performance of data networks; monitoring and managing all network hardware and equipment, including routers, switches, and encryptors; analyzing network performance across the organization’s LANs and WANs; and identifying and developing remedies for network performance bottlenecks. The senior network engineer shall have a solid working knowledge of network security measures, experience with network management and analysis tools such as Solar Winds.

• Provide network performance statistics and reports.
• Install and configure all network hardware and equipment, including routers, switches, and encryptors.
• Inspect, maintain, and, where necessary, replace network cabling and other network-related equipment.
• Administer hardware and software upgrades for network equipment.
• Perform network design and capacity planning.
• Develop, implement and maintain policies, procedures and associated training plans for network resource administration, appropriate use and disaster recovery.
• Perform network asset management, including maintenance of network component inventory and related documentation and technical specifications information.
• Administer and maintain user accounts, permissions, and access rights.
• Recommend, schedule, and perform network improvements, upgrades, and repairs.
• Interact with vendors, outsourcers, and contractors to secure network products and services.
• Design network architectures with Juniper routers and switches
• Configure and troubleshoot Juniper routers and switches
• Design, configure, troubleshoot, and expand IP address schemas for a WAN/LAN network
• Develop functional, systems, and technical requirements documents based on operational and architectural requirements.
• Perform technical analysis of IT alternatives in support of strategic modernization efforts.
• Provide expert analysis and advice on the feasibility of system designs.
• Perform detailed engineering to optimize enterprise network topologies and develop engineering design documentation to produce, install, test, integrate, and support a complete functional enterprise or processing system or subsystem.
• Provide technical support and quality control checks to ensure information systems designs and specifications meet the necessary standards.
• Develop and present technical information papers (e.g., White Papers, Technical Reports, etc.).
• Troubleshoot network and communications systems and equipment components.
• Analyze operational problems and assisting in their resolution, making software and firmware modifications to existing systems, as required, to maintain latest vendor compliance and equipment functionality.
• Test and debug software and firmware and demonstrate that modifications will perform as requested.
• Monitor the execution of Engineering & Implementation contracts and provide expert advice on the quality of work provided by the Engineering & Implementation contractors.

• Experience with Juniper network solutions required.

Technical Qualifications

• Expertise in Network Performance Monitoring
  Ability to collect, analyze, and report on network performance metrics.

• Hardware Installation & Configuration
  Skilled in installing and configuring routers, switches, encryptors, and other network hardware.

• Network Cabling & Equipment Maintenance
  Experience inspecting, maintaining, and replacing network cabling and related infrastructure.

• Network Design & Capacity Planning
  Proficient in designing scalable network architectures and planning for future capacity needs.

• Juniper Network Expertise
  Hands-on experience designing, configuring, and troubleshooting Juniper routers and switches.

• IP Address Schema Management
  Ability to design, configure, and troubleshoot IP schemas for WAN/LAN environments.

• Software & Firmware Management
  Skilled in upgrading, testing, and debugging software and firmware for network systems.

• Disaster Recovery Planning
  Experience developing and implementing disaster recovery strategies and training plans.

• Network Asset Management
  Proficient in maintaining inventory, documentation, and technical specifications for network components.

• Access Control Administration
  Experience managing user accounts, permissions, and access rights.

• Vendor & Contractor Coordination
  Ability to interact with external vendors and contractors to procure and manage network services.

Engineering & Analysis Qualifications

• Systems Engineering & Optimization
  Skilled in optimizing enterprise network topologies and producing engineering design documentation.

• Technical Requirements Development
  Ability to develop functional, systems, and technical requirements based on operational needs.

• Feasibility & Alternative Analysis
  Experience performing technical analysis of IT alternatives and advising on system design feasibility.

• Quality Assurance & Control
  Ability to perform quality checks to ensure compliance with design and implementation standards.

• Contract Oversight
  Experience monitoring engineering and implementation contracts and evaluating contractor performance.

Documentation & Communication Skills

• Technical Writing
  Skilled in developing and presenting technical documents such as white papers and reports.

• Problem Analysis & Resolution
  Strong analytical skills to troubleshoot operational issues and implement effective solutions.

• A degree in the field of computer science or other IT related discipline is preferred.
• Juniper or Cisco network certifications are a plus.

Soft Tech Consulting, Inc. is a woman and minority-owned business headquartered in Chantilly, VA. With contracts in both the public and private sectors in the DC metro area and across the country, Soft Tech is an organization made up of highly successful and talented Information Technology professionals offering enterprise class solutions for any size organization at great value. Soft Tech’s mission is to help government organizations design, implement, and maintain mission critical Information Technology solutions. By focusing jointly on our employees and our customers, we are able to achieve our mission by providing each and every one of our customers with continuous quality customer support.
 
Soft Tech Consulting, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.