Network Engineer, Lead - Firewall Infrastructure | Top Secret w/SCI eligibility

AMERICAN SYSTEMS, a 100% employee-owned federal government contractor, is seeking a Lead Network Engineer, Firewall Infrastructure to support a critical national security mission in a highly classified environment in Dallas, TX. This is a hands-on network engineering role focused on enterprise firewall infrastructure , routing and switching , secure connectivity , and network access control . The selected candidate will lead the configuration, administration, troubleshooting, and operational support of a complex enterprise network environment. We are seeking an experienced network professional with strong hands-on experience supporting routers, switches, firewalls, VLANs, VPNs, ACLs, network segmentation, and high-availability network architectures . Candidates should be comfortable resolving complex Layer 2 and Layer 3 network issues , administering firewall platforms, and maintaining reliable, resilient network services.

Responsibilities

• As a Lead Network Engineer, Firewall Infrastructure with AMERICAN SYSTEMS , you will: Lead network engineering , administration, and operational support activities in a highly classified environment.
• Design, implement, configure, and maintain enterprise network infrastructure , including: Routers, switches, and firewalls VLANs, ACLs, VPNs, and network segmentation High-availability, resilient network architectures Administer, monitor, troubleshoot, and maintain enterprise firewall environments .
• Configure and manage firewall policies , access rules, NAT, VPNs, security zones, logging, and monitoring.
• Support and troubleshoot Cisco Firepower and Firepower Management Center (FMC) .
• Cisco Firepower experience is preferred.
• Troubleshoot complex Layer 2 and Layer 3 issues involving routing, switching, firewall connectivity, access controls, and enterprise network services .
• Support AAA , authentication, authorization, accounting, and network access control requirements.
• Configure and troubleshoot 802.1X , VPN, and NAC solutions.
• Support Cisco ISE environments, including authentication, authorization, policy enforcement, and network access control.
• Support network-related RMF , STIG , secure configuration, vulnerability remediation, and compliance activities.
• Develop and maintain network diagrams , implementation plans, standard operating procedures, configuration documentation, and technical reports.
• Partner with cybersecurity, systems administration, and mission teams to deliver reliable and resilient network services .
• Support network outages, root cause analysis, change implementation, remediation efforts, and incident-response activities related to network infrastructure.
• Monitor network performance and recommend improvements to availability, reliability, performance, and infrastructure resiliency.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to network engineering and operations personnel.
• Qualifications U.S. citizenship required.
• Active Top Secret clearance required , with eligibility to obtain SCI and SAP access .
• Active DoD 8140/8570 IAT Level II certification, e.g., Security+ CE , CySA+, SSCP, or an equivalent certification.
• Active Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification or higher-level Cisco networking certification.
• Strong hands-on experience with enterprise network infrastructure , including: Routing and switching Layer 2 and Layer 3 troubleshooting VLANs, subnetting, IP addressing, and network design

Access control lists (ACLs) and VPN technologies

• Network segmentation and resilient network architectures Hands-on experience administering and troubleshooting enterprise firewall platforms .
• Experience with one or more of the following firewall technologies : Cisco Firepower and Firepower Management Center (FMC) preferred Palo Alto Networks Fortinet Check Point Other commercial or government enterprise firewall platforms
• Experience with firewall policy administration , rule management, NAT, VPNs, security zones, logging, monitoring, and troubleshooting.
• Experience supporting AAA , 802.1X , network access control , RMF, STIG, and secure configuration requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related technical field, or additional relevant experience in lieu of a degree .
• 8+ years of experience in network engineering , network operations , network infrastructure , or firewall administration.
• Authentication Authorization Accounting Policy enforcement Network access control Experience troubleshooting Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and enterprise network infrastructure .
• Ability to work independently, lead technical efforts, and resolve complex network and firewall infrastructure issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Additional Experience We Value The following experience is helpful but not required: Experience supporting highly compartmented or special-access classified environments.
• Advanced Cisco networking certifications, such as CCNP Enterprise , CCNP Security , or CCIE .
• Experience with Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Check Point, or other enterprise firewall technologies .
• Experience with Cisco ISE , NAC , 802.1X , or related access control platforms.
• Experience supporting network modernization , infrastructure upgrades, technology refreshes, network migrations, or data center transformation efforts.
• Experience developing network diagrams , implementation plans, configuration documentation, and standard operating procedures.
• Experience with network change management, outage resolution, root cause analysis, and incident response in classified environments.
• Familiarity with VMware or other virtualized environments. #LI-PRK1 Pay Transparency Statement AMERICAN SYSTEMS is committed to pay transparency for our applicants and employee-owners.

Pay

• The salary range for this position is USD $155,000.00/Yr. - USD $180,000/Yr.
• Actual compensation will be determined based on several factors permitted by law.

Benefits

• AMERICAN SYSTEMS provides for the welfare of its employees and their dependents through a comprehensive benefits program by offering healthcare benefits, paid leave, retirement plans, insurance programs, and education and training assistance.

EEO Statement EEO Race/Sex/Disability Status/Veteran Status