Automation Engineer

Automation EngineerThe Automation Engineer designs and maintains automation frameworks and tooling for network configuration, compliance, and operations across multi-vendor federal environments. This role transforms manual network processes into efficient, secure, code-driven workflows.Design and maintain Ansible playbooks, roles, and collections.Build reusable automation frameworks for Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Palo Alto, and others.Develop CI/CD-integrated automation pipelines through GitLab, Jenkins, or GitHub Actions.Develop Python scripts and REST API integrations for automation workflows.Translate manual network processes into automated workflows with network architects.Implement infrastructure-as-code for scalable deployments and version-controlled configurations.Integrate automation into change control and compliance systems.Support large-scale configuration rollouts and image management.Incorporate DISA STIG, RMF, and C2C standards.Deliver documentation, training, and code reviews to teams.Rack Build & Staging AutomationDevelop automation workflows supporting equipment inventory, staging, image deployment, configuration, testing, and deployment readiness across Cisco, Arista, server, and other infrastructure platforms.Develop Python-based automation, including Ansible, to push customer-provided configurations and installable system images to network and server equipment in controlled staging environments.Support development and validation of the standardized golden rack, and build repeatable scripts to validate all subsequent rack builds against the approved golden rack configuration.Develop automated pre-deployment and post-build validation for configuration, connectivity, system health, and baseline compliance, confirming equipment readiness prior to shipment.Integrate automated testing and validation with deployment workflows and generate results for engineering review and acceptance.Implement logging, error handling, exception reporting, and human approval gates within deployment automation workflows.Support automation of inventory reconciliation, build status tracking, and deployment reporting, scaling automation workflows across a multi-site rollout of staged racks.Automate application and validation of DISA STIG and DoD hardening baselines across staged network and server equipment.Build automated compliance checks to confirm staged builds meet RMF control requirements prior to golden rack certification and production replication.Generate automated compliance and vulnerability scan reports to support engineering review and customer acceptance.RequirementsBachelor's degree in CS, IT, or related field.3+ years Cisco networking experience, including 3+ years in automation.Active Secret clearance.IAT Level II/III certifications (CISSP, CISM, or equivalent).Strong TCP/IP, BGP/OSPF/EIGRP, VLAN, QoS, ACL knowledge.Proficiency with Ansible, YAML, Jinja2, Git.Experience automating Cisco IOS-XE, NX-OS, ASA/FTD, wireless.Python scripting for API integrations.Familiarity with CI/CD platforms.Experience automating image and configuration deployment in a staging or lab environment.Preferred QualificationsExperience with NetBox, Nornir, Ansible, Python, Terraform.Experience with pyATS, Genie, Batfish for telemetry/validation.Understanding of DoD networking standards, DISA STIGs, RMF.