Senior Network Architect

Contract Performance Period: May 15, 2026 - December 31, 2026

Job Location: Washington, DC (Metro Access), On-Site 5 days/week.

Direct Hire: Term through 31/12/2026 with possibility of extension.

Pay Range: Depending on Experience.

Travel Requirements: Washington, DC (Metro Access), On-Site 5 days/week.

Working Remotely: Not possible.

Project Description

We are seeking a Senior Network Architect. This role requires deep expertise in routing and a strong operational mindset. The ideal candidate is a subject matter expert in BGP, OSPF, and VXLANs, as well as a well-rounded network engineer who can support day-to-day operations, contribute to security and visibility platforms, and drive innovative improvements across the network. You will be expected to take ownership of critical portions of the network, make high-impact design decisions, and execute changes in live environments without introducing instability.

US Citizenship Required

Qualification Requirements

• CCIE-level expertise (certification not required), with proven experience designing and operating large-scale production networks.
• Strong hands‑on experience with Cisco platforms (Nexus, Catalyst, NX-OS, IOS-XE).
• Practical experience with NAC (Cisco ISE or equivalent) and network visibility tools (Gigamon or similar).
• Deep understanding of TCP/IP and packet-level behavior, with the ability to troubleshoot under real production pressure.

Skills Requirements

• BGP and OSPF routing — policy design, traffic engineering, convergence behavior, and failure handling at scale.
• Data center fabric design and operations (spine-leaf, VXLAN/EVPN), including cloud and virtual infrastructure integration.
• Deep packet analysis and system-level debugging (Wireshark/PCAP).
• Network segmentation, access control, and visibility using Cisco ISE and Gigamon.
• Secure access and edge solutions (Zscaler, Cisco FTD).

Responsibilities

• Own and evolve enterprise routing architecture with deep expertise in BGP and OSPF, including policy design, traffic engineering, convergence behavior, and failure handling at scale.
• Design, implement, and operate modern data center fabrics (spine-leaf, VXLAN/EVPN) including integration with cloud and virtual infrastructure platforms.
• Lead and execute complex network changes and migrations in production environments with near-zero service impact.
• Act as a top-tier escalation point, driving issues from ambiguous symptoms to root cause across routing, switching, security, and application layers.
• Operate seamlessly between architecture and hands‑on troubleshooting, including deep packet analysis (Wireshark/PCAP) and system-level debugging.
• Design and enhance network segmentation, access control, and visibility using technologies such as Cisco ISE and Gigamon.
• Integrate and support secure access and edge solutions (e.g., Zscaler, Cisco FTD) within the broader network architecture.
• Evaluate existing designs and proactively propose improvements to reliability, performance, and operational efficiency.