Network Engineer

Network Engineer (Mid-Level) Location: Middle River, MD (Hybrid) Employment Type: Full-Time (Hybrid). 3 days per week on-site, plus on-site presence for projects, experimentation, and testing events. Includes occasional outdoor work in varying terrain and weather, and travel 2–3 times per year for up to two weeks. Salary: $105,000 - $130,000 DOE + Bonus Position Overview: MCFA is partnering with a defense research organization and leading their search for a Network Engineer to support intelligent robotics research. You'll focus on software and hardware integration for proof-of-concept demonstrations and performance evaluation of autonomous behaviors on individual robots and teams of ground and aerial platforms. Key Responsibilities: Design, implement, and maintain wired and wireless network infrastructure at the R2C2 site, including Wi-Fi, wired LAN, point-to-point radios, tactical mesh radios, and 5G cellular networks Administer Linux-based network services, servers, and robotic platforms in lab and field environments (Ubuntu and/or RHEL derivatives) Gather requirements from researchers, design practical network solutions, and present recommendations to colleagues and leadership Partner with robotics researchers to integrate networks for autonomous platform operation, communications, telemetry, and field experimentation Support high-bandwidth data transfer using command-line tools, live analytics, and modeling systems Configure, troubleshoot, and support Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, or equivalent network equipment Implement and maintain network monitoring with SNMP, NetFlow, syslog, and related tools for proactive troubleshooting and performance analysis Develop and maintain SOPs, operating policies, user guides, network architecture diagrams, and performance reports Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Computer Information Systems, Systems Administration, Network Engineering, or a related technical field 3–5 years of network engineering and/or systems administration experience U.S. citizenship and an active U.S. SECRET clearance, or the ability to obtain one DoD 8140-aligned certification (minimum CompTIA Security+ CE or equivalent; legacy DoD 8570 IAT II acceptable), or the ability to obtain one within 3 months of start Linux+ or RHCSA (or equivalent), or the ability to obtain one within 3 months of start Hands-on Linux system administration (Ubuntu and/or RHEL), including shell scripting, command-line tools, and troubleshooting Solid networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, routing, switching, VLANs, VPNs, segmentation, traffic analysis, performance monitoring, and common protocols including multicast/broadcast Proficiency with troubleshooting tools (ping, traceroute, SSH, SCP, tcpdump, Wireshark) and network device CLI (Cisco IOS, Juniper JUNOS, or equivalent) Working understanding of network security standards (STIGs, CIS benchmarks, firmware and patch management) Bonus Points: Cisco CCNA certification or Cisco training Configuration management and automation tools (Ansible, Puppet, Chef) Experience supporting autonomous vehicles, robotic platforms, or field experimentation environments Tactical, mesh radio, or 5G network experience Strong communication, presentation, and customer-service skills Total Rewards: Competitive base salary Hybrid schedule Support for required professional certifications Hands-on work with fielded tactical and research networks at one of the nation's premier DoD research sites About MCFA: MCFA is a trusted talent acquisition and advisory firm supporting construction, real estate, infrastructure, and public sector clients nationwide. We specialize in helping our partners attract high-impact talent to achieve operational excellence and long-term growth. Mcfa