Network Engineer III

Leidos is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Network Engineer to support the Advanced Enterprise Global Information Technology Solutions (AEGIS) program and join a large engineering team responsible for evolving and sustaining the NASA Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Enterprise Corporate Network. The selected candidate will provide senior-level technical expertise in the design, configuration, optimization, and troubleshooting of NASA's enterprise network infrastructure, with a primary focus on Wi-Fi technologies. This role requires advanced knowledge of Radio Frequency (RF) principles, wireless protocols, and Cisco wireless solutions to ensure optimal network performance, reliability, and security. The Network Engineer will leverage enterprise management and security tools, including Cisco Catalyst Center for network management, Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for access control, and Splunk for network monitoring and analysis. The ideal candidate will possess extensive knowledge of network technologies, security protocols, and hands-on experience with these tools to support NASA's Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) objectives while maintaining a secure, reliable, and highly available network environment. Work Arrangement: This position currently offers a hybrid work arrangement; however, candidates must reside within 50 miles or a reasonable commuting distance of a NASA facility to meet customer onsite support requirements. - Ames Research Center: Mountain View, CA - Armstrong Flight Research Center: Edwards, CA - Glenn Research Center: Cleveland, OH - Goddard Space Flight Center: Greenbelt, MD - NASA Headquarters: Washington, DC - Johnson Space Center: Houston, TX - Kennedy Space Center: Merritt Island, FL - Langley Research Center: Hampton, VA - Marshall Space Flight Center: Huntsville, AL - Stennis Space Center: Bay St. Louis, MS - Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA - White Sands Complex: Las Cruces, NM PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES: - Lead the design, implementation, and optimization of complex Cisco Catalyst-based wireless architectures, including FlexConnect, Bridge Mode, and Fabric-Enabled Wireless (SD-Access Wireless), ensuring scalable, secure solutions aligned with NASA mission requirements. - Lead technical requirements gathering and collaborate with NASA customers, network architects, engineers, cybersecurity, and application teams to design and implement enterprise wireless solutions and network infrastructure enhancements. - Perform advanced wireless RF analysis, predictive modeling, and site surveys using Ekahau to optimize access point placement, coverage, capacity, and performance across diverse environments, including office spaces, conference rooms, and outdoor locations. - Provide technical leadership in the configuration, integration, and optimization of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) to enforce Network Access Control (NAC) policies across wired and wireless environments. - Manage and optimize enterprise network configurations, inventory, and performance using Cisco Catalyst Center (formerly DNA Center/DNAC), and develop Splunk dashboards and alerts to monitor network performance, security events, and operational risks. - Lead advanced troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and resolution of complex network incidents and escalated customer-impacting issues to minimize downtime and ensure network stability. - Serve as a senior technical advisor to NASA Government customers, providing independent assessments, recommendations, and guidance on network operations, maintenance, modernization, and industry best practices. - Collaborate with NASA customers and technical teams to plan and execute complex network infrastructure changes and modifications while maintaining operational continuity. - Develop and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including network designs, configurations, operational procedures, troubleshooting guides, incident resolutions, and technical presentations. - Perform additional duties as assigned. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Cybersecurity, or a related technical field. Additional years of experience in lieu of degree may be considered. - Minimum of 10 years of combined experience in wireless LAN (WLAN) and wired LAN engineering within large-scale enterprise network environments. - Advanced knowledge of Wi-Fi technologies and IEEE 802.11 standards (a/b/g/n/ac/ax), with extensive experience designing, implementing, and optimizing Cisco wireless infrastructure, including access points, wireless LAN controllers, and management platforms such as Cisco Prime Infrastructure and Catalyst Center. - Demonstrated expertise in wireless RF design, site surveys, and performance optimization using Ekahau, iBwave, AirMagnet, or comparable tools. - Advanced understanding of enterprise LAN architectures, including Power over Ethernet (PoE), three-tier network topologies, Software-Defined Access (SD-Access), Cisco routing and switching, multicast, and Quality of Service (QoS), including wireless QoS implementation. - Extensive experience implementing and supporting Network Access Control (NAC) solutions using IEEE 802.1X authentication across wired and wireless environments. - Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills, with demonstrated ability to independently resolve complex enterprise network issues and recommend effective engineering solutions. - Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across technical teams, engage government customers, and communicate complex technical concepts effectively. CLEARANCE REQUIREMENTS: - U.S. Citizenship is required. - Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: - Experience with Cisco Fabric-Enabled Wireless (SD-Access Wireless) architectures and deployments. - Proficiency with Splunk for network log management, analysis, and development of custom dashboards, alerts, and reports. - Advanced knowledge of networking protocols, including OSPF, BGP, MPLS, and IPSec. - Familiarity with Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) solutions and network automation tools, including Ansible and Terraform. - Demonstrated ability to provide technical guidance and mentorship to other network engineers. - Relevant industry certifications, including CWNA, CWDP, CWSP, CWNE, CCNP Enterprise (Wireless Design and/or Wireless Implementation specialization), or CCIE Enterprise Wireless. Additional certifications in network security and routing/switching are a plus. If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares. Original Posting: November 4, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. Pay Range: Pay Range $92,300.00 - $166,850.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.