Network engineer

The Computer Network Support Specialist – Journeyman plans, implements, and maintains network infrastructure that enables reliable, secure enterprise identity and directory services within a regulated federal IT environment. The role configures and supports routers, switches, firewalls, and access control lists to sustain connectivity for authentication, authorization, and directory replication traffic across distributed network segments.

Working in close coordination with directory services engineers, the specialist diagnoses network conditions that affect Active Directory replication, LDAP queries, DNS resolution, and Kerberos authentication. This position monitors network performance, supports capacity planning, maintains network documentation, and participates in maintenance, security, and compliance activities for an enterprise environment supporting more than 600,000 users.

Key Responsibilities

• Configure, administer, and maintain enterprise routers, switches, network segments, and associated infrastructure supporting identity and directory services.
• Implement and manage firewall rules, access control lists, and network security controls that protect directory services traffic while maintaining required availability and performance.
• Troubleshoot network connectivity issues that affect Active Directory replication, LDAP queries, DNS resolution, and Kerberos-based authentication across distributed sites.
• Monitor network performance, availability, integrity, and security; investigate alerts and perform restoration or recovery actions for intermediate network issues.
• Partner with directory services engineers to identify root causes of authentication failures, replication delays, intermittent connectivity issues, and related service degradation.
• Support network capacity planning activities by evaluating peak authentication loads, directory replication demand, and infrastructure growth requirements.
• Develop and maintain current network topology diagrams, VLAN structures, configuration records, and security-zone documentation to support operational continuity and compliance audits.
• Participate in scheduled maintenance windows, change-management activities, network security assessments, testing, and compliance validation efforts.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• At least 3 years of hands-on experience in network administration or network engineering; 2–5 years of network administration experience is required to meet the standard job-title minimum.
• Hands-on experience configuring and supporting enterprise routers, switches, LANs, WANs, network segments, and related infrastructure hardware and software.
• Working knowledge of TCP/IP, DNS, LDAP, and Kerberos protocols, including the impact that network misconfigurations can have on directory replication and authentication services.
• Experience administering firewalls, access control lists, and network security controls in an enterprise environment.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot network connectivity, performance, and authentication-related issues using sound diagnostic, analytical, and problem-solving practices.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust background investigation.

Preferred Qualifications

• CompTIA Network+ and/or Cisco Certified Network Associate certification; CCNA or a higher-level enterprise networking certification is preferred.
• Experience supporting Microsoft Active Directory network environments, including network dependencies for directory replication, authentication, authorization, and DNS.
• Experience supporting network security, compliance validation, or security assessments in a federal or other highly regulated environment.
• Familiarity with network monitoring, alerting, high-availability design, capacity-management practices, and technical network documentation.

Qualifications

Compensation Ranges

Compensation ranges for ASM Research positions vary depending on multiple factors; including but not limited to, location, skill set, level of education, certifications, client requirements, contract-specific affordability, government clearance and investigation level, and years of experience. The compensation displayed for this role is a general guideline based on these factors and is unique to each role. Monetary compensation is one component of ASM's overall compensation and benefits package for employees.

EEO Requirements

It is the policy of ASM that an individual's race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation or national origin are not and will not be considered in any personnel or management decisions. We affirm our commitment to these fundamental policies.

All recruiting, hiring, training, and promoting for all job classifications is done without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, or age. All decisions on employment are made to abide by the principle of equal employment.

Physical Requirements

The physical requirements described in "Knowledge, Skills and Abilities" above are representative of those which must be met by an employee to successfully perform the primary functions of this job. (For example, "light office duties' or "lifting up to 50 pounds" or "some travel" required.) Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with qualifying disabilities, who are otherwise qualified, to perform the primary functions.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification. It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job.