Principal Network Administrator

Looking for an opportunity to make an impact?

At Leidos, we deliver innovative solutions through the efforts of our diverse and talented people who are dedicated to our customers’ success. We empower our teams, contribute to our communities, and operate sustainably. Everything we do is built on a commitment to do the right thing for our customers, our people, and our community. The Leidos National Security Sector (NSS) combines technology-enabled services and mission software capabilities in the areas of cyber, logistics, security operations, and decision analytics to support our defense and intel customers’ mission to defend against evolving threats around the world.

Your greatest work is ahead!

The Multi-domain Solutions Division (MDS) within the Leidos National Security Sector is seeking a skilled Principal Network Administrator to join a new cyber security program and play a key role in supporting government-critical systems. You will be part of a program that oversees development, integration, delivery, and operations and maintenance of IT managed security services, which encompasses support to monitor the cybersecurity threat and security posture situational awareness for the enterprise. This opportunity is in anticipation of a future contract award!

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead the design, implementation, and management of our enterprise network infrastructure. 
• Provide technical leadership, drive innovation, and ensure the stability, security, and performance of mission-critical network systems.
• Oversee the deployment of advanced network solutions, manage high-level architecture, and establish best practices for network operations and security. 
• Play a pivotal role in defining the network strategy, collaborating with IT leadership, mentoring junior staff, and ensuring compliance with industry standards.
• Responsible for overall network engineering support for a broad range of programs including planning, designing, and evaluating various components of the network. 
• Providing specifications for network architecture, evaluating and recommending new technologies to enhance current capabilities, and performing needs assessments. 
• Support level duties may include monitoring, installation, modification, testing and servicing of network equipment.  
• Influence development of solutions that impact strategic project/program goals and business results. 
• Recommend and develop new technical solutions, products, and/or standards in support of function’s strategy and operations. 
• Lead and manage works of other technical staff that has significant impact on project results/outputs.
• Design, implement, and optimize enterprise-level network architectures, including LAN, WAN, VPNs, and cloud-based environments.
• Develop and maintain network diagrams, documentation, and topology maps to reflect current and future network configurations.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and provide recommendations to enhance the scalability, security, and performance of the network.
• Implement and maintain advanced security measures such as firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS), and network segmentation.
• Enforce network security policies to protect sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access.
• Ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards, including PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and NIST.
• Conduct regular network security audits, vulnerability assessments, and penetration tests to identify and mitigate risks.
• Manage and monitor enterprise network infrastructure, including routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and wireless systems.
• Develop and implement proactive monitoring strategies to ensure high availability, low latency, and minimal downtime.
• Automate network management tasks using scripting and network automation tools.
• Optimize network performance through traffic analysis, capacity planning, and QoS configuration.
• Lead and oversee the resolution of complex network incidents, ensuring rapid diagnosis and minimal disruption.
• Perform root cause analysis (RCA) for critical incidents and implement corrective and preventive actions (CAPA).
• Establish and refine incident response procedures and escalation protocols to improve response times and system reliability.
• Design and manage hybrid network environments that seamlessly integrate on-premises and cloud infrastructure (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Implement secure cloud connectivity solutions, including site-to-site VPNs, Direct Connect, and ExpressRoute.
• Ensure secure and efficient management of virtual private cloud (VPC) networks and cloud-based security groups.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive network policies, standards, and procedures to ensure consistent operations.
• Document network configurations, change management processes, and disaster recovery plans.
• Provide detailed post-mortem reports and documentation for incident response and performance optimization.
• Collaborate with IT, security, and development teams to ensure seamless integration of network solutions with enterprise applications.
• Lead, mentor, and provide guidance to network engineers and junior administrators, promoting knowledge sharing and professional growth.
• Drive cross-functional projects, ensuring alignment between business requirements and technical solutions.

What does Leidos need from me?

• Active Top Secret/SCI (TS/SCI) with Polygraph security clearance required. Must be U.S. Citizen.
• Bachelor's degree and 12 to 15 years of prior relevant experience or Master's with 10 to 13 years of prior relevant experience. Experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• Understanding of DoD IT security protocols and requirements
• Extensive experience in designing, deploying, and managing complex network infrastructures.
• Proficiency in configuring and managing network devices, including Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet, and Aruba.
• Strong expertise in TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs, QoS, DNS, and DHCP.
• Experience with firewall management, VPNs, and network security best practices.
• Proficiency in cloud networking across AWS, Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform (GCP).
• Expertise in implementing and managing IDS/IPS, DDoS protection, and security monitoring tools.
• Strong scripting and automation skills (Python, Ansible, or equivalent) to enhance network operations.

Favorable if you have:

• Relevant certifications such as Microsoft Certified: Azure Administrator Associate, AWS Certified SysOps Administrator, CompTIA Security+ or similar security certifications
• Experience with containerization and orchestration technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Familiarity with SIEM, IDS/IPS, and other security monitoring tools.

Original Posting:March 30, 2025

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 $112,450.00 - $203,275.00

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.