Network Architect SME
Ignite IT · Washington
We are seeking a Subject Matter Expert (SME) Network Architect to join our team supporting a large-scale federal modernization program. This role owns enterprise and solution-level network architecture, designing secure, resilient network environments that support mission-critical systems and shared services across both cloud and on-premises boundaries, and driving the standards, target-state direction, and modernization roadmap that keep the network ready to scale.
This is a hands-on architecture role. You'll be expected to produce real technical designs and see them through implementation, not just set direction from a distance.
This is a hybrid role based out of Washington, DC. Candidates must be U.S. citizens.
Key Responsibilities
1. Network Architecture & Design
- Develop, review, and implement secure, resilient enterprise network architectures supporting mission systems and shared services.
- Produce and assess physical/logical diagrams, routing/segmentation, interfaces, connectivity, capacity, availability, and monitoring requirements.
- Design hybrid connectivity architecture spanning on-premises and cloud environments.
2. Standards & Target-State Direction
- Define and maintain network architecture standards, reference patterns, and technical decisions.
- Set target-state network direction and modernization roadmap, balancing scale, security, resilience, and performance.
- Align network architecture with enterprise architecture governance and repository requirements.
3. Technical Reviews & Governance
- Support technical reviews, architecture compliance reviews, phase gates, and implementation-readiness reviews.
- Evaluate proposed deviations and provide recommendations grounded in risk and architectural impact.
4. Gap Analysis & Modernization
- Analyze current-state network gaps, technical debt, lifecycle risk, single points of failure, and performance bottlenecks.
- Provide recommendations for modernization, standardization, and optimization, including cost/performance tradeoffs.
5. Cross-Domain Coordination
- Coordinate with cloud/platform, cybersecurity, identity, endpoint/mobility, applications, data, and ITSM teams, as well as external carriers and providers.
- Resolve complex cross-domain design conflicts under fixed milestones.
6. Documentation & Operational Handoff
- Maintain standards, reference patterns, technical decisions, configurations, risks, and dependencies in approved repositories.
- Support implementation, testing, migration, and stabilization, and troubleshoot complex cross-domain problems, communicating root cause, options, and corrective actions.
Requirements
- 12+ years of experience in network engineering, including significant architecture responsibility at enterprise scale.
- Strong fundamentals in TCP/IP, routing, switching, segmentation, DNS/DHCP/IPAM, load balancing, resiliency, performance, monitoring, and security.
- Demonstrated experience producing technical network designs and supporting implementation, testing, troubleshooting, and operational transition.
- Ability to work across cloud and on-premises boundaries and through formal security/architecture review processes.
- Strong documentation and communication skills, with experience presenting designs and tradeoffs to both engineers and leadership.
- U.S. Citizenship Required.
Nice to Have
- Direct federal, government, or large distributed enterprise network experience.
- Relevant Cisco, Juniper, cloud networking, SD-WAN, wireless, security, or architecture certifications.
- Experience with network automation, infrastructure as code, software-defined networking, zero trust, SASE/SSE, and observability.
- Experience with enterprise architecture repositories and technology standards/roadmaps.
Benefits
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Professional development assistance
- Referral program
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance