Enterprise Network Architect (IT System Architect - Senior Principal)

BAE Systems · Falls Church · $132,962–$226,035 (stated in the posting)

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• Serve as the enterprise architecture authority for the networking domain, defining current-state, transition-state, and target-state architectures across site/LAN, WAN, data center, cloud, remote-access, internet/edge, and hybrid environments.
• Create, manage, and advocate enterprise Network Patterns, Standards, Principles, Reference Architectures, and implementation guidance that are clear, reusable, and consumable by Solution Architects, engineers, Cybersecurity, Operations, and delivery partners.
• Define architecture direction across routing, switching, DNS/DHCP/IPAM, load balancing, VPN/secure access, wireless, network services, carrier connectivity, QoS, resiliency, observability, and related network capabilities.
• Develop network modernization and technology roadmaps that reduce unnecessary complexity, improve resiliency and supportability, enable cloud adoption, and align investments to business and mission outcomes.
• Act as a senior technical escalation point for complex network architecture decisions and provide clear recommendations based on business value, security, risk, cost, performance, scalability, operational impact, and long-term sustainability.
  

• Own and evolve enterprise network-zone archetypes, including standardized zones differentiated by trust level, workload/use case, connectivity model, firewall policy, security controls, ingress/egress requirements, and operational expectations.
• Create reference architectures and patterns for segmentation and secure connectivity across on-premises and cloud environments, including north-south and east-west traffic flows.
• Partner with Cybersecurity to translate Zero Trust and secure-by-design principles into practical network architecture patterns, guardrails, and reusable control models.
• Define architecture standards for firewalls, network security services, private connectivity, remote access, secure internet access, DNS security, traffic inspection, and related controls.
• Ensure network architectures align to applicable NIST, CMMC, DFARS, RMF, CUI, ITAR/EAR, and other regulated-environment requirements while preserving appropriate business agility.
  

• Define enterprise patterns, standards, and reference architectures for network management and network-service platforms, including monitoring, telemetry, configuration, orchestration, automation, performance management, and service assurance.
• Lead architecture for next-generation Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Security Service Edge (SSE) capabilities, including SD-WAN, SWG, CASB, ZTNA, FWaaS, DNS security, DLP, SaaS acceleration, and Network-as-a-Service as applicable to the enterprise.
• Evaluate platform consolidation and modernization opportunities across network management, connectivity, security, and service-delivery capabilities to reduce duplication and improve interoperability.
• Develop technical evaluation criteria, architecture decision records, proof-of-concept approaches, and RFI/RFP input for strategic network technologies and vendors.
• Partner with engineering and operations teams to ensure network standards and reference architectures are implementable, observable, supportable, and resilient in production.
  

• Own the network architecture incorporated into enterprise cloud landing zones and hybrid-cloud designs, including virtual networks/VPCs, subnets, routing, peering/transit, gateways, private connectivity, DNS, load balancing, firewalls, and secure ingress/egress.
• Partner with the Enterprise Cloud Architect to integrate approved connectivity, segmentation, resiliency, observability, and network-security patterns into cloud platform and application architectures.
• Design and develop Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and reusable automation for cloud network provisioning, configuration, policy enforcement, and lifecycle management.
• Establish reusable network IaC modules, templates, testing approaches, and engineering patterns that improve delivery speed, repeatability, security, consistency, and supportability.
• Apply software-defined networking, API-driven automation, source control, peer review, CI/CD, and automated validation to modern network engineering practices.
  

• Serve as the lead architecture authority for the Network workstream within the enterprise Move-to-Cloud program, accountable for defining the network transition and target-state architecture required to support migration.
• Translate application migration waves and business requirements into network connectivity, security zones, routing, bandwidth, resiliency, DNS, ingress/egress, and dependency requirements.
• Identify and resolve network-related unknowns, interfaces, dependencies, constraints, and sequencing issues as application and infrastructure discovery matures.
• Partner with the overall Move-to-Cloud Solution Architecture lead, PMO, Cybersecurity, Cloud Engineering, Infrastructure, application teams, and vendors to align network architecture decisions with program milestones and business outcomes.
• Provide architecture decision support and technical leadership during migration planning, pilots, cutovers, stabilization, and operational handoff.
  

• Lead and mature the Enterprise Architecture Innovation Program, establishing a repeatable intake, evaluation, prioritization, experimentation, and disposition process for emerging technologies and architecture-led innovation opportunities.
• Use lightweight workflow and collaboration tooling, including SharePoint-based intake and portfolio mechanisms where appropriate, to create transparency into innovation ideas, experiments, decisions, owners, and outcomes.
• Identify and assess emerging technologies relevant to networking and infrastructure, including software-defined networking, network automation, cloud networking, edge, AI infrastructure/fabric networking, advanced telemetry, and next-generation security architectures.
• Lead or sponsor proof-of-concept and rapid-prototyping efforts that test architecture assumptions, quantify value and risk, and establish an evidence base for enterprise adoption decisions.
• Build productive relationships with strategic vendors, industry experts, and internal engineering teams to understand technology direction, challenge assumptions, and accelerate practical innovation.
  

• Develop and maintain network architecture standards, reference architectures, decision records, reusable patterns, transition architectures, technology roadmaps, and other architecture knowledge assets.
• Demonstrate advanced proficiency with an enterprise architecture modeling/repository platform and use it to document relationships across business capabilities, applications, infrastructure, network services, technologies, dependencies, and transformation roadmaps.
• Create clear, professional, decision-oriented architecture visualizations, including network topology and communications diagrams, zone/segmentation views, cloud connectivity diagrams, data-flow diagrams, solution-sequencing diagrams, transition-state architectures, and technology/capability roadmaps.
• Apply TOGAF and appropriate Agile, iterative/incremental, and Waterfall delivery approaches pragmatically based on initiative context.
• Lead or materially contribute to architecture reviews, design reviews, governance forums, standards adoption, exception decisions, and technology lifecycle planning for strategically significant network initiatives.
  

• Operate as an advocate, communicator, and bridge between business stakeholders and technical teams, translating business outcomes into architecture direction and complex network issues into understandable decisions.
• Engage stakeholders first on the why, intended outcome, business impact, alternatives, pros/cons, cost, risk, and consequences of action or inaction before converging on a technology choice.
• Engage technical teams deeply enough to validate interfaces, traffic and data flows, security boundaries, assumptions, failure modes, capacity, performance, and operational requirements before implementation.
• Listen actively, solicit diverse perspectives, and use a high-engagement partnership model in which the architect may lead directly, work jointly with teams, or enable teams to execute independently within clear standards and guardrails.
• Communicate architecture options, tradeoffs, recommendations, risks, and roadmaps with clarity appropriate for engineers, program leaders, business stakeholders, and senior executives; build alignment through technical credibility and influence.
• Own the architecture-to-operations transition, partnering with engineering and operations teams to ensure solutions are operationally ready, maintainable, scalable, and resilient.
  

• Provide senior technical leadership, coaching, and mentorship to Network Engineers, Solution Architects, Cloud Architects, and other technical professionals without requiring formal reporting relationships.
• Raise the quality of network architecture and design across the organization by establishing reusable patterns, reviewing complex designs, sharing lessons learned, and challenging teams constructively.
• Foster high-trust, high-accountability delivery teams that are empowered to execute within clear architecture principles and guardrails.
• Promote long-term knowledge transfer so that critical network architecture expertise, standards, and decision rationale are institutionalized rather than dependent on a single individual.
  

• Enterprise Domain Leadership: Functions as a recognized enterprise authority for network architecture and independently leads high-impact, cross-functional architecture work within the networking domain.
• Lead With Purpose: Starts with business and mission outcomes - the why - before determining architecture and implementation - the how and what.
• Pragmatic Architecture: Balances architecture quality with delivery reality; distinguishes material risks from theoretical concerns and moves complex initiatives forward responsibly.
• Empowerment & Accountability: Establishes clear standards and guardrails while empowering engineering and delivery teams to execute and holding teams accountable for outcomes.
• Resilience & Adaptability: Adjusts, perseveres, and overcomes when assumptions, technologies, constraints, or program conditions change while maintaining focus on long-term value.
• Architecture Visualization & Influence: Uses clear visuals, prototypes, evidence, and concise communication to simplify complexity, facilitate decisions, and influence stakeholders without reliance on positional authority.

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related technical discipline; equivalent relevant professional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in network engineering, network architecture, infrastructure architecture, and/or enterprise architecture, including substantial responsibility for complex enterprise or service-provider-scale networks.
• Demonstrated experience serving as a lead architect or senior technical authority for major network transformation, modernization, cloud connectivity, or similarly complex multi-site/multi-system initiatives.
• Deep technical expertise across routing and switching, WAN, LAN, data center networking, cloud networking, network security, DNS, load balancing, QoS, resiliency, and secure remote/access architectures.
• Advanced knowledge of routing protocols and large-scale network design, including technologies such as BGP, OSPF and/or IS-IS, MPLS, VPNs, and software-defined networking.
• Strong architecture knowledge of modern SASE/SSE capabilities such as SD-WAN, SWG, CASB, ZTNA, FWaaS, DNS security, DLP, and related secure-access technologies.
• Hands-on experience designing cloud network architecture in Azure and/or AWS, including virtual networks/VPCs, routing, peering/transit, gateways, private connectivity, DNS, load balancing, and network security controls.
• Demonstrated experience with network automation and Infrastructure as Code using modern scripting, APIs, declarative provisioning, source control, CI/CD, and automated validation practices.
• Experience evaluating network technologies and platforms through architecture analysis, proof-of-concept testing, and/or vendor engagement.
• Demonstrated ability to create enterprise network patterns, standards, reference architectures, architecture decision records, and technology roadmaps and drive adoption across multiple teams.
• Demonstrated proficiency with an enterprise architecture modeling/repository tool.
• Advanced architecture visualization skills, including infrastructure/network communications diagrams, network-zone and segmentation views, cloud connectivity diagrams, data-flow diagrams, solution-sequencing diagrams, transition architectures, and roadmaps.
• Working knowledge of architecture and delivery methodologies including TOGAF, Agile, iterative/incremental delivery, and Waterfall, with the judgment to apply them pragmatically.
• Strong understanding of Zero Trust, secure-by-design architecture, and applicable network-security and regulatory considerations in controlled or highly regulated environments.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and visual communication skills with demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders, program teams, cybersecurity, cloud/infrastructure teams, engineers, vendors, and business stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to lead through influence, resolve technically ambiguous issues, mentor senior technical professionals, and drive decisions across a highly matrixed enterprise.

• TOGAF certification.
• Advanced degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Telecommunications, Information Systems, or related discipline.
• Advanced networking certifications such as Cisco CCNP/CCIE, Juniper JNCIP/JNCIE, or equivalent.
• Azure, AWS, and/or other major cloud networking certifications.
• Experience with enterprise SASE/SSE, SD-WAN, network-security, or network-management platforms.
• Experience architecting networks within aerospace, defense, manufacturing, telecommunications, or another large regulated enterprise.
• Experience with controlled-data and defense-aligned environments, including CUI, ITAR/EAR, NIST 800-171/53, DFARS, RMF, and/or CMMC.
• Experience leading technology innovation, proof-of-concept, rapid-prototyping, or emerging-technology incubation programs.
• Experience with network product/platform strategy, carrier services, vendor management, and formal technology evaluation or sourcing processes.
• Experience with AI infrastructure networking, advanced data center fabrics, edge networking, or other emerging network technologies.

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