Lead Network Automation Engineer
GDIT · Arlington · $127,500–$172,500 (stated in the posting)
Type of Requisition:
RegularClearance Level Must Currently Possess:
Top Secret/SCIClearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:
Top Secret/SCIPublic Trust/Other Required:
NoneJob Family:
IT Infrastructure and OperationsJob Qualifications:
Skills:
Automation, Configuration Management (CM), Network Automation, Systems DesignCertifications:
NoneExperience:
8 + years of related experienceUS Citizenship Required:
YesJob Description:
Lead Network Automation Engineer
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Lead Network Automation Engineer to lead the development, implementation, and sustainment of network automation solutions supporting a complex, multivendor enterprise network environment.
The ideal candidate combines strong network engineering fundamentals with advanced hands on expertise in Python and Ansible. This individual will collaborate closely with network administrators, engineers, architects, and customer stakeholders to translate technical requirements into scalable, reliable, and maintainable automation solutions.
This is a hands on technical leadership position responsible for developing production ready automation, mentoring a small team of automation engineers, and helping establish repeatable engineering practices.
The successful candidate will play a critical role in improving network operational efficiency, accelerating configuration deployments, reducing manual effort, and increasing the consistency and reliability of network infrastructure operations.
Key Responsibilities:
Network Automation Engineering
- Design, develop, test, deploy, and maintain network automation solutions using Python and Ansible.
- Develop Ansible playbooks, Python scripts, and reusable automation modules to support network configuration management, provisioning, patching, maintenance, and operational tasks.
- Automate network device configuration changes, software updates, configuration backups, compliance checks, and operational validation across multivendor environments.
- Develop automation capabilities supporting Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Aruba, and other enterprise networking technologies.
- Implement automated configuration validation, network state verification, and configuration drift detection to improve network reliability and compliance.
- Build automation solutions for network monitoring, reporting, inventory management, and operational data collection.
- Develop standardized, reusable automation components that reduce repetitive administrative activities and improve engineering consistency.
- Incorporate appropriate error handling, logging, validation, and rollback capabilities into automated network changes.
- Troubleshoot automation failures and resolve integration challenges between automation tools and network infrastructure.
Engineering Collaboration and Requirements Execution
- Work directly with network administrators, engineers, and architects to understand technical requirements and operational challenges.
- Translate network engineering specifications into functional automation playbooks, scripts, and workflows.
- Evaluate manual network administration processes and identify opportunities to improve execution through automation.
- Collaborate with infrastructure and cybersecurity teams to ensure automated solutions satisfy operational and security requirements.
- Validate automation solutions with network engineering stakeholders before deployment into production environments.
- Provide technical recommendations regarding implementation approaches, automation feasibility, and operational considerations.
Technical Leadership and Team Development
- Serve as the technical lead for a small team of network automation engineers.
- Provide technical direction, mentorship, and hands on support to team members.
- Coordinate and assign automation development activities based on established engineering priorities.
- Conduct code reviews and promote consistent development, testing, documentation, and version control practices.
- Establish reusable development standards and promote knowledge sharing across the automation team.
- Support the development of junior and midlevel engineers through technical coaching and collaborative problem solving.
- Communicate progress, technical challenges, dependencies, and delivery risks to engineering and program leadership.
Automation Capability Development and Sustainment
- Enhance existing Python scripts and Ansible playbooks while expanding the organization's automation capabilities.
- Establish consistent approaches for source code management, testing, documentation, and deployment.
- Develop maintainable automation solutions that can be supported and enhanced by other engineers.
- Assist with implementing appropriate development, testing, and production deployment controls.
- Document automation workflows, technical dependencies, operating procedures, and troubleshooting guidance.
- Measure automation effectiveness through improvements in task execution time, configuration consistency, reduction in manual activities, and operational reliability.
Required Qualifications:
Security and Work Requirements
- Active TS/SCI security clearance.
- Ability to work onsite in a secure customer environment.
Technical Qualifications
- Advanced proficiency developing Python scripts, modules, and applications for network infrastructure automation.
- Advanced hands on experience developing, troubleshooting, and maintaining Ansible playbooks and automation workflows.
- Demonstrated experience automating network configuration deployments, device administration, software patching, or other network operational activities.
- Working knowledge of enterprise routing and switching fundamentals, including TCP/IP, VLANs, routing protocols, and network device configuration.
- Practical experience administering, troubleshooting, or automating enterprise network infrastructure.
- Experience working with multivendor networking environments involving technologies such as Cisco, Juniper, Arista, or Aruba.
- Experience using Git or comparable version control tools to maintain automation code.
- Ability to translate technical requirements from network engineering teams into functional automation solutions.
- Understanding of automation testing, error handling, logging, change validation, and operational safeguards.
- Ability to troubleshoot complex automation workflows and resolve issues involving network devices, APIs, and automation systems.
Leadership and Communication Qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership, mentoring, or direction to other engineers.
- Strong communication skills with the ability to engage effectively with network administrators, engineers, architects, and technical stakeholders.
- Ability to independently execute assigned engineering requirements and deliver maintainable, production ready solutions.
- Experience documenting technical solutions and communicating implementation requirements, issues, and results.
Experience
- Demonstrated success delivering network automation solutions in an enterprise or similarly complex networking environment.
- Relevant technical experience and proven engineering accomplishments will be prioritized over a specific number of years in a particular job title.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience automating Cisco IOS XE, IOS XR, Juniper JunOS, Arista EOS, or ArubaOS environments.
- Understanding of routing technologies and protocols such as BGP, OSPF, MPLS, or EVPN.
- Experience with Python networking libraries, APIs, SSH based automation, or structured network configuration management.
- Experience with Jinja2 templates and automated network configuration generation.
- Familiarity with tools such as Nornir, Netmiko, NAPALM, or equivalent network automation frameworks.
- Experience with Ansible Automation Platform or AWX.
- Experience with REST APIs, NETCONF, RESTCONF, or other programmatic network management interfaces.
- Familiarity with CI/CD practices and automated testing for infrastructure automation.
- Experience developing network configuration compliance, drift detection, or automated validation solutions.
- Experience supporting Department of Defense, federal government, or other highly regulated enterprise environments.
- Experience leading a small technical team or mentoring automation engineers.
- Relevant certifications such as Cisco CCNP, Cisco DevNet, Juniper certifications, Red Hat Ansible certifications, or CompTIA Security+.
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, Cybersecurity, or related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
What Success Looks Like
The successful candidate will:
- Deliver reliable Python and Ansible automation that reduces manual network administration activities.
- Work effectively with network engineering teams to implement technical requirements accurately and efficiently.
- Improve the speed, consistency, and quality of network configuration changes and maintenance activities.
- Establish reusable, documented, and supportable automation solutions.
- Reduce operational risk through testing, validation, and appropriate deployment safeguards.
- Mentor automation engineers and strengthen the team's overall technical capabilities.
- Help transition existing isolated scripts and playbooks into a more consistent, maintainable network automation capability.
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The likely salary range for this position is $127,500 - $172,500. This is not, however, a guarantee of compensation or salary. Rather, salary will be set based on experience, geographic location and possibly contractual requirements and could fall outside of this range.Scheduled Weekly Hours:
40Travel Required:
NoneTelecommuting Options:
OnsiteWork Location:
USA VA ArlingtonAdditional Work Locations:
Total Rewards at GDIT:
Our benefits package for all US-based employees includes a variety of medical plan options, some with Health Savings Accounts, dental plan options, a vision plan, and a 401(k) plan offering the ability to contribute both pre and post-tax dollars up to the IRS annual limits and receive a company match. To encourage work/life balance, GDIT offers employees full flex work weeks where possible and a variety of paid time off plans, including vacation, sick and personal time, holidays, paid parental, military, bereavement and jury duty leave. To ensure our employees are able to protect their income, other offerings such as short and long-term disability benefits, life, accidental death and dismemberment, personal accident, critical illness and business travel and accident insurance are provided or available. We regularly review our Total Rewards package to ensure our offerings are competitive and reflect what our employees have told us they value most.Our Identity Verification Process:
As part of the hiring process, we will ask you to complete an identity verification process that leverages advanced biometrics and artificial intelligence to ensure authenticity and protect against identity fraud. You are expected to be on camera during virtual interviews. We reserve the right to take your picture to verify your identity and prevent fraud. By proceeding, you authorize the collection, processing, and use of your biometric data for identity verification and security purposes.About Our Work:
We are GDIT. A global technology and professional services company that delivers technology solutions and mission services to every major agency across the U.S. government, defense and intelligence community. Our 26,000 experts extract the power of technology to create immediate value and deliver solutions at the edge of innovation. We operate across 50+ countries worldwide, offering leading mission-ready capabilities in AI, cloud, cyber and software development.Join our Talent Community to stay up to date on our career opportunities and events atEqual Opportunity Employer / Individuals with Disabilities / Protected VeteransMore jobs at GDIT · Software Engineering jobs in Arlington, VA