Network Architect - SME

Job Title: Network Architect (SME)

Location:  Hybrid - 2 days a week on-site - Suitland, MD

Salary:  200-250K 

Summary

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.

Preferred Certifications

• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) – Enterprise Infrastructure or equivalent
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) – Enterprise
• Juniper Networks Certified Professional (JNCIP) or equivalent
• AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate
• CompTIA Security+ or equivalent security certification
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – preferred for candidates with significant network security responsibilities
• TOGAF – preferred for candidates with enterprise architecture/governance experience