Network Architect 5 - Springfield, VA

Overview

About M.C. Dean

M.C. Dean is Building Intelligence. We design, build, operate, and maintain cyber-physical solutions for the nation's most mission-critical facilities, secure environments, complex infrastructure, and global enterprises. With over 7,000 employees, our capabilities span electrical, electronic security, telecommunications, life safety, automation and controls, audiovisual, and IT systems. Headquarters in Tysons, Virginia, M.C. Dean delivers resilient, secure, and innovative power and technology solutions through engineering expertise and smart systems integration.

Why Join Us?

Our people are passionate about engineering innovation that improves lives and drives impactful change. Guided by our core values-agility, expertise, and trust-we foster a collaborative and forward-thinking work environment. At M.C. Dean, we are committed to building the next generation of technical leaders in electrical, engineering, and cybersecurity industries.

We are seeking a highly skilled Network Architect 5 to provide technical subject matter expertise for a multi-enclave enterprise network. The successful candidate will be a motivated leader with proven experience as a Network Team Lead, capable of driving complex network initiatives and delivering advanced solutions that optimize and expand a growing infrastructure.

This role requires a combination of deep technical proficiency, strategic leadership, and hands-on problem-solving to ensure high performance, reliability, and scalability across all network systems.

Responsibilities

• Diagnose and resolve network outages and system failures across multiple enclaves.
• Troubleshooting and debugging complex network problems and recommending operational efficiencies and improvements.
• Perform advanced log analysis to identify and remediate root causes of network and application issues.
• Lead network performance tuning and optimization efforts to enhance efficiency and resilience.
• Provide mentorship and technical guidance to Tier 1 and Tier 2 staff, fostering team growth and capability.
• Serve as team lead for multiple network projects, ensuring technical excellence, coordination, and timely delivery.
• Develop, update, and improve network documentation, standard operating procedures, and Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs).
• Deliver technical expertise to optimize and expand the organization's multi-enclave enterprise network infrastructure.

Qualifications

Clearance/Citizen Type: Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements, including U.S. Citizenship, for access to classified information; ACTIVE TS/SCI clearance is REQUIRED

Education:

• HS diploma and 15 years applicable experience or
• AS degree with 13 years applicable experience or
• BS degree with 10 years applicable experience or
• MS degree with 7 years applicable experience

Applicable experience:

• Experience in enterprise network engineering, with at least 3+ years in a leadership role.
• Expert-level knowledge of routing, switching, firewalls, VPNs, and multi-enclave architectures.
• Strong experience with network performance tuning, troubleshooting, and root cause analysis.
• Proficiency in network security principles, including segmentation and compliance standards.
• Hands-on experience with Cisco, Juniper, or equivalent enterprise-grade networking platforms.
• Familiarity with automation tools and scripting (Python, Ansible) for network optimization.

Technical Skills:

• Knowledge of network concepts, technologies, tools, and the ability to design an organization's network infrastructure and services based on requirements
• Knowledge of layer 1 technologies and their capabilities and limitations
• Working experiences of deploying and managing enterprise network security appliances.
• Understand WAN/Internet transport and routing technologies, such as BGP, MPLS, and Software Defined Networking.
• Experience with deploying and maintaining a multi-enclave network architecture
• Understanding security designs for network solutions and implementing security requirements for network devices.
• Experience with network, security and traffic management across the a multi-site enterprise environment.
• Previous Implementation of cloud network technologies such as ExpressRoute, Azure Virtual Networks, or Cloud Orchestration and management.
• Experience in testing and troubleshooting, reading network and connectivity schematics and plans

Communication Skills:

• Strong oral, technical writing, and presentation skills
• Ability to build productive relationships with team members, clients and other network/system stakeholders.
• Ability to establish working relationships with others outside area of expertise.
• Must be a resourceful self-starter, flexible, pro-active, solution-oriented and customer-oriented.

Preferred Cetifications:

• CCNP, CCIE, JNCIP or equivalent

What we offer:

• A collaborative team inspired by the way engineering and innovation enhance customer outcomes, improve lives, and change the world for the better. We are driven by our core values of agility, expertise, and trust.
• An opportunity to lead and build a business with the support of an industry-leading firm that has been in business for 75 years.
• Investment in your skills and expertise through a combination of professional and technical training programs, including leadership training and tuition reimbursement.
• Open and transparent communication with senior leadership as well as local office management.

We offer an excellent benefits package including:

• A competitive salary
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance
• Paid time off
• Tuition reimbursement
• 401k Retirement Plan
• Military Reserve pay offset
• Paid maternity leave

Abilities:

• Exposure to computer screens for an extended period of time.
• Sitting for extended periods of time.
• Reach by extending hands or arms in any direction.
• Have finger dexterity in order to manipulate objects with fingers rather than whole hands or arms, for example, using a keyboard.
• Listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Identify and understand the speech of another person.