Tier III NOC Technician

Tier III NOC Technician
Washington, DC - metro accessible, 4 days onsite, 1 day remote
Perm position, full benefits package

MUST HAVE ONE OR MORE HIGH LEVEL CERTIFICAITON: CCNP, CCNP Security, JNCIP, or equivalent

RESPONSIBILITIES

Serve as the final escalation point for complex Tier 1 and Tier 2 incidents requiring advanced technical expertise

Lead troubleshooting and resolution of critical network outages, performance degradation, and complex technical issues

Perform root cause analysis on major incidents and develop preventive measures to avoid recurrence

Provide technical leadership and guidance to junior NOC technicians during critical incidents

Design and implement solutions for network optimization, automation, and performance improvements

Conduct in-depth packet analysis and protocol troubleshooting to diagnose complex connectivity issues

Configure and troubleshoot advanced network devices including core routers, multilayer switches, firewalls, and load balancers

Participate in and lead Major Incident Management calls with stakeholders and executive leadership

Develop, maintain, and improve NOC procedures, runbooks, and technical documentation

Perform advanced network and system performance analysis using multiple monitoring and diagnostic tools

Collaborate with Network Engineering, Security, and Systems Administration teams on complex cross-functional issues

Evaluate and recommend improvements to network architecture, monitoring capabilities, and operational processes

Mentor and train Tier 1 and Tier 2 technicians on troubleshooting techniques and best practices

Participate in change advisory board (CAB) reviews and provide technical assessments of proposed changes

Execute complex network changes during maintenance windows with minimal service disruption

Monitor and optimize network capacity, bandwidth utilization, and traffic patterns

Coordinate with vendors and external service providers to resolve carrier and equipment issues

Develop and maintain disaster recovery procedures and participate in failover testing

Implement network security measures and respond to security incidents in coordination with security teams

Create and present technical reports on network performance, incidents, and trends to management

Participate in on-call rotation as the senior technical escalation resource

Stay current with emerging technologies and industry best practices to continuously improve operations

REQUIREMENTS

Bachelor’s degree OR equivalent experience

7+ years of experience in network operations, network engineering, or systems administration

5+ years of experience working in a 7x24x365 NOC or similar mission-critical environment

Demonstrated experience as a senior escalation point for complex technical issues

Supporting large-scale enterprise networks with thousands of users

Expert-level knowledge of network protocols, routing, and switching (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, MPLS, spanning-tree, VLAN)

Advanced troubleshooting skills using packet analysis tools (Wireshark, tcpdump)

Deep understanding of network security technologies including firewalls, IDS/IPS, VPN, and NAT

Extensive experience with enterprise network equipment from multiple vendors (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Arista, F5)

Proficiency with network monitoring and management platforms (SolarWinds, Nagios, Splunk, NetFlow/sFlow analysis)

Knowledge of TCP/IP stack, network services (DNS, DHCP, NTP), and application protocols

Expertise in load balancing, traffic engineering, and high-availability architectures

Strong understanding of data center networking, fabric technologies, and virtualization

Routing policy implementation and traffic optimization techniques

Advanced troubleshooting skills across multiple technology domains (network, systems, applications, security)

Ability to interpret network diagrams, technical specifications, and vendor documentation

Strong analytical and critical thinking skills for solving complex problems under pressure

Leadership and mentoring skills for guiding junior team members

Excellent written and verbal communication skills across stakeholder levels

Proven incident management ability, including leading bridge calls and coordinating resources during major incidents

Proficiency with scripting and automation tools (Python, Ansible, PowerShell, Bash)

Deep understanding of ITIL framework (Incident, Problem, Change Management)

Knowledge of cloud networking architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP) and DevOps practices

Ability to work effectively under extreme pressure and make rapid technical decisions

Flexibility to work rotating shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays

Strong documentation skills and commitment to accurate technical records

DESIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:
Active security clearance or ability to obtain Public Trust or higher clearance
Expert vendor certifications (CCIE, JNCIE, PCNSE, F5-CTS)
Experience with SD-WAN technologies (Cisco Viptela, VMware VeloCloud, Silver Peak)
Knowledge of CDN architectures and DDoS mitigation technologies
Advanced security certifications (CISSP, GIAC, CEH)
Experience with network automation frameworks (Ansible, Terraform, NSO)
Deep knowledge of IPv6 implementation and dual-stack environments
Experience with multicast routing and troubleshooting
Expertise in VoIP and unified communications (SIP, H.323, QoS)
Wireless technologies (802.11 standards, wireless controllers)
Application performance monitoring and optimization
Knowledge of database systems and log analysis (SQL)
Familiarity with DevOps, CI/CD pipelines, container networking (Docker, Kubernetes)
Knowledge of compliance frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, FedRAMP, FISMA)
Experience designing and implementing network monitoring solutions
Background in capacity planning and traffic forecasting
Incident Commander or ITIL Expert certification
Teaching or publishing in technical fields
Experience with ticketing/ITSM platforms (ServiceNow, Remedy, Jira)
Telecommunications and carrier tech (SONET, DWDM, Metro Ethernet)