Network Configuration Automation Engineer

Zachary Piper Solutions is seeking a Network Configuration Automation Engineer to support a long-term DOD program focused on Navy enterprise network infrastructure, configuration management, network automation, and NetDevOps. This position is 100% onsite in Norfolk, VA. The Network Configuration Automation Engineer will support a large-scale, geographically dispersed enterprise network environment, ensuring network devices maintain consistent, secure, and compliant configurations through network management systems, configuration baselines, automation, Infrastructure as Code, and CI/CD practices.

Responsibilities of the Network Configuration Automation Engineer include:

• Establish, maintain, and enforce approved configuration baselines for enterprise network devices including routers, switches, firewalls, and load balancers
• Monitor network infrastructure for configuration drift and identify unauthorized or non-compliant configuration changes
• Maintain configuration backups, version history, and rollback/recovery procedures to support network resiliency and disaster recovery
• Develop and implement automated remediation processes to restore network devices to approved configuration standards
• Administer and optimize Network Management Systems (NMS) including Cisco Catalyst Center, OpenText NNMi, and OpenText Network Automation
• Support network inventory discovery, configuration management, topology monitoring, and network health reporting across the enterprise
• Integrate Nautobot, Infoblox IPAM, and other source-of-truth systems with network management platforms to maintain accurate topology and addressing information
• Configure NMS alerts and monitoring thresholds to identify unauthorized configuration changes, network anomalies, and compliance issues
• Develop compliance and configuration reports for engineering leadership, cybersecurity teams, and audit stakeholders
• Develop network automation playbooks and workflows using Ansible, Terraform, Python, and Jinja2
• Automate network configuration changes across large numbers of enterprise network devices while minimizing manual intervention and configuration errors
• Maintain network infrastructure code within Git-based repositories, including pull requests, peer reviews, version control, and change tracking
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines using GitLab CI/CD, Jenkins, GitHub Actions, or similar tools to validate and safely deploy network configuration changes
• Implement automated validation, linting, testing, and dry-run processes before network changes are deployed into production
• Develop automated pre- and post-change validation workflows to verify network health, configuration compliance, and service availability
• Review high-impact network changes for alignment with approved architecture, configuration standards, and change-management requirements
• Provide Tier III troubleshooting and escalation support for complex network issues related to configuration discrepancies, failed changes, and software upgrades
• Perform root cause analysis of configuration-related network incidents and develop corrective and preventative solutions
• Coordinate large-scale network patching and configuration campaigns across geographically dispersed network environments
• Support vulnerability remediation and software lifecycle activities across thousands of network nodes
• Analyze large configuration files and network datasets to identify anomalies, inconsistencies, configuration errors, and potential reliability issues
• Maintain technical documentation, configuration standards, automation procedures, and network change records
• Collaborate with network engineers, cybersecurity teams, SREs, operations teams, and other technical stakeholders to improve network reliability and automation
• Coordinate automated network changes across multiple teams and global time zones while maintaining appropriate change-control processes

Qualifications of the Network Configuration Automation Engineer include:

• 5-10 years of relevant experience with a Bachelor's degree, or 4-8 years with a Master's degree; equivalent experience may be considered
• 7+ years of overall relevant professional experience
• Active Secret clearance
• Strong hands-on experience with enterprise network configuration management and network engineering
• Experience managing configuration baselines, configuration drift, backups, rollback procedures, and automated remediation
• Strong understanding of enterprise networking including BGP, OSPF, VLANs, VRFs, ACLs, SSH, and SNMP
• Hands-on experience with network automation using Ansible, Terraform, Python, Jinja2, or similar technologies
• Experience with enterprise Network Management Systems (NMS) and network monitoring platforms
• Experience with Cisco Catalyst Center, OpenText NNMi, or OpenText Network Automation
• Experience supporting multivendor network environments including Cisco IOS/IOS-XE/IOS-XR, Juniper JunOS, and/or Arista EOS
• Experience with Git-based configuration management and version control
• Experience with CI/CD technologies such as GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, or similar platforms
• Experience developing or maintaining automated network deployment and configuration workflows
• Ability to troubleshoot complex Tier III network and configuration issues
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to identify anomalies and errors within large configuration files and network datasets
• Experience with network change management, configuration validation, and production deployment procedures
• Strong understanding of network security, configuration compliance, and enterprise infrastructure standards
• Strong communication, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration skills
• Ability to coordinate large-scale configuration changes across geographically dispersed enterprise environments

Preferred Qualifications of the Network Configuration Automation Engineer

• Experience with Nautobot or other network Source-of-Truth platforms
• Experience with Infoblox IPAM
• Experience with Cisco Catalyst Center/DNA Center
• Experience with OpenText NNMi and OpenText Network Automation
• Experience with Arista EOS and Juniper JunOS
• Experience with Docker or containerized automation environments
• Experience with Wireshark and network packet analysis
• Experience with Infrastructure as Code and configuration-as-code practices
• Experience with automated network patching and mass configuration deployments
• Experience with network security, vulnerability remediation, and DISA STIG requirements

Compensation for the Network Configuration Automation Engineer includes:

• Salary: $95,000-$100,000 depending on experience
• Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k Plan, Holidays, PTO, sick leave as required by law

Keywords:

Network Configuration Engineer, Network Configuration Management Engineer, Network Configuration Automation Engineer, Network Automation Engineer, Network Automation, Network Infrastructure Automation Engineer, Network Infrastructure Engineer, Network Systems Engineer, NetDevOps Engineer, Network DevOps Engineer, Network SRE, Site Reliability Engineer, Configuration Management, Network Configuration Management, Configuration Automation, Network Infrastructure, Enterprise Network, Enterprise Networking, Network Engineering, Network Operations, Tier III Network Engineer, Tier III Support, Network Troubleshooting, Network Escalation, Configuration Baseline, Network Baseline, Configuration Drift, Drift Detection, Configuration Compliance, Configuration Remediation, Configuration Backup, Configuration Rollback, Network Change Management, Change Control, Network Lifecycle Management, Network Device Lifecycle, Router Configuration, Switch Configuration, Firewall Configuration, Load Balancer Configuration, Cisco, Cisco IOS, IOS-XE, IOS-XR, Juniper, JunOS, Arista, Arista EOS, BGP, OSPF, VLAN, VRF, ACL, SSH, SNMP, Routing, Switching, Network Protocols, Network Management System, NMS, Network Management, Cisco Catalyst Center, Cisco DNA Center, Catalyst Center, DNA Center, OpenText NNMi, NNMi, OpenText Network Automation, Network Automation, Nautobot, Source of Truth, SoT, Infoblox, IPAM, Network Inventory, Network Discovery, Network Topology, Network Monitoring, Network Assurance, Network Compliance, Wireshark, Network Packet Analysis, Ansible, Terraform, Python, Jinja2, Infrastructure as Code, IaC, Configuration as Code, Git, GitLab, GitLab CI, GitLab CI/CD, GitHub Actions, Jenkins, Docker, CI/CD, Continuous Integration, Continuous Deployment, DevOps, DevSecOps, Network Automation Playbooks, Automation Frameworks, API, REST API, Network API, Automated Provisioning, Automated Configuration, Network Orchestration, Configuration Validation, Pre-Change Validation, Post-Change Validation, Dry Run, Network Testing, Automated Testing, Mass Configuration Deployment, Network Patching, Vulnerability Remediation, Software Upgrades, Firmware Upgrades, Root Cause Analysis, RCA, Configuration Analysis, Configuration Files, Network Data Analysis, Network Security, Configuration Compliance, DISA STIG, STIG, RMF, DoD, DOD, Department of Defense, Navy, US Navy, Navy Infrastructure, NMCI, NGEN-NMCI, Federal IT, Secret Clearance, Active Secret, Norfolk, Virginia, VA, Norfolk Naval Station

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