Lead Network Engineer

Requirements: Current Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification; an active CCIE is strongly preferred. At least 10 years of IT experience providing Tier 3 support. At least 10 years in a Tier 3 Cisco network support environment, designing, documenting, and supporting LAN and WAN networks, firewalls, and enterprise wireless. At least 10 years of hands-on experience implementing Cisco firewalls (FPR 4112, FMC, ASA 5555), including ACLs, NAT, site-to-site and remote access VPNs, IOS upgrades, and AnyConnect configuration. At least 10 years of hands-on experience implementing core switches (Cisco Nexus 7k), edge switches (Catalyst 9300-U/UXM, 3850, 3650), routers (ASR 1006, ASR 1001, 8300), and bandwidth management appliances. At least 10 years designing, configuring, and troubleshooting routing protocols, including BGP, EIGRP, MPLS, and IPSec. At least 7 years designing and implementing secure enterprise wireless using Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers, including WLC 5520 and 9800, and EAP-TLS or PEAP.At least 7 years configuring, managing, and troubleshooting Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), including TACACS, RADIUS, rules, policy sets, posture, and wired and wireless authentication and authorization. At least 7 years configuring, managing, and troubleshooting ExpressRoute connections to Microsoft Azure. At least 5 years using network monitoring and management tools such as SolarWinds and Cisco DNA Center. At least 5 years of experience with Cisco VoIP infrastructure, operations, and IVR technologies. At least 3 years of experience with Managed Trusted Internet Protocol Service (MTIPS) and public IP infrastructure. At least 2 years of general Windows Server experience, including Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP.Experience leading other network engineers is preferred. An associate degree or higher is preferred. Must live within commuting distance of Chicago and work on site. Must complete a federal background investigation for a public trust position and receive a favorable or interim determination before starting; an HSPD-12 Personal Identity Verification (PIV) card is also required. Must complete required security and privacy awareness and role-based training, sign a nondisclosure agreement covering Government data, and keep required certifications current. No security clearance is required to apply; a public trust determination is required after a conditional offer.

Responsibilities: Lead network engineering for the team by setting technical direction, making key troubleshooting decisions, and representing network engineering to the Government. Operate, maintain, and administer firewalls, routers, switches, and wireless equipment; respond to, troubleshoot, and resolve network issues. Perform hardware maintenance and upgrades, IOS upgrades, router and switch configuration updates, firmware upgrades, and security patching. Monitor routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless controllers to identify incidents, outages, and performance degradation early, and work through incident management processes. Operate and maintain connectivity among the headquarters data center, Azure, and failover sites. Maintain accurate enterprise network architecture diagrams, equipment room layouts, rack elevations, and configurations, documenting each change within two business days. Prepare weekly network availability and utilization reports, support network equipment acquisitions, and coordinate upgrades with engineering and IT security for Government approval. Configure network devices to NIST, USGCB, and DISA STIG baselines.

Technologies: AIActive Directory AzureCiscoFirmwareHardwareIncident Management SupportLANMPLSNATNetworkNexusSecurityWindowsiOSCloud More: We are iCallidus, Inc., a small-business federal IT contractor hiring a Lead Network Engineer for an IT support team at a federal agency in downtown Chicago. The role supports an enterprise Cisco environment spanning LAN, WAN, firewalls, wireless, network access control, and Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute. It is full-time and on site, not remote or hybrid. The 8-hour workday falls within the agencys Monday-to-Friday core hours of 6:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Central time, excluding federal holidays, and the role includes on-call coverage for after-hours emergencies unless you are on approved leave. The annual pay range is $170,000–$195,000, depending on experience, skills, and qualifications; benefits include 10 days of paid time off and 11 paid holidays. This is a Key Personnel role requiring Government review and approval before the selected person starts. It supports an existing Government contract whose current performance period runs through July 16, 2027, with a possible extension through July 16, 2029; continued employment depends on ongoing Government funding. We use Claude, an AI tool developed by Anthropic, to help compare application materials with the qualifications and summarize alignment for our hiring team. A person reviews every application and makes all hiring decisions. We are an equal opportunity employer and provide reasonable accommodations as required by law. last updated 44 week of 2026