Network Engineer

Job Title: Network Engineer

Placement: Contract

Duration: 6 months

Location: Seattle, WA (2 weeks onsite - 2/3 weeks remote)

Role Overview:

We are seeking an Operational Technology (OT) Network Engineer to provide technical infrastructure support for a utility, including the Energy Management System (EMS), distributed network and computing resources at power plants and substations, and the physical security network across all utility locations.

The OT Network Engineer will apply advanced knowledge of networking, switching, firewall configuration, data communications, cybersecurity, and NERC Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) standards to develop, operate, and maintain a highly available 24x7 OT infrastructure. Strong communication and collaboration skills are essential for success in this role.

Responsibilities

Network Design & Standards

• Develop and maintain network support processes and design standards to ensure:
• High availability, redundancy, and operational continuity
• Configuration management
• NERC compliance, cybersecurity, and intrusion detection

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with customers and vendors to:
• Design network solutions meeting business and regulatory requirements
• Serve as a central point of contact for network concerns
• Maintain lifecycle management, system performance metrics, and reports
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards

System Changes & Implementation

• Develop and support changes to OT infrastructure, operating systems, and applications, including patches and upgrades
• Configure, test, and deploy network equipment, hardware, and software
• Manage system interfaces, performance, and vendor-supported software

Operations & Maintenance

• Monitor, diagnose, resolve, and report incidents and user issues
• Coordinate with colleagues and customers to deliver project objectives
• Attend weekly team meetings to review status
• Provide recurring onsite support for field systems
• Administer network routes to enable communication between sites
• Maintain asset databases and system design drawings

Network Systems & Security Management

• Design, deploy, configure, and lead network system tasks, integrating vendor products, including:
• Cisco network switches, Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls
• Physical security and access control systems
• Intrusion protection and detection systems in IT and OT environments
• Tripwire, SolarWinds, Dell EMC Avamar/BRM, Rsyslog
• IBM Security QRadar SIEM, Cybereason, Tenable/Nessus
• Assess current network designs and recommend changes to improve operational reliability and cybersecurity

Required Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, or related field
• 5 years of experience in network engineering roles
• Experience with Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto, or similar network devices
• Knowledge of firewall rule best practices
• Strong understanding of network design concepts and best practices
• Experience creating detailed design drawings and as-built network documentation
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills