Principal Network Engineer

Job ID T2602007

Location Vandenberg AFB, CA, US

Date Posted 2026-03-05

Category Information Technology

Subcategory Network Engineer

Schedule Full-Time

Shift Day Job

Travel No

Minimum Clearance Required Secret

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain None

Potential for Remote Work ORA_ON_SITE

Description



SAIC seeks an experienced and energetic Principal Network Engineer to directly support the modernization of the space launch ranges, meeting mission requirements, providing range capabilities, and supporting the Assured Access to Space (AATS) mission. The overarching purpose of the program is to perform system modernization and digital transformation projects that will enable the acceleration of the space launch cadence to enable the Spaceport of the future.

Job Responsibilities

• Analyzes customer requirements and solves unusually complex problems with highly innovative solutions.
• Provides knowledge for maintenance and upgrade of networks including servers, routers, switches, firewalls, remote access systems, and telecom equipment.
• Provides knowledge for maintaining network integrity and connectivity while ensuring compliance with policies and maintains system backup and recovery capability.
• Analyzes, evaluates and plans method of approach and organizes means to achieve solutions for complex technical problems.
• Develop advanced engineering ideas and guides their development into a final product.
• Develops advanced solutions to a variety of highly complex engineering problems.
• Perform highly advanced network/systems design, development, and integration from the start of a project life cycle to the end.
• Provides and applies advanced engineering to highly complex infrastructures including installing, configuring, testing, and maintaining network devices, telecom equipment, radio equipment, operating systems, application software, and system management tools.
• Design and implement enterprise network architectures, incorporating redundancy, scalability, and high availability.
• Configure and maintain Cisco, Juniper and Palo Alto equipment, including routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Support and optimize LAN, WAN, MPLS, and wireless network environments.
• Ensure compatibility with IPv4 and IPv6 protocols.
• Implement security protocols, firewalls, and VPN configurations.
• Design network segmentation and access controls to protect sensitive assets.
  
  

Qualifications



Required Education

• Bachelors and nine (9) years or more experience; Masters and seven (7) years or more experience ; PhD or JD and four (4) years or more experience.
  
  

Required Experience

• Experience with waterfall-to-agile transformations, designed to deliver Minimum Viable Products in a consistent cadence.
• Experience with a broad range of system types custom developed HW/SW, COTS/GOTS HW/SW, and specialty engineering of exotic material/limited supply items.
• Experience in cloud-hosted development, integration, and test capability.
• Experience implementing cybersecurity solutions in existing DoD systems
• Proven experience configuring and managing enterprise networking equipment such as
• Cisco routers and switches (e.g., Catalyst, Nexus series).
• Juniper and Palo Alto firewalls.
• Firewalls (Cisco ASA, Firepower).
• Wireless controllers and Access Points.
• Strong knowledge of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP) and Layer 2/3 technologies.
• Proficiency in WAN technologies (MPLS, VPN, SD-WAN).
• Solid experience with troubleshooting tools (Wireshark, SolarWinds, Cisco Prime, etc.).
  

Desired Experience

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Certification.
  
  

Clearance

• Must be a U.S. Citizen with an active Secret Clearance.
  
  

Target salary range $120,001 - $160,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.