Freelance Wireless Design Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Job Title: Wireless Engineer
Location: Norfolk, VA (5 days onsite)
Clearance Required: Active Secret
Rate: $40 an hour (some flex) Top Skills Bachelor’s degree in Engineering
5+ years of hands-on experience with enterprise wireless networks, including Aruba or similar platforms
WLAN Senior Wireless Engineer (SME) to support enterprise WLAN services within a large-scale DoD network environment. This role operates within an SRE framework and is responsible for ensuring the reliability, performance, and security of Aruba-based wireless infrastructure across geographically distributed locations. The selected candidate will serve as the technical authority for wireless networking, providing Tier III escalation support, leading complex troubleshooting efforts, and contributing to wireless design, optimization, and continuous service improvement. This position requires a balance of hands-on engineering, operational support, and technical leadership in a mission-critical environment. Primary Responsibilities Serve as Tier III escalation support for complex wireless incidents, including client connectivity, roaming, authentication, and performance issues
Lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts and drive long-term remediation for recurring problems
Design, configure, and optimize Aruba wireless infrastructure, including:
Mobility Conductors / Mobility Masters
Controllers (AOS) and Central-managed environments
Campus and remote access points
Provide advanced wireless troubleshooting using:
Packet captures and client session analysis
RF spectrum analysis and performance metrics
Controller and AirWave/Central data
Lead and validate RF design and optimization, including:
Channel and power planning
Interference mitigation
High-density environment tuning
Implement and maintain secure wireless solutions using:
802.1X authentication (EAP-TLS), WPA3
Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager for network access control
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate wireless with:
Wired network infrastructure (VLANs, routing, firewalls)
Identity and authentication systems
Support and enhance monitoring and observability using Aruba AirWave, Central, and related tools
Contribute to SRE practices, including:
Continuous service improvement
Runbook development and operational standardization
Participation in Agile/SAFe processes (JIRA, DSUs, retrospectives)
Review and support management activities, including deployments, upgrades, and maintenance
Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and provide technical guidance across teams Basic Qualifications Bachelor’s degree and 8–12 years of relevant experience (or equivalent experience in lieu of degree)
5+ years of hands-on experience with enterprise wireless networks, including Aruba or similar platforms
Strong expertise with:
Aruba WLAN solutions (Controllers, Mobility Conductors, AirWave/Central)
Wireless troubleshooting and client connectivity analysis
Advanced knowledge of:
802.11 standards (a/b/g/n/ac/ax)
RF fundamentals (channel planning, interference, signal propagation)
Experience with wireless security, including:
802.1X authentication, WPA2/WPA3
RADIUS-based authentication systems
Proven ability to troubleshoot:
Complex wireless performance and roaming issues
Authentication and access control problems
Experience working in large, multi-site enterprise environments
Familiarity with Agile tools and workflows (e.g., JIRA, SAFe)
Active Secret clearance with ability to obtain Top Secret
DoD 8570 IAT Level III certification (e.g., CISSP, CASP, CCNP Security) Preferred Qualifications
Aruba certifications such as:
ACMP, ACDP, ACMX, or ACCP
Experience with:
Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager in enterprise environments
Aruba AirWave, Central, and advanced monitoring platforms
Prior experience supporting:
DoD networks (NMCI, NGEN, or similar large-scale environments)
Experience with:
Wireless site surveys (Ekahau, AirMagnet)
High-density wireless deployments
Familiarity with:
Network automation (Python, Ansible, API integrations)
Multi-vendor wireless environments (Cisco, Juniper Mist, Ruckus)
Knowledge of:
DoD security requirements, STIGs, and defense-in-depth principles Thanks and Regards
Murali Sharma
202.828.3494