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Principal Network Engineer Jobs in Virginia (NOW HIRING)

The Network Engineer Sr Principal must have: Education: Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science (or equivalent experience) Experience: 10+ years of related experience. Required Technical skills:

Sr. Network Engineer

Norfolk, VA · On-site

$100K - $137K/yr

P osition Summary: Are looking for an exciting career in Network Engineering. You will be ... Advanced knowledge of Network security principals and protocols * Advanced knowledge of Cisco Call ...

Clear path toward Principal Engineer / Architect roles Education & Certifications * Degree in Computer Science or a related field * AWS and/or networking certifications are a plus (e.g., AWS Advanced ...

Showing results 21-40

Principal Network Engineer information

See Virginia salary details

$20.8K

$132.1K

$202.7K

How much do principal network engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal network engineer in Virginia is $132,100.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $116,000.00 and $156,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Principal Network Engineer vs Network Architect?

AspectPrincipal Network EngineerNetwork Architect
CredentialsBS in Computer Science or related, Cisco/Juniper certificationsBS in Computer Science or related, Cisco/Juniper certifications
Work EnvironmentDesign, implement, and troubleshoot network solutions within organizationsDesign overall network infrastructure and architecture for organizations
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across industries for senior technical rolesUsed in enterprise and large organizations for planning network systems
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for senior technical expertiseCompared for strategic network planning roles

The main difference is that a Principal Network Engineer focuses on implementing and troubleshooting network solutions, while a Network Architect designs the overall network architecture and strategy. Both roles require similar certifications and work in similar environments, but their core responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What are the main challenges principal network engineers face when leading large-scale network projects?

Principal Network Engineers often encounter challenges such as coordinating cross-functional teams, designing scalable solutions that align with business goals, and managing the integration of emerging technologies into existing infrastructure. Balancing competing priorities—like security, performance, and budget constraints—while ensuring minimal downtime is a common part of the role. Effective communication and leadership skills are essential, as Principal Network Engineers frequently serve as the technical authority and must guide both junior engineers and stakeholders through complex decisions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal network engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Network Engineer, you need deep expertise in network architecture, routing and switching, security protocols, and typically a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with enterprise networking hardware, software-defined networking (SDN), firewalls, and certifications such as CCNP or CCIE are essential. Outstanding problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills help you manage complex projects and guide technical teams. These competencies are critical to ensuring reliable, secure, and scalable network infrastructures that support organizational goals.

What is a principal network engineer?

Principal Network Engineers are senior-level professionals responsible for designing, implementing, and managing complex network infrastructures within an organization. They lead network architecture initiatives, oversee security protocols, and ensure high availability and performance of network systems. In addition, they often mentor junior engineers, set technical standards, and collaborate with other IT teams to align network solutions with business goals. Their expertise is crucial for maintaining reliable and scalable connectivity in large enterprises.

What does a principal network engineer do?

As a principal network engineer, you are responsible for the daily operations of a computer system. Your responsibilities are to install, organize, and support systems for an organization. The systems you work with often aid a company in its communications, as with local area networks and wide area networks. Other duties include the installation of hardware, regular system maintenance, and optimization of network performance. You might also train individuals in the use of relevant software or hardware. In some cases, you might help with email and data storage.

What are the most commonly searched types of Principal Network Engineer jobs in Virginia? The most popular types of Principal Network Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What are popular job titles related to Principal Network Engineer jobs in Virginia? For Principal Network Engineer jobs in Virginia, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Network Engineer jobs in Virginia look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Network Engineer jobs in Virginia are:
What cities in Virginia are hiring for Principal Network Engineer jobs? Cities in Virginia with the most Principal Network Engineer job openings:
What are popular job titles related to Principal Network Engineer jobs in VA? For Principal Network Engineer jobs in VA, the most frequently searched job titles are:
Infographic showing various Principal Network Engineer job openings in Virginia as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 75% Full Time, 17% Part Time, and 7% Contract. Highlights an 92% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 5% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $132,100 per year, or $63.5 per hour.

Principal Network / Systems Architect

kgs

Petersburg, VA • Hybrid

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 25 days ago


Job description

Koniag IT Systems, LLC, a Koniag Government Services company, is seeking a Principal Network / Systems Architect to support KITS and our government customer in Carson, CA. This position is for a Future New Business Opportunity.

The customer may need support as needed at other locations Columbus, OH, Bedford, MA, Fort Lee, VA, and Smyrna, GA.

We offer competitive compensation and an extraordinary benefits package including health, dental and vision insurance, 401K with company matching, flexible spending accounts, paid holidays, three weeks paid time off, and more.

The Principal Network/Systems Architect ensures that the network transport layer and the systems/server layer work in perfect synchronization to support the customer’s mission-critical applications.

Essential Functions, Responsibilities & Duties may include, but are not limited to:

Converged Infrastructure Design:

  • Architect integrated solutions where Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI), such as Nutanix or VMware vSAN, overlap to provide a resilient foundation for agency data.

Zero Trust & Secure Access Service Edge (SASE):

  • Lead the design of a Zero Trust environment that integrates identity-based systems (Active Directory/ICAM) with network-level micro-segmentation.

Hybrid-Cloud Orchestration:

  • Design the "on-ramps" and "inter-connects" between the customer on-premises data centers and DoD Impact Level 5/6 cloud environments (AWS/Azure), ensuring seamless data flow and high availability.

Virtual Environments:

  • Architect, Manage, and Support Remote Access - Virtual Private Network (VPN) and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)

Disaster Recovery & Continuity of Operations (COOP):

  • Architect high-level strategies for cross-site failover, ensuring that both the network routing and the system data replication can recover within agency-mandated RTO/RPOs.

Innovation & Technical Whitepapers:

  • Act as the primary author for technical proposals, exploring the use of AI for network/system telemetry, automated remediation, and predictive maintenance.

Technical Proficiencies:

  • Network Engineering & Traffic Shaping
  • Network Access Control (NAC) & Firewalls
  • Vulnerability Remediation
  • Intrusion Prevention & Web Proxy
  • Log Aggregation & Security Information and Event Management (SIEM
  • Privileged Access Management (PAM)
  • XaaS (IaaS, SaaS, PaaS)

Required Qualifications:

Clearance Requirement:

  • Most roles require at least a Secret clearance, with some requiring Top Secret (TS/SCI) depending on the sensitivity of the systems.

Education:

  • Master’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related Engineering field.

Certifications (DoD 8570/8140):

  • IAT Level III: (e.g., CISSP or CASP+).
  • Expert Level CE: Dual-domain expertise is expected (e.g., CCIE for Network + MCSE/Azure Solutions Architect for Systems).

Experience:

  • 15+ years of experience in IT infrastructure, with at least 7 years in a leadership/architectural role managing large-scale DoD enterprise environments.

Our Equal Employment Opportunity Policy

The company is an equal opportunity employer. The company shall not discriminate against any employee or applicant because of race, color, religion, creed, ethnicity, sex, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity (except where gender is a bona fide occupational qualification), national origin or ancestry, age, disability, citizenship, military/veteran status, marital status, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We are committed to equal employment opportunity in all decisions related to employment, promotion, wages, benefits, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.

The company is dedicated to seeking all qualified applicants. If you require an accommodation to navigate or apply for a position on our website, please get in touch with Heaven Wood via e-mail at accommodations@koniag-gs.com or by calling 703-488-9377 to request accommodations.

Koniag Government Services (KGS) is an Alaska Native Owned corporation supporting the values and traditions of our native communities through an agile employee and corporate culture that delivers Enterprise Solutions, Professional Services and Operational Management to Federal Government Agencies. As a wholly owned subsidiary of Koniag, we apply our proven commercial solutions to a deep knowledge of Defense and Civilian missions to provide forward leaning technical, professional, and operational solutions. KGS enables successful mission outcomes for our customers through solution-oriented business partnerships and a commitment to exceptional service delivery. We ensure long-term success with a continuous improvement approach while balancing the collective interests of our customers, employees, and native communities. For more information, please visit www.koniag-gs.com.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled. Shareholder Preference in accordance with Public Law 88-352