Weekend Network Engineer Jobs in Chester, VA (NOW HIRING)

In person interview needed.  Onsite from day 1. Only local candidates

Location: Richmond, VA

Duration: 12+ months

The client seeks a Network Engineer to support and maintain a secure, stable, and high-performing enterprise network environment. This role is responsible for administering and troubleshooting core networking infrastructure across multiple office locations, data centers, and remote access environments.

The Network Engineer is a hands-on technical role responsible for routing, switching, firewalls, VPN connectivity, wireless infrastructure, and network resiliency. The position works under the direction of the Director of Infrastructure & Operations and collaborates with Infrastructure, Information Security, End User Services, Application/Data Services, vendors, and service providers.

This role emphasizes operational discipline, secure network design, structured change management, and reliable service delivery within a government environment.

Responsibilities

Network Infrastructure Administration

Administer enterprise routing and switching infrastructure

Configure and maintain LAN, WAN, wireless, and remote access environments

Support hybrid MPLS and SD-WAN connectivity across multiple locations

Maintain network availability, resiliency, and performance

Firewall & Secure Connectivity Management

Administer firewalls, VPN solutions, and secure remote connectivity

Implement and maintain network segmentation and access controls

Support secure connectivity for cloud and hybrid environments

Coordinate firewall rule changes and network security updates

Monitoring & Troubleshooting

Monitor network health, utilization, and performance

Respond to outages, connectivity issues, and infrastructure incidents

Perform network troubleshooting across routing, switching, wireless, and VPN environments

Conduct root cause analysis and implement corrective actions

Security & Compliance Support

Support implementation of network security controls and standards

Collaborate with the Information Security Office on vulnerability remediation and risk reduction

Assist with logging, monitoring, and audit activities

Support secure configuration and hardening practices

Change Management & Operations

Execute network changes through defined change management processes

Validate planned changes and maintain rollback procedures

Participate in maintenance windows and operational planning

Maintain network documentation and diagrams

Vendor & Carrier Coordination

Coordinate with telecommunications providers and vendors

Support circuit provisioning, troubleshooting, and escalations

Assist with hardware lifecycle and support renewals

Cross-Team Collaboration

Partner with Systems Administration on infrastructure dependencies

Coordinate with End User Services regarding user-impacting network issues

Support Application/Data teams with connectivity and performance needs

Communicate operational risks and system impacts to leadership

Required Qualifications

Experience administering enterprise network environments

Strong knowledge of routing and switching concepts

Experience with firewalls, VPNs, and secure remote access

Experience troubleshooting network connectivity and performance issues

Familiarity with wireless networking technologies

Understanding of structured operational and change management processes

Experience with Cisco networking technologies

Experience with SD-WAN and hybrid network environments

Experience in government or regulated environments

Familiarity with network monitoring and logging tools

Knowledge of security frameworks such as NIST

Relevant certifications such as CCNA or CCNP

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills

Ability to manage multiple operational priorities

Effective written and verbal communication skills

Ability to work collaboratively across technical teams

Focus on reliability, security, and operational consistency

Additional Information

This position supports the agency’s core network infrastructure and plays a critical role in ensuring secure and reliable connectivity for agency operations. The Network Engineer operates within established governance and operational processes to support stability, resiliency, and risk reduction across the enterprise environment.

Skills Needed

• Routing and switching     Required              5             Years
• TCP/IP networking            Required              5             Years
• VLAN configuration          Required              3             Years
• VPN administration          Required              3             Years
• Firewall administration    Required              4             Years
• Wireless networking administration          Required              3             Years
• Network troubleshooting              Required              5             Years
• LAN/WAN support            Required              4             Years
• SD-WAN support               Required              2             Years
• Network monitoring tools             Required              3             Years
• DNS fundamentals           Required              3             Years
• Network performance analysis    Required              3             Years
• Cisco networking technologies     Required              4             Years
• Remote access technologies         Required              3             Years
• Circuit troubleshooting    Required              3             Years
• Carrier/vendor coordination         Required              2             Years
• Network resiliency concepts         Required              2             Years
• High availability concepts              Required              2             Years
• Network documentation/diagramming    Required              2             Years
• Network segmentation   Required              2             Years
• Firewall rule management            Required              3             Years
• Secure remote connectivity          Required              3             Years
• Access control concepts Required              2             Years
• Vulnerability remediation support             Required              2             Years
• Security incident support              Required              1             Years
• Change management execution  Required              2             Years
• Maintenance window coordination           Required              2             Years
• Incident response participation   Required              2             Years
• Root cause analysis         Required              2             Years
• Structured troubleshooting methodology               Required              4             Years
• Communication and collaboration             Required              3             Years
• Operational discipline     Required              3             Years
• Independent work capability       Required              3             Years
• Prioritization under pressure       Required              3             Years
• BGP        Desired 2             Years
• Dynamic routing protocols            Desired 3             Years
• Advanced firewall administration               Desired 3             Years
• Cisco ASA or NGFW experience   Desired 2             Years
• SD-WAN design/optimization       Desired 2             Years
• QoS configuration             Desired 2             Years
• Azure networking             Desired 1             Years
• Hybrid cloud networking               Desired 1             Years
• Zero Trust networking concepts  Desired 1             Years
• SIEM/network logging integration             Desired 1             Years
• IDS/IPS familiarity            Desired 1             Years
• Government IT experience           Desired 2             Years
• Multi-site enterprise experience Desired 3             Years