Network engineers recruiting
Network engineers design, build and operate the routing, switching, wireless, wide-area and security infrastructure that everything else depends on.
On defense programs that means the enclaves and transport of the Defense Information System Network and the networks inside installations; at agencies and enterprises it means campus, data center and cloud connectivity. Recruiters Workforce recruits network engineers at every level for contractors, carriers, data center operators and enterprises.
What network engineers do
The work runs from configuration and troubleshooting of routers, switches and firewalls to the design of resilient wide-area networks, software-defined networking, network access control, and the monitoring and change control a program's authorization requires. Defense network engineers work with the security technical implementation guides that harden devices and with the accreditation boundaries that separate enclaves. Data center and cloud network engineers connect on-premises estates to cloud regions and manage the load balancers, DNS and segmentation in between.
Requisitions name the vendors, most often Cisco, Juniper and Palo Alto Networks, the scale of the network, and whether the role includes shift coverage in a network operations center.
Certifications commonly requested
Network requisitions name Cisco and CompTIA credentials by level, and Security+ appears on nearly every Department of Defense one.
- Cisco CCNA
- Earned by passing the 200-301 CCNA exam, which tests network fundamentals, network access, IP connectivity, IP services, security fundamentals, and automation and programmability, with no prerequisites. The baseline credential on network requisitions.
- Cisco CCNP Enterprise
- Requires the 350-401 ENCOR core exam plus one concentration exam from the enterprise track, with no prerequisites. Requested for senior engineers and architects.
- CompTIA Network+
- CompTIA's certification for essential networking tools and concepts; the current exam code is N10-009. Requested at the entry level and on vendor-neutral programs.
- CompTIA Security+
- Requested on Department of Defense network positions because the engineer holds privileged access to network devices. Current version V7.
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Associate
- Exam SAA-C03; AWS recommends one year of hands-on design experience. Requested where the network engineer also connects on-premises estates to AWS regions.
Clearance levels commonly required
Positions on defense networks require Secret at minimum and often Top Secret, and positions at the cyber and cryptologic centers require TS/SCI. Agency enterprise network positions are commonly high-risk Public Trust or Secret. Carriers, data center operators and commercial enterprises require no clearance, and their engineers are the usual candidates for contractors that will sponsor a Secret investigation. Because network engineers hold privileged access, the requisition often names Security+ alongside the clearance.
Engagement models that fit
Network migrations and operations center coverage suit contract staffing and contract-to-hire, while architecture and engineering seats with approved headcount suit direct hire. Retained search is used for network architects on large defense or public safety networks. The engagement models page compares them.
Industries that hire network engineers
Markets where network engineers are in demand
Questions about recruiting network engineers
Is a CCNA required for a Department of Defense network position?
Most contracts name a Cisco or CompTIA credential at the level of the position, with CCNA or Network+ at the entry level and CCNP for senior engineers, and they add Security+ for privileged access. The requisition summary should name the exact credential the labor category requires.
Do defense network positions require shift work?
Positions in a network operations center often do, and the requisition states the pattern. Design and engineering positions usually keep business hours with on-call duties for change windows. The submittal records the candidate's agreement to the pattern the requisition states.