Senior Systems Engineer (Mission Support ISR Comms)

SMX is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer / ISR Communications professional to support the design, implementation, operation, security, and troubleshooting of enterprise and mission-focused network infrastructure. The ideal candidate will have strong hands-on experience with Cisco routing, switching, firewall, and network services technologies; working knowledge of Juniper networking platforms such as Junos, Session Smart Router (SSR), SRX, and Mist; and the ability to maintain networks in accordance with DoD 8140 / legacy DoD 8570 cybersecurity workforce requirements, DISA STIGs, vulnerability management processes, and organizational security policies.

This role requires a senior-level engineer capable of independently resolving complex network issues, supporting secure architecture decisions, maintaining configuration standards, and coordinating with system administrators, cybersecurity teams, customers, vendors, military leadership, and other stakeholders.

This position requires a DoW TS/SCI clearance which requires US citizenship for work on DoW contracts.

Location: Manilla Philippines

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Design, configure, operate, and troubleshoot enterprise LAN/WAN networks—including routers, switches, firewalls, IPsec VPNs, wireless, and other network security appliances
• Support Cisco environments (VLANs, trunks, STP, routing protocols, NAT, ACLs, QoS, IPsec VPN, AAA, SNMP, NTP, and network segmentation) and Juniper platforms as needed (Junos, SRX, Session Smart Router, Mist, policy configuration, and troubleshooting)
• Monitor network availability, capacity, latency, and performance; identify root causes and implement corrective actions
• Develop and maintain network diagrams, IP address plans, configuration baselines, SOPs, configuration guides, and change documentation
• Implement secure network configurations in accordance with DISA STIGs, vulnerability findings, patching requirements, and RMF/ATO activities
• Manage network backup, recovery, lifecycle replacement, firmware/software upgrades, and scheduled maintenance
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to remediate findings (e.g., ACAS/Nessus), validate mitigations, and provide input for Plans of Action and Milestones
• Lead or support outage response, incident resolution, change planning, and after-action documentation
• Set up, operate, and support encryption/COMSEC and mission communications devices (e.g., KG-series, radio systems)
• Assist with the setup and administration of FMV and data-stream transport systems (Vidterra Compass, Kraken, Haivision Makito); prior expertise is not required, but the ability to configure and operate with guidance is expected
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance to operations staff
• Perform other mission-essential duties as assigned

Required Skills & Experience

• 7+ years of hands-on network engineering experience, ideally in enterprise, government, DoD, or mission-critical environments
• Extensive experience with Cisco routing, switching, firewall, and network services: configuration, troubleshooting, and lifecycle support
• Working knowledge of Juniper Junos routing/switching and related Juniper technologies
• Solid understanding of TCP/IP, subnetting, VLANs, routing protocols, VPNs, ACLs, NAT, DNS, DHCP, NTP, SNMP, syslog, and network monitoring
• Experience supporting secure network operations, vulnerability remediation, configuration hardening, and compliance documentation
• Ability to create and maintain technical documentation, diagrams, SOPs, and change records
• Skill in briefing military leadership on network architecture, operational status, risks, and remediation plans
• Strong troubleshooting, communication, customer support, and independent problem-solving abilities
• Compliance with DoD 8140 / legacy 8570 requirements, including Security+ CE (or higher, as required by contract)

Desired Skills & Experience

• Certifications such as SecurityX, CISSP, CCNP Security/Enterprise, JNCIA-Junos, JNCIS-ENT, JNCIP-ENT, or other relevant Cisco/Juniper/DoD certifications
• Experience with DoD, federal, tactical, overseas, or cleared contractor environments
• Familiarity with Cisco ASA/Firepower, ISE, DNA Center/Catalyst Center, SD-WAN, Nexus, wireless controllers, and Juniper enterprise platforms
• Knowledge of virtualization (Proxmox, VMware), cloud networking, zero trust, and network automation
• Experience supporting RMF packages, ATO renewals, PPSM documentation, inventories, and network architecture diagrams
• Ability to work independently in small-team, remote-site, or expeditionary settings

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The SMX salary determination process takes into account a number of factors, including but not limited to, geographic location, Federal Government contract labor categories, relevant prior work experience, specific skills, education and certifications. At SMX, one of our Core Values is to Invest in Our People so we offer a competitive mix of compensation, learning & development opportunities, and benefits. Some key components of our robust benefits include health insurance, paid leave, and retirement.