Network Administrator

About NFF

Since 1996, NFF has designed, architected, and delivered IT network and security solutions to many state, and local government agencies, K-20 educational institutions, federal agencies, and large enterprise businesses across the mid-Atlantic. NFF is a technology services and solutions provider, specializing in next-generation IT infrastructure including networks, data centers, cloud migrations, IT security, collaboration and mobility, and full/part-time staff augmentation services.

Our solutions, professional services and IT staffing portfolio are centered around building more resilient, secure, adaptive, and intelligent IT infrastructure and include comprehensive assessment, architecture, design, integration and installation services, and ongoing performance management services though our Network Operations Center (NOC).

NFF is a Cisco Gold Partner with a Customer Experience Specialization and was a “Cisco Top-5 Mid-Atlantic SLED Partner” in 2019, 2020 and 2022. NFF has maintained Cisco Gold Partnership since 2008, is the only Cisco Gold Partner headquartered in the District of Columbia. In addition to Cisco, NFF has key partnerships with many manufacturers and IT solution providers including, Rapid7, Arctic Wolf, VMware, NetApp and Splunk.

NFF is a District of Columbia (DC) Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) and a SBA Certified Small Business with headquarters in downtown Washington, DC. Our dedication to quality is reflected in our accomplishment of being awarded multiple ISO 9001:2015 certifications.

About this Position / Responsibilities

• Provide dedicated network administration and engineering support to one or more assigned NFF customers, serving as a trusted technical resource for customer IT and operations staff
• Maintain and upgrade customer networks using documented processes that ensure proper configuration control, change management, traceability, and integrity
• Administer, configure, and maintain Palo Alto and Cisco firewalls, including rule base management, policy design, VPNs, and firmware/software upgrades
• Administer, configure, and troubleshoot Cisco routing and switching infrastructure, including VLANs, trunking, routing protocols, and access-layer through core
• Administer, configure, and troubleshoot enterprise wireless (WiFi) networks, including controllers, access points, SSIDs, and wireless security policies
• Capture and analyze performance and capacity measurements for network components, including circuit utilization and latency on WAN/backbone and aggregation circuits, and CPU and memory utilization of routers, switches, and firewalls
• Validate that all network components are properly monitored and managed; identify any components that cannot be monitored and provide recommendations to mitigate the associated risk
• Develop, validate, and maintain physical and logical network topology diagrams and configuration documentation that clearly convey baseline configuration, performance, and capacity
• Establish and maintain network performance and capacity baselines using real-time data collection and monitoring tools
• Support network security operations, including risk analysis and assessment, system monitoring, intrusion detection/prevention, and firewall design, development, and maintenance
• Support customer security and compliance activities, including vulnerability remediation, configuration hardening, and providing documentation and evidence to customer security officers as required
• Provide technical support in the planning and integration of new IT systems hosted in cloud (IaaS/PaaS) and hybrid environments
• Coordinate with external organizations, partner agencies, carriers, and service providers in support of external network links and services as directed
• Work closely with the NFF engineering team and account management to resolve incidents, escalate issues, and deliver a consistent customer experience
• Participate in planned maintenance windows and respond to after-hours or urgent issues on an ad hoc basis as needed
• Minimum of 3 years of experience in network administration, architecture, management, and deployment
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or higher
• Hands-on experience administering Palo Alto Networks firewalls (PAN-OS, Panorama)
• Hands-on experience administering Cisco firewalls (ASA and/or Firepower/FTD) and Cisco enterprise switching
• Working knowledge of routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, EIGRP), VPN technologies, and network segmentation
• Familiarity with enterprise WiFi technologies, including 802.11 standards, wireless controllers and access points, RF fundamentals, and wireless authentication (802.1X/RADIUS)
• Experience with network monitoring, performance, and capacity management tools
• Demonstrated experience with Change Management and configuration control processes and procedures
• Ability to support multiple customers and to prioritize workload across competing demands, proactively react to issues, and adjust to shifting deadlines
• Must reside within commuting distance of Washington, DC and be able to work onsite at customer facilities multiple days per week, as well as on an ad hoc basis as needed
• Must be able to work independently without supervision and be comfortable interacting with all levels of customer staff, from engineers to IT leadership
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and proven ability to collaborate effectively with technical and non-technical staff
• Proficiency in Visio, Excel, Word, PowerPoint
• Must possess an active Public Trust or a previously held Public Trust, and be able to obtain or reinstate a Public Trust as required by the customer

Highly Preferred

• Experience supporting federal government customers and familiarity with federal security frameworks (NIST, FISMA, TIC)
• Experience in a managed services, NOC, or technology VAR/systems integrator environment
• Experience with AWS networking, including VPC design, subnets, route tables, security groups, Transit Gateway, and hybrid connectivity (Site-to-Site VPN, Direct Connect)
• Familiarity with Ekahau or similar wireless planning and survey tools, and experience performing wireless site surveys (predictive, pre-deployment, and post-deployment validation)
• Relevant industry certifications in any of the following areas: Cisco (CCNP Enterprise or Security), Palo Alto (PCNSA/PCNSE), CompTIA Security+, ITIL, AWS, Microsoft Azure
• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or other technical discipline

Physical / Work Environment Requirements

• Ability to work in telecom closets, data centers, and equipment rooms, including physical cable tracing, labeling, patching, and rack-and-stack installation of network equipment
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs, use ladders, and work in tight, confined, or overhead spaces
• Ability to stand, walk, kneel, and bend for extended periods while performing onsite work in varying customer site conditions
• Occasional after-hours or weekend work to support maintenance windows, cutovers, and project schedules

NFF Disclosures

• NFF offers a competitive salary, comprehensive benefits and flexible paid time off options, for eligible employees:
• Medical, Dental and Vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account
• STD, LTD, Supplemental life insurance and ADD&D
• Comprehensive 401k plan

Paid Time Off

NFF is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

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