Network Engineer (Hybrid- Annapolis, MD)

Fairwinds Technologies, L

11h•$128,000 - $164,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The C-UAS Sr. Network Engineer designs, implements, and sustains the IP networks and backhaul that connect C‑UAS sensors (RF/radar/EO‑IR), C2 software, trailerized field kits, and data centers and leads efforts in routing/switching, L2/L3 security, QoS for real‑time sensor flows, time/frequency distribution, and microwave/millimeter‑wave backhaul used during tests and operational deployments. This role supports site activations during live‑fly events and maintains coordination artifacts as needed.

Requirements

Must be a U.S citizen with an ACTIVE security clearance of at least the SECRET level.
Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer/Systems Engineering, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent military/industry background in this field accepted.
8+ years of experience designing, implementing, and operating mission‑critical IP networks (preferably C4ISR/UAS/sensor networks or federal programs).
Hands‑on expertise with routing/switching, VPNs, firewalls, multicast, QoS, PTP/NTP, and microwave/mmWave backhaul.
Experience producing SELC network artifacts and participating in technical reviews.
Demonstrated support for RMF and implementation of NIST 800‑53 CM controls via documented baselines, change control, and inventories.
Familiarity with FAA COA constraints for live‑fly events and range operations.
Strong documentation discipline; ability to brief and defend designs to technical review boards.

Responsibilities

Design resilient L2/L3 architectures for field sites, trailers, and regional hubs, including routing (OSPF/IS IS/BGP), segmentation, multicast (PIM/IGMP) for real time tracks/streams, and QoS for latency sensitive sensor traffic—all documented in SELC artifacts.
Engineer time sync and clock distribution to ensure data coherence for Pd/FAR/CEP analytics; capture baseline configurations for review packages and audits.
Lead microwave/mmWave backhaul design, path surveys, link budgets, antenna alignments, and registrations.
Commission site networks during DT/OT and operational pilots; bring up WAN/LAN, firewalls, VPNs, and out of band (OOB) access; integrate with COA/range constraints in event runbooks.
Produce as built artifacts, cutover/back out plans, and method of procedure (MOP) documents required at SELC technical reviews and acceptance gates.
Implement network security hardening and baseline configurations, recording all changes and deviations.
Support RMF by generating configuration snapshots, port/protocol/service inventories, scan results, and mitigation status for ATO/continuous monitoring packages.
Engineer QoS, traffic shaping, and buffer policies for sensor and C2 flows; measure latency/jitter/packet loss across links and document targets in deployment reports.
Administer routers, switches, firewalls, radios, and time servers; maintain configuration backups, golden images, and automated compliance checks linked to SELC CM artifacts and audits.
Drive IaC style repeatability where feasible and maintain secure repositories for configs and MOPs referenced during reviews.
Coordinate with Field Deployment, Test, Cybersecurity, and Spectrum teams to ensure deployment plans meet airspace, spectrum, and cyber requirements, and that artifacts stay current for review boards.