Principal Network Services Architect

Leidos is seeking a qualified Principal Network Services Architect to support a proposed large-scale, transformational IT infrastructure program. The successful candidate will serve as the principal technical authority for Task Area 2 (Network Services), setting strategic architecture direction and providing governance for FDA's wired and wireless LAN, WAN, third-party/cloud connectivity, unified communications, load balancing, and related network infrastructure.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the principal technical architect and accountable architecture lead for enterprise Data Network and Communication Services
• Lead network design and engineering activities supporting enhancements, increments, and modifications to the existing environment
• Architect and continuously optimize connectivity, routing, and security between FDA's on-premise data centers and FDA's AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud Platform landing zones
• Define and govern a multi-year strategic roadmap for network modernization and technology refresh
• Provide senior technical oversight of network operations and administrative services
• Direct capacity management for FDA's network infrastructure to ensure IT resources are right-sized for current and future business requirements
• Architect load balancing, domain services, and monitoring solutions across voice, data, and VPN environments
• Lead modification of network, storage, database, and related infrastructure policies, configurations, and provisions
• Provide architectural and engineering support for Unified Communications, load balancing, eFax, and Enterprise Network Time Protocol (NTP) services
• Direct network monitoring and reporting using agreed-upon tools
• Lead root-cause and continuous-improvement efforts on existing network infrastructure, platforms, and processes
• Maintain accurate architectural documentation, current-state/target-state network diagrams, and an accurate inventory of on-premise data center spaces housing network equipment
• Support annual and ad-hoc network audits to ensure compliance with FDA standards
• Coordinate with telecommunications contractors, cloud service providers, and other Task Area leads to ensure integrated, end-to-end service delivery
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to senior network architects, engineering leads, Network Engineers, Administrators, and other Task Area 2 staff

Strategic Architecture Leadership and Technical Governance:

• Serve as the principal network architecture authority for Task Area 2, accountable for integrated target-state architecture, architectural integrity, and alignment with FDA mission, security, operational, and modernization priorities
• Develop and maintain a multi-year enterprise network and communications strategy
• Lead cross-domain architecture governance and technical design reviews
• Advise senior FDA and program technology leadership on network architecture alternatives, emerging technologies, resilience, cyber risk, and investment tradeoffs
• Provide architectural leadership across network, cloud, compute/storage, cybersecurity, unified communications, and data center service boundaries
• Define measurable architecture outcomes for network availability, performance, capacity, resiliency, security, automation, lifecycle health, and total cost of ownership
• Lead architecture risk assessments for mission-critical connectivity and transformation initiatives
• Establish consistent architectural practices and develop other senior technical leaders through design reviews, mentoring, and technical guidance

Basic Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree and 12+ years of progressive network engineering/architecture experience
• 7+ years in senior/principal architect or technical leadership roles on large enterprise-scale federal or commercial network environments
• Demonstrated hands-on architecture experience across LAN, WAN, and third-party/cloud connectivity
• Strong working knowledge of connecting and securing on-premise data center networks to public Cloud Service Providers
• Experience with network monitoring and management tooling and with capacity planning for enterprise network infrastructure
• Demonstrated experience managing multi-site enterprise network environments
• Experience supporting large-scale IT infrastructure technology refresh, upgrade, and lifecycle management activities
• Strong documentation skills
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills
• U.S. Citizenship
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), current and active , or equivalent senior-level network architecture certification

Preferred Qualifications:

• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
• AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform networking-focused certification
• ITIL Foundation certification (or higher)
• Prior experience directly supporting FDA, another HHS operating division, or a comparable federal health/regulatory science agency
• Experience with SD-WAN network automation platforms and Zero Trust network architecture concepts
• Familiarity with ServiceNow or comparable enterprise ITSM platforms for change and incident management