Senior Network Engineer/Strategist

Senior Network Engineer/Strategist Location US-OH-Dayton ID 2026-4421 Category Information Technology Position Type Full Time Salary Riverside Overview Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high-end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country's most challenging technical problems.All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship. Position Overview Riverside Research is seeking an experienced Network Strategist to support the National Air & Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) at Wright Patterson AFB, OH. This position will lead the design, modernization, and long-term planning of enterprise network capabilities. This role blends architecture, strategy, and cross-functional leadership to ensure the network foundation supports evolving business, security, and IT transformation needs. The ideal candidate will bring deep technical expertise, strong analytic and communication skills, and the ability to influence decisions across engineering, operations, cybersecurity, and leadership teams. Responsibilities - Investigatehardwareandsoftwaretechnologiestodesignnetworkconfigurationsthatsupportthetransitiontomoderncloudenvironments. - DeliveramonthlyNetworkStrategyPostureReportdocumentingprogressonarchitecturaldesignsandrecommendedtechnicalstandards. - Workwithstakeholderstoensureappropriateengineeringartifacts(configurationmanagement,architecture,cybersecurity)aredeliveredandtrackITmodernizationnetworkrequirementsacrosstheFutureYearsDefenseProgram(FYDP). - Developandmaintainenterprisenetworkstrategy,includingLAN/WAN,SD-WAN,wireless,datacenter,cloudnetworking,andedgeconnectivity. - Assesscurrent-statenetworkenvironmentsanddefinemulti-yearevolutionroadmapsalignedtoorganizationalpriorities. - Leadnetworkmodernizationinitiatives(e.g.,zerotrustnetworking,segmentation,automation/orchestration,observabilityupgrades). - Partnercloselywithcybersecuritytoalignnetworkingandsecuritystrategies,includingSASE,firewallarchitecture,andsecureaccessapproaches. - Evaluatenewtechnologies,vendors,andindustrytrends;providerecommendationssupportedbybusinesscasesandtechnicalassessments. - Collaboratewithnetworkengineeringteamstoconvertstrategicdirectionintoactionabledesigns,standards,andimplementationplans. - Drivecapacityplanning,resilienceimprovements,andperformanceoptimizationacrossglobalnetworkenvironments. - Establishandmaintainreferencearchitectures,standards,andgovernancemodels. - Communicatestrategy,risks,andimpactstoleadershipandstakeholdersinclear,business-focusedlanguage. - Guideandmentorjuniorandmid-levelnetworkengineersandarchitects. - Executegovernmentapprovedplans. - Otherdutiesasassigned. Qualifications Required Qualifications: - Top Secret clearance with SCI adjudication - Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or related field. - 16+ years of hands-on network engineering, architecture, or strategy experience. - Expert-level understanding of enterprise networking technologies including routing, switching, wireless, BGP/OSPF/EIGRP, MPLS, SD-WAN, VPN, DNS/DHCP/IPAM. - Strong experience with modern architectures such as SASE, ZTNA, SD-WAN, cloud networking (AWS, Azure, GCP), and micro-segmentation. - Proven ability to lead multi-year roadmap development and strategic planning. - Experience collaborating with cybersecurity, cloud teams, and infrastructure leadership. - Strong analytical and communication skills; ability to convey complex solutions to both technical and non-technical audiences. Preferred Qualifications: Master's degree in Computer Science,