Sr Principal Network Engineer

Job Description
Join BAE Systems' Infrastructure Management Center (IMC) and help shape National Security. We are seeking a motivated Network Engineer to join our dynamic, cross-functional team. In this role, you will support the planning, design, and integration of complex technical challenges that support critical national security missions, including , Production facility modernization and sustainment, Resarch and Development and nuclear missions
The Role
The Network Engineer responsibilities will include:

• Provide systems analysis and document requirements for hardware systems and applications, working across design, development, testing, and deployment teams.
• Develop end-to-end enterprise analysis and ensure all systems comply with the enterprise technical architecture.
• Perform functional analysis, cost estimation, trade studies, and interface definition studies to translate customer needs into hardware and software requirements.
• Analyze and interpret legacy network schematics and technical manuals to map existing hardware footprints and data flows.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive network architecture drawings and interface control documents (ICDs) to guide infrastructure refreshes.
• Design integration strategies for hybrid cabling environments, ensuring seamless connectivity between legacy physical layers and modern networking standards.
• Coordinate with customer and program stakeholders to resolve functional or technical problems as they are identified.
• Ensure engineering systems meet functional and technical requirements for operations and maintenance while assessing business and management constraints.
• Identify technical risks and develop mitigation strategies for system expansion or workflow improvement.
• Identify and manage dependencies between new designs and existing IT infrastructure elements.
• Evaluate industry offerings for products and technologies with the potential to support system design.
• Assess system designs to validate them against expected technical parameters and identify necessary hardware/applications for the development process.
• Support industrial controls networks, including PLC/SCADA connectivity, network architecture, segmentation, communications, and troubleshooting across control systems.

Required Education, Experience, & Skills

• Must have 12 years experience with a BS (10 years MS); that can be a combination of work history and education.
• Deep technical knowledge of network infrastructure and hardware (routers, switches, firewalls, and other networking appliances).
• Demonstrated ability to read, understand, and develop schematic diagrams and technical documentation to ensure equipment and software can be maintained with minimal training.
• Proven experience interpreting and generating network architecture drawings.
• Demonstrated ability to engineer and modify rulesets to allow connectivity for new customer requirements.
• Prior experience facilitating and leading technical meetings, such as readiness review gates.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, with a track record of delivering engineering documents and procedures used for the design and maintenance of information systems.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Visio.
• Working knowledge of ServiceNow or similar IT Service Management (ITSM) products.
• Ability to represent the team and deliver status reports to internal and external leadership.

Preferred Education, Experience, & Skills

• Active Secret security clearance.
• Prior experience with Naval networking architecture.
• Network Certifications: Cisco CCNA/CCNP, CompTIA Network+, or equivalent network engineering certification.
• Controls / OT Cybersecurity Certifications: ISA/IEC 62443, ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP), or CompTIA Security+.

Pay Information
Full-Time Salary Range: $120874 - $205486
Please note: This range is based on our market pay structures. However, individual salaries are determined by a variety of factors including, but not limited to: business considerations, local market conditions, and internal equity, as well as candidate qualifications, such as skills, education, and experience.
Employee Benefits: At BAE Systems, we support our employees in all aspects of their life, including their health and financial well-being. Regular employees scheduled to work 20+ hours per week are offered: health, dental, and vision insurance; health savings accounts; a 401(k) savings plan; disability coverage; and life and accident insurance. We also have an employee assistance program, a legal plan, and other perks including discounts on things like home, auto, and pet insurance. Our leave programs include paid time off, paid holidays, as well as other types of leave, including paid parental, military, bereavement, and any applicable federal and state sick leave. Employees may participate in the company recognition program to receive monetary or non-monetary recognition awards. Other incentives may be available based on position level and/or job specifics.
About BAE Systems, Inc.
BAE Systems, Inc. is a defense, aerospace, and security company headquartered in Falls Church, Virginia, with more than 40,000 employees worldwide. We serve, supply, and protect those who protect us. As one of the most geographically diverse international defense companies, we deliver a full range of products and services spanning air, land, maritime, space, and cyber, including advanced electronics, intelligence solutions, and dedicated customer support.
Our culture is performance-driven and values-led, built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Purpose isn't a tagline here. It's what drives us. We're developing breakthrough technologies that defend national security and make a lasting impact on our communities and our planet. When you join BAE Systems, you're not just building a career. You're contributing to a mission that truly matters.
This position will be posted for at least 5 calendar days. The posting will remain active until the position is filled, or a qualified pool of candidates is identified.