Jr. Network Operations Engineer

Position Description

Valiant Solutions is seeking a J unior Network Operations Engineer t o join our rapidly growing and innovative cybersecurity team!

Valiant Solutions is seeking a Junior Network Operations Engineer to serve as the first line of response for a federal enterprise Network Operations Center supporting roughly 50 sites nationwide. This position triages incoming incidents and service requests in ServiceNow, performs first-tier diagnostics such as connectivity verification and switch port resets, and escalates to Tier 2 and Tier 3 engineers against defined service levels. Tier 1 acts as the incident response manager on this program, which means the role carries real ownership of the ticket from intake through resolution rather than simply passing it along. The position is a structured entry point into federal network operations, with direct exposure to Cisco enterprise routing and switching, Zero Trust network access control, and an enterprise IPv6 modernization effort driven by OMB M-21-07.

Named one of the Best Places to Work in the Washington DC area for 12 consecutive years, Valiant is proud of our employee-centric culture and commitment to excellence. If you are interested in learning more about Valiant and this opportunity, we invite you to apply now!

Location: Silver Spring, MD, with partial remote work (3 days onsite and 2 days remote). Remote work requires a high level of trust in our employees, and we strictly adhere to the details outlined in our Remote Work Policy below.

Eligibility: Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

Required Experience

Experience and Education

• 1 to 3 years of Network Operations Center or technical help desk experience.
  
• High school diploma or equivalent. Trade certifications are highly preferred.
  
• Experience working tickets in an IT service management platform.
  
• Interest in building a career in enterprise network engineering, with a willingness to pursue certification
  while on contract.
  
  
  

Technical Skills

• Networking fundamentals: the OSI model, IP addressing and subnetting, VLANs, DNS, and DHCP.
  
• Basic Cisco IOS command line navigation for interface status and port configuration.
  
• Ticket handling in ServiceNow or a comparable IT service management platform.
  
• Alarm triage in an enterprise monitoring tool such as SolarWinds.
  
• Clear technical writing for knowledge base articles and ticket documentation.
• Microsoft Office and collaboration tool proficiency.
  
  

Communication and Stakeholder Engagement

• Written and verbal communication skills sufficient to explain network and security concepts to both engineers and non-technical government stakeholders.
  
  

Preferred Certifications

• CompTIA Network+ or A+.
  
• CCNA, or active progress toward it.
  
• ITIL v4 Foundation certification is preferred, given the requirement to unify operations under an ITSM
  framework.
  
  

Responsibilities

Tier 1 Incident Response

• Serve as the incident response manager for incoming tickets, owning triage, categorization, and routing to Tier 2 and Tier 3 engineers.
• Perform first-tier diagnostics, including connectivity verification, interface status checks, and switch port resets.
  
• Monitor the enterprise monitoring platform for alarms and open tickets proactively when thresholds are crossed.
  
• Escalate against defined service levels so that Priority 1 incidents receive a response within 15 minutes.
  
• Track ticket aging and flag overage tickets before they breach a service level.
  
  

Ticketing and Service Request Management

• Open, update, and close tickets in ServiceNow ITSM, capturing clear problem statements, actions taken, and resolutions.
  
• Process network service requests submitted through the service catalog.
  
• Provide status updates to requesters and government stakeholders throughout the incident lifecycle.
  
• Supply ticket metrics and service level performance data for the weekly and monthly status reports.
  
  

Documentation and Knowledge Base

• Write and maintain How-To articles for common troubleshooting steps so that repeat issues resolve faster.
  
• Keep topology diagrams and asset inventories current as devices are added, replaced, or retired.
  
• Support the device inventory validation effort across Cisco Catalyst and Nexus switches, Cisco Firepower Threat Defense firewalls, Cisco ISE appliances, and Ubiquiti UniFi and Meraki switches.
  
• Assist senior engineers with monitoring configuration, dashboard upkeep, and change documentation.
  
  

About Valiant Solutions

Valiant Solutions delivers cybersecurity and IT services to federal civilian, defense, and national security customers nationwide. We support the full cyber lifecycle, from secure system design and accreditation through AI-enabled operations, threat emulation, and continuous improvement, across classified and unclassified environments. Our work is independently certified for quality and security, including CMMI, CMMC, and ISO certifications.

Valiant is a multi-year Washington Business Journal Best Places to Work winner, and our growth and cyber leadership have been recognized by Washington Technology, Northern Virginia Technology Council, and the Triangle Business Journal. We offer strong benefits, rewards for earning industry certifications, and room to grow your career as we grow. Headquartered in McLean, Virginia, our distributed workforce supports customers from coast to coast. We go where the stakes are highest, and the margin for error is zero. If you want meaningful work alongside talented professionals, apply today.

Benefits Snapshot

Valiant takes care of the people who support our customers, with real choices in coverage and real investment in your career. Eligible full-time employees receive:

• A choice of medical plans, from an affordable HSA option to a full-featured PPO, with generous company contributions
• Dental and vision coverage for you and your family
• Company-paid life, short-term disability, and long-term disability insurance
• Optional supplemental life, accident, and critical illness coverage to round out your protection
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Paid time off that grows with your years of service, plus paid federal holidays
• Paid certifications, professional development, and the Valiant University training portal
• Flexible spending accounts and a wellness and fitness program
• Referral bonuses when you help us bring great people to Valiant
  
  

Benefit eligibility and plan details are subject to the terms of each plan and may change from time to time.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $150,000 to $168,000. This range reflects Valiant Solutions' good-faith estimate of the base salary reasonably expected for this position upon hire, at the time of posting. The range has been established based on the scope of the role, market rates, and internal equity. Where a candidate falls within the posted range will depend on job-related factors, including relevant skills, experience, qualifications, achievements, education, geographic location, applicable security clearance requirements, additional corporate responsibilities, and other legitimate, non-discriminatory business considerations. The posted range does not guarantee an offer at any particular salary. In addition to base salary, this position includes the benefits described above.

Remote Work Policy (Remote and Hybrid Positions Only)

Remote work necessitates a high level of trust in our employees. To ensure that employee performance does not suffer in a remote work environment, all employees who telecommute are expected to have a quiet and distraction-free workspace with adequate internet, dedicate their full attention and availability to their job duties during working hours, and maintain a schedule during core business hours that aligns with those of their coworkers and Valiant's clients. In alignment with Valiant's inclusive and engaging environment, cameras are encouraged and can be required to be on during virtual video conferences. Additionally, in alignment with the Office of the Inspector General’s effort to eliminate conflicting employment, all Valiant employees are required to disclose any current or future outside employment engagements. During onboarding and throughout employment, employees must disclose any current activities or intent to engage in outside employment or other professional activities and obtain written approval. Employees may not solicit or conduct any outside business during core business hours for Valiant Solutions and our clients.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Valiant Solutions is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. Valiant Solutions provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact [email protected].

Physical Demands

Sitting or standing at a desk for prolonged periods and consistently operating a computer. Frequent communication and exchanging of accurate information via electronic communication, phones, and in person. Occasionally lift and/or move moderate amounts of weight, typically less than 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Authorization to Share Resume and Personal Information

By submitting your resume for this position, you authorize Valiant Solutions to share your resume, as well as personal information included on the resume, with its subsidiaries, affiliates, and teaming partners for the purpose of considering you for this position and other available positions requiring comparable skills, education, and experience. Should Valiant Solutions or its affiliates and teaming partners wish to initiate pre-employment discussions, you will be asked to complete an employment application and related employment documents.