Senior Network Engineer

Blackwatch International Corporation (Blackwatch) is a small business founded in 2010 and dedicated to supporting Federal business and national security objectives. Our headquarters are in McLean, VA, with satellite offices in Sacramento, CA.

Blackwatch invests in innovation and quality for our customers and staff, holding corporate-level ISO 9001:2015, ISO/IEC 27001:2013, and ISO/IEC 20000-1:2018, CMMC Level 2, and CMMI Level 3 certifications. We are a leading provider of information technology (IT) infrastructure, cybersecurity, DevSecOps, data exploitation, and engineering services, specializing in large and complex projects. Blackwatch is dedicated to growth and offers a dynamic working environment with multiple opportunities for advancement.

Position Location: Alexandria (On-site, Virtual, and Telework support)

Position Type: Full-Time

Years of Experience: 8+ years

Security Clearance: Ability to obtain Public Trust (or higher if required)

US Citizenship Required: Yes, with Real ID

Position Description

The Senior Network Engineer positions will be part of 70-person End User Services and Audio Visual (AV) Collaboration Support team supporting the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), an agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, responsible for granting U.S. patents and registering trademarks, playing a vital role in fostering innovation, protecting intellectual property, and supporting economic growth. To carry out this mission, USPTO depends on a modern, secure, and highly available information technology environment that supports a geographically dispersed workforce, extensive telework capabilities, and high-demand public-facing systems. The Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) is central to this effort, delivering reliable, innovative, and secure IT services that enhance productivity, communication, and collaboration for leadership, employees, and external stakeholders.

The Senior Network Engineer positions support the USPTO OCIO mission by providing comprehensive End User Services and Audio Visual (AV) Collaboration Support across enterprise environments, ensuring seamless IT service delivery while advancing modernization and improving the overall user experience. The scope includes support for desktop services across headquarters, regional, and satellite offices, warehouse operations, telework services, and AV and collaboration capabilities, creating a cohesive and resilient IT ecosystem for both on-site and remote users. This project is focused on maintaining reliable operations through the sustainment and enhancement of legacy systems while also enabling modernization through the introduction of innovative technologies and solutions that align with evolving mission needs. The End User Services and Audio Visual (AV) Collaboration Support project supports 12,895 teleworkers in which 96.14% of USPTO employees are teleworking at least one day a week with 11,405 of those teleworkers working from home five days per week. USPTO maintains over 17,800 laptop/desktop computers for employees and on-site support contractors, and over 26,800 printers. The warehouse contains over 190 different IT items with approximately 11,000 serialized items and a total of 20,000 items currently stored.

The Senior Network Engineer is responsible for the design, configuration, installation, testing, maintenance, and troubleshooting of enterprise network infrastructure supporting USPTO end-user services, including LAN, WAN, wireless connectivity, and Voice and Video Teleconferencing (VTC) systems. This role ensures reliable, secure, and high-performing network connectivity across headquarters, regional offices, telework environments, and field locations in support of mission-critical operations. The Senior Network Engineer works within a service-oriented, Agile delivery environment and may operate in a supervisory capacity as needed to support field technicians and coordinate network support activities.

In alignment with the broader End User Services and Operations Support (EUSOS) program, the Senior Network Engineer plays a key role in enabling seamless connectivity between servers, end-user devices, collaboration platforms, and cloud-based services. This position supports both proactive network optimization and reactive incident resolution, ensuring minimal downtime and rapid restoration of services in accordance with established service level agreements (SLAs). The Network Engineer collaborates closely with field engineers, desktop support teams, and enterprise stakeholders to deliver integrated IT and communications solutions that enhance productivity, reliability, and user experience.

The Senior Network Engineer is responsible for configuring and testing network devices such as routers, switches, hubs, gateways, and related infrastructure components to ensure proper operation and interoperability across systems. This includes staging and validating SOHO routers and other network equipment for deployment, supporting equipment swaps, and ensuring successful integration into existing environments. The role also involves troubleshooting complex network issues, including connectivity problems related to Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and other core services, while applying structured diagnostic methods and root cause analysis to identify and resolve issues efficiently.

This position provides technical assistance and end-user support via phone, email, remote tools, or in-person interaction, responding to network-related incidents and service requests. The Senior Network Engineer gathers detailed user input, asks targeted diagnostic questions, and applies technical expertise to quickly identify and resolve problems. In addition, the role generates operational reports, documents service activities, and provides recommendations for network improvements and infrastructure enhancements to management for review and planning purposes.

Responsibilities

Minimum Qualifications

Preferred