Network Operations Engineer

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

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Who we are supporting 

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

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Role ID – C004706

Role Duties and Responsibilities

• Direct 1st level fault resolution on Routing and Switching Elements to sectors, sites and the Service Area routing cells
• Advises on fault diagnosis throughout NATO sites utilizing a number of management platforms (e.g. HP Openview, Netscout, Cisco Works)
• Ensure that, on Routing and Switching elements, remote routine maintenance throughout NATO sites is performed
• Coordinate with sites for Routing and Switching elements centralisation, standardisation and best practices
• Liaise and collaborate internally throughout the NCI Agency Service Line infrastructures and to external organisations for fault rectification activities
• Being responsible for the creation and maintenance of Standard Operating Procedures within the Routing and Switching Cell
• Coordination, and performance, of configuration, and evaluation, of test scenarios within the NGCS Reference Facility, pertinent to the area of Routing and network configuration problem resolution
• Coordinates and performs routing infrastructures design, configuration and maintenance activities for all appointed NATO exercise scenarios and Operations
• Performing the practical evaluation of management tools and capabilities
• Ensure a common understanding of the available toolsets and method of utilization within the centralised and distributed user base
• Investigating and proposing long term solutions to encountered equipment and configuration problems
• When required, coordinates on-site surveys, validations and system acceptance testing into the Routing infrastructure.

 Essential Skills, Experience and Certifications

• Over 4 years' experience of CISCO Routing and Switching Elements
• A minimum of 2 years' experience with the configuration and operation of HP Network Automation or equivalent network automation and orchestration systems
• A minimum of 4 years' experience with the configuration and operation of Network Monitoring and Event Management systems ideally Intermapper, Spectrum, HP Openview and Splunk
• Over 4 years' experience of working in a centrally managed network environment
• Minimum qualification of Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
• Proven experience in the use of an Incident Management System such as BMC Remedy
• A high level of knowledge of network, system and application level troubleshooting techniques
• Sound knowledge of communications protocols and practical experience of using diagnostic test equipment
• Comprehensive knowledge of the principles of command and control systems
• Extensive technical management expertise in C2 management
• Broad knowledge of C2 systems and software maintenance procedures
• Experience in Site and Systems Evaluation and Inspection
• Experience with IP Diffserv QoS in Networks
• Extensive working Knowledge of OSPF and BGP to include (Multi-area architectures, BGP Confederations and Route Reflectors)
• Knowledge of EIGRP and IS-IS
• Extensive knowledge of implementing and operating LAN technologies (e.g. HSRP, STP, Switching, VLANs, DHCP snooping, ARP Inspection, Port-Security)
• Extensive knowledge of implementing and operating network authentication and authorization systems and technologies (e.g. Secure ACS 5.x, 802.1x, 802.1ae MACSEC, RADIUS, TACACS+)
• Experience of preparing test plans, technical documentation and Standard Operating Procedures
• Contact with UNIX, Linux operating systems
• Good interpersonal skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Five years' experience in all aspects of maintenance, repair, modification and operation of large complex multi-vendor IP communications networks and related equipment
• Member of a recognised professional body representing the communications area
• Shall have general understanding of related telecommunications systems and techniques of TDM, ATM, Frame relay, MPLS, Video, Voice and VOIP technology
• Experience with IPv6 network technologies and concepts
• Experience with Datacentre technologies and Virtualized Switching such as VMWare and Nexus1000V
• Experience implementing and operating a multi-tenancy network environments (VRF/VLAN)
• Experience implementing and operating multicast network technologies (IGMP, PIM)
• Experience developing, and maintain scripts using EXPECT, Python or PERL
• Knowledge and experience with commercial IPSEC encryption solutions such as Secure Virtual Tunnels (sVTI), SSLVPN, DMVPN, GETVPN
• Familiarity with Thales TCE 621 family IP Cryptographic Equipment or similar Military Grade IP Encryption devices
• Understanding of Firewall Technology and Concepts
• Understanding of Intrusion Detection System Technology
• Familiarity with Application Performance Monitoring Solutions such as Netscout
• Familiarity with Performance Management principles, metrics and tools (e.g. MRTG, IPSLA)
• Hold one or more of the following IT security qualifications/certifications:
• CCIE: Cisco Certified Internet Expert
• CCDP: Cisco Certified Design Professional
• Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Foundation or Higher

 Education

• A minimum requirement of a Bachelor's degree at a nationally recognised/certified University in a related discipline and 2 years post-related experience.
• Alternatively, exceptionally, the lack of a university degree may be compensated by the demonstration of a candidate's particular abilities or experience that is/are of interest to NCI Agency, that is, at least 6 years extensive and progressive expertise in duties related to the function of the post.

 Working Location

• Grazzanise, Italy

Working Policy

• On-site

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance