Principal Technician (Digital Communication Services)

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION:

Essential Qualifications/Experience:

·         Hands-on experience with the designing, implementing, and maintaining the core network architecture for large organizations

·         Practical experience configuring, troubleshooting and optimizing routers, switches, firewalls, and other hardware/software networking elements

·         CCNA Routing and Switching or similar training/certification

·         2+ years practical experience with the designing, implementing, and maintaining the core network architecture for large organizations

·         Good practical experience configuring, troubleshooting and optimizing routers, switches, firewalls, and other hardware/software networking elements

·         Knowledge and experience of the following domains

·         Routing and Protocol Expertise: Proficiency in dynamic routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, IS-IS) and traffic engineering techniques, with a strong foundation in IPv4/IPv6 networking. MPLS, IPv6, Segment Routing, QoS

·         SD-WAN and Network Virtualization: Hands-on experience deploying, managing, and optimizing SD-WAN solutions for modern enterprise environments. Software Defined (SDx) (e.g. SDN, SD-WAN, SDDC, SASE) Network Functions Virtualization (NFV)

·         Troubleshooting and Automation: Advanced troubleshooting skills combined with knowledge of network automation tools (e.g., Python, Ansible) for efficient configuration and monitoring

·         Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements

·         Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including ACO and ACT

·         Cisco or other network manufacturer certifications are welcome

·         Systems design

ü  Follows standard approaches and established design patterns to create new designs for simple systems or system components.

ü  Identifies and resolves minor design issues.

ü  Identifies alternative design options and seeks guidance when deviating from established design patterns.

·         Network design

ü  Specifies the technical configurations and components required for a small network or a network segment in a more complex infrastructure.

ü  Follows organisational architectures and standards.

·         Systems integration and build

ü  Defines the software modules needed for an integration build and produces a build definition for each generation of the software.

ü  Accepts completed software modules, ensuring that they meet defined criteria.

ü  Produces software builds from software source code for loading onto target hardware.

ü  Configures the hardware and software environment as required by the system being integrated.

ü  Produces integration test specifications, conducts tests and records and reports on outcomes.

ü  Diagnoses faults and records and reports on the results of tests.

ü  Produces system integration reports.

·         Network support

ü  Maintains the network support process and checks that all requests for support are dealt with according to agreed procedures.

ü  Ensures network configurations are applied to meet operational requirements in line with agreed procedures.

ü  Uses network management software and tools to investigate and diagnose network problems, collect performance statistics and create reports.

·         Additional duties for this post:

ü  Network Design & Implementation – Plan, configure, and deploy routing protocols (e.g., OSPF, BGP, IS-IS)

ü  LA/WAN Optimization – Optimize routing tables and traffic flow for performance and redundancy

ü  Troubleshooting & Support – Diagnose and resolve routing issues, including latency, congestion, and failures

ü  Security & Compliance – Implement route filtering, prefix lists, and security policies to prevent unauthorized access

ü  Capacity Planning – Monitor network usage and plan for scalability and growth

ü  Documentation & Reporting – Maintain network diagrams, change logs, and incident reports

ü  Collaboration – Work with other teams (e.g., security, data centre, cloud) to ensure seamless connectivity

ü  Software & Firmware Management – Upgrade and patch routers to maintain security and stability

ü  Testing & Lab Work – Conduct network simulations and testing before deploying changes

ü  On-Call Support – Be available on a rotating basis for after-hours network incidents and escalations

ü  Enterprise Security Operations Center Rotation – Take assigned shifts in the ESOC to monitor and manage network operations in real-time