Work Model: Onsite

Allows Relocation: NO, must be within 70 miles

SUMMARY

The Mississippi Department of Revenue (Office of Information Technology (OIT)) is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Network Infrastructure Engineer to support and advance the State’s enterprise networking environment. This position plays a critical role in designing, deploying, and operating new LDC (Liquor Distribution Center) fabrics, networks, identity-driven access systems, and observability platforms.

The engineer will work closely with infrastructure team to ensure the State’s network services remain reliable, scalable, secure, and aligned with enterprise modernization goals. This is a hands-on engineering position that requires strong technical expertise, effective communication, and the ability to support mission-critical systems across data centers and statewide operations.

This position is responsible for the design, implementation, security, and ongoing support of OIT’s enterprise data center and campus network infrastructure. The engineer will work with Cisco ACI, Software‑Defined Access (SDA), Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), Cisco Catalyst platforms, and observability tools including ThousandEyes, Cyber Vision, and DNA Spaces. The role also includes the administration of Palo Alto firewalls supporting statewide systems.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Primary

·        Cisco ACI fabric design and administration (VRF, BD, EPG/ESG, L3Out).

·        ACI integrations with OpenShift VMM and Cilium/Isovalent.

·        Catalyst and SDA wired/wireless fabric deployment and support.

·        Identity‑driven access configuration using Cisco ISE (TACACS+, authentication/authorization, device profiling).

·        ThousandEyes monitoring, Cyber Vision integration, and DNA Spaces analytics.

·        Palo Alto next‑generation firewall configuration, policy development, and troubleshooting.

·        Network documentation, lifecycle planning, and support of mission‑critical services.

Expanded

·        Cisco ACI & Data Center Networking

·        Design, implement, and maintain Cisco Nexus platforms running ACI mode, including VRFs, Bridge Domains, EPGs/ESGs, L3Out, contracts, and fabric policies.

·        Integrate ACI with virtualization and container platforms including Red Hat OpenShift VMM and Isovalent/Cilium.

·        Configure and optimize RoCEv2 within the ACI fabric for high-performance, low-latency workloads.

·        Conduct advanced troubleshooting of ACI fabric health, faults, endpoint learning, contracts, and multi-tenant segmentation.

·        Develop and maintain fabric documentation, standards, and operational procedures. Cisco Catalyst & Software-Defined Access

·        Deploy and support Cisco Catalyst platforms within campus environments.

·        Design and maintain Software-Defined Access (SDA) architectures, including SDA Wired Fabric and Fabric-Enabled Wireless. 2

·        Manage fabric underlay and overlay, policy mapping, authentication integrations, and assurance operations.

·        Collaborate with wireless engineers to optimize coverage, performance, and policy enforcement across SDA. Identity-Driven Networking & Security Technologies

·        Configure and administer Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) for TACACS+ device administration, authentication and authorization policy sets, and endpoint profiling.

·        Integrate Cyber Vision intelligence into profiling, segmentation, and access control workflows.

·        Support Zero Trust efforts through identity-centric segmentation and policy integration across ACI and SDA fabrics. Visibility, Analytics & Observability

·        Deploy and manage ThousandEyes for end-to-end visibility, routing path analysis, and performance monitoring.

·        Implement and support Cisco Cyber Vision for OT/IoT asset visibility, device classification, and behavior analysis.

·        Manage DNA Spaces for location analytics, telemetry ingestion, device behavior, and wireless intelligence.

·        Provide meaningful insights to leadership using data from these observability platforms. Core Network Engineering

·        Troubleshoot complex L2/L3 network issues across multiple environments including VLANs, OSPF, BGP, STP, and multicast.

·        Designing, and implementing Palo Alto Networks security solutions across enterprise environments.

·        Create and maintain documentation including architecture diagrams, standards, runbooks, and asset inventories.

·        Assist in modernization planning, platform upgrades, procurement processes, and statewide technology initiatives

QUALIFICATIONS

Required:

• Cisco ACI, Nexus platforms, multi-tenant segmentation.
• SDA campus architectures.
• Cisco ISE policy sets and NAC.
• Palo Alto firewall administration and security profiles.
• Strong L2/L3 routing and switching skills.
• Ability to support high availability, enterprise scale infrastructure.

• Hands-on experience with Cisco ACI in production environments.

• Deep knowledge of ACI constructs (VRF, BD, EPG, ESG, L3Out, contracts).

• Experience integrating ACI with OpenShift VMM and Cilium/Isovalent.

• Proficiency with Cisco Catalyst platforms and SDA fabric technologies.

• Experience administering Cisco ISE including TACACS+ and policy-set based NAC.

• Strong understanding of ThousandEyes, Cyber Vision, and DNA Spaces or comparable tools.

• Solid command of core TCP/IP, routing, switching, QoS, and network security fundamentals.

• Ability to develop clear diagrams, documentation, and architectural artifacts.

• Strong analytical and communication skills with the ability to work in fast-paced, mission-critical environments

Preferred:

Certifications -

·        CCNA

·        CCNP Data Center

·        CCNP Enterprise

·        Cisco Specialist – ACI, SDA, or ISE

·        PCNSA (Palo Alto)

·        PCNSE (Palo Alto)

·        ThousandEyes, Cyber Vision, or related platform training

MANAGER NOTES

·        Occasionally 40+ hour weeks

·        Occasional in-state travel

PRE-EMPLOYEMENT & CLIENT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Employment and/or client submission is contingent upon successful completion of required pre-employment screening and verification processes. These requirements include:

• Background check: Candidates must successfully complete the required background screening in accordance with company policy and applicable law.
• Drug screening: Candidates must successfully complete the required drug screening in accordance with company policy, applicable client requirements, and applicable law.
• Identity and location verification: Candidates may be required to complete identity and/or location verification using a secure verification tool prior to client submission.
• Employment eligibility: Candidates must provide appropriate documentation to verify employment eligibility as required by law.
• Qualification verification: Information provided during the application and recruiting process, including employment history, education, certifications, licenses, and professional references, may be verified as applicable.
• Additional client requirements: Additional screening, documentation, or verification may be required based on the client, position, work location, or applicable requirements.

All screening and verification activities will be conducted in accordance with applicable company policies, client requirements, and federal, state, and local laws.

BENEFITS

This is a contract opportunity with a great organization. As a contractor for Smith Johnson, you are eligible for medical, dental, life, disability. Smith Johnson pays for 70% of your medical and dental and 100% of life and disability. The contract is also eligible for PTO/holiday accrued monthly. You are also eligible for a 3% retirement matching plan. Smith Johnson believes in taking care of our contractors.