Army MOS · IT & Cyber

26A Network Systems Engineering

Overview

A Network Systems Engineering officer leads Soldiers and organizations while planning, engineering, testing, integrating, operating, maintaining, securing, and defending the Department of Defense Information Network. The officer designs reliable and secure network architectures and manages transport layer engineering, assessment, validation, integration, security architecture, technology evaluation, and enterprise systems.

Minimum clearance: TS/SCI

Core Skills

  • network architecture and design
  • DODIN operations and defense
  • cybersecurity planning and oversight
  • routing and switching configuration
  • network performance monitoring and optimization
  • risk management and compliance
  • leadership and organizational management
  • project and program management
  • incident response coordination
  • capacity planning and lifecycle management

Civilian Software & Tools

  • Amazon Web Services AWS software
  • Ansible software
  • Border Gateway Protocol BGP
  • IBM Terraform
  • Linux
  • Microsoft Azure software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software

Civilian Career Paths

  • Network Engineering
  • Cybersecurity
  • IT Management
  • Project Management

Training & Development

Getting Started

  • CompTIA Network+ · Funded
  • CompTIA Security+ · Funded
  • Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) · Funded
  • ITIL 4 Foundation

Career Growth

  • Cisco CCNP Enterprise
  • Cisco CCNP Security
  • Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) · Funded
  • Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) · Funded
  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • Certified Systems Engineering Professional (CSEP)

Also Common

  • Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP Enterprise) · Funded
  • Cisco Certified Network Professional Security (CCNP Security) · Funded
  • Cisco Certified Specialist: Enterprise Core
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Associate · Funded

What the Work Involves

  • Develop disaster recovery plans.
  • Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
  • Develop and implement solutions for network problems.
  • Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup.
  • Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.

Related Occupations

  • Computer Network Support Specialists
  • Network and Computer Systems Administrators
  • Computer Systems Engineers/Architects

Typical preparation for these civilian roles: a four-year degree or equivalent experience.

Defense contractor jobs for 26A

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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