Requirement: Principal Technician (Digital Communication Services) NaaS
Location: Braine-l'Alleud, BELGIUM
Full Time On-Site: Yes
Time On-Site: 100%
Not to Exceed Rate: 67 EUR
Total Scope of the request (hours): 836
Required Start Date: 4 May 2026
Required Security Clearance: NATO SECRET
Please do NOT apply for any NATO contract positions unless you meet ALL the following criteria:
- Current National or NATO SECRET clearance
- Nationality of one of the NATO member countries
- Current work visa for the specific location if applying for an in-country position
Duties & Role:
Systems design:
- Designs large or complex systems and undertakes impact analysis on major design options and trade-offs;
- Ensures that the system design balances functional and non- functional requirements;
- Reviews systems design and ensures that appropriate methods, tools and techniques are applied effectively;
- Makes recommendations and assesses and manages associated risks;
- Adopts and adapts system design methods, tools and techniques;
- Contributes to development of system design policies, standards and selection of architecture components.
- Produces, or approves network providers', network architectures, topologies and configuration databases for own area of responsibility;
- Specifies design parameters for network connectivity, capacity, speed, interfacing, security and access, in line with business requirements;
- Assesses network-related risks and specifies recovery routines and contingency procedures;
- Creates multiple design views to address the different stakeholders' concerns and to handle both functional and non-functional requirements.
- Plans and drives activities to develop organisational systems integration and build capabilities including automation and continuous integration;
- Identifies, evaluates and manages the adoption of tools, techniques and processes to create a robust integration framework;
- Provides authoritative advice and guidance on any aspect of systems integration;
- Leads integration work in line with the agreed system and service design;
- Assesses risks and takes preventative action;
- Measures and monitors applications of standards;
- Contributes to the development of organisational policies, standards, and guidelines for systems integration.
- Drafts and maintains procedures and documentation for network support and operation;
- Makes a significant contribution to the investigation, diagnosis and resolution of network problems;
- Ensures that all requests for support are dealt with according to set standards and procedures.
Be responsible for implementing, and maintaining network routing infrastructure. Their duties typically include:
- Network Design & Implementation - Plan, configure, and deploy LAN and WLAN networks;
- QoS Optimization - Configure and enhance Quality of Service in LAN and Wireless LAN networks;
- Troubleshooting & Support - Diagnose and resolve LAN issues, including latency, congestion, and failures;
- Security & Compliance - Implement route filtering, prefix lists, and security policies to prevent unauthorized access;
- Capacity Planning - Monitor network usage and plan for scalability and growth;
- Documentation & Reporting - Maintain network diagrams, change logs, and incident reports;
- Collaboration - Work with other teams (e.g., security, data center cloud) to ensure seamless connectivity;
- Software & Firmware Management - Upgrade and patch routers to maintain security and stability;
- Testing & Lab Work - Conduct network simulations and testing before deploying changes;
- On-Call Support - Be available on a rotating basis for after-hours network incidents and escalations
- Enterprise Security Operations Center (ESOC) - Take assigned shifts in the ESOC to monitor and manage network operations in real-time.
Skill, Knowledge & Experience:
- The candidate must have a currently active NATO SECRET security clearance
- A minimum requirement of a Bachelor's degree at a nationally recognised/certified University in a related discipline and 2 years post-related experience.
- Or 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 NCIA, that is, at least 6 years extensive and progressive expertise in duties related to the function of the post.
- At least 3 years practical experience with the designing, implementing, and maintaining the core network architecture for large organizations;
- Relevant practical experience configuring, troubleshooting and optimizing Wireless LAN Controllers, Routers, Switches, and other hardware/software networking elements;
- Ability to stay updated with emerging technologies;
- Very good communication and interpersonal skills;
- Strong analytical skills and problem-solving attitude;
- Experience in leading small teams.
- Knowledge and experience of Network Local Area Network, and Network Wireless Communications;
- Knowledge and experience in applying ITIL principles and methodologies applied to effective Service Management and Control;
- Experience with centralised management systems, e.g., DX NetOps Spectrum, Cisco Catalyst Center, Splunk and/or Cisco ISE;
- Public cloud experience and CSP certifications from Azure, AWS, GCP, Meraki technologies;
- Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements;
- Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including ACO and ACT.
- Valid CCNA Certification or other vendor network certifications are welcome.
