Data Center Engineer

Akkodis is seeking a Data Center Engineer for a contract to hire position onsite in Ashburn, Virginia (Washington DC). This role will be performing hands-on rack-level equipment installation, structured cabling, fiber and copper cross-connect coordination, carrier circuit turn-up, technical documentation, maintaining reliable Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity, and implementing approved network changes.

Pay Range: $60.00 to $72.00 per hour on W2; The rate may be negotiable based on experience, education, geographic location, and other factors.

Data Center Engineer job responsibilities include:

• Configure, implement, operate, and troubleshoot enterprise routers and switches in a production IDC (Internet Data Center) environment.
• Perform hands-on Layer 2 administration, including: VLAN creation and modification, access and trunk port configuration, switch-port activation and validation, Spanning-tree and loop-prevention troubleshooting, link aggregation and redundant-link support, Interface, transceiver, and physical-connectivity troubleshooting.
• Perform hands-on Layer 3 administration, including: IP addressing and subnet implementation, static and dynamic routing, BGP and OSPF configuration and troubleshooting, route-policy, redistribution, and path-selection troubleshooting, gateway, adjacency, reachability, and failover validation, VRF and network-segmentation support, where applicable.
• Analyze and resolve routing, switching, packet-loss, latency, reachability, convergence, interface, and circuit-related problems.
• Use command-line, monitoring, logging, and diagnostic tools to isolate faults across physical, data-link, network, and transport layers.
• Review existing configurations, identify operational risks or inconsistencies, and recommend practical corrective actions.
• Develop and execute pre-change checks, implementation steps, rollback procedures, and post-change validation.
• Support network moves, adds, changes, migrations, upgrades, hardware refreshes, and decommissioning activities.
• Install and validate software or firmware upgrades in accordance with approved change-management procedures.
• Monitor network availability, utilization, error conditions, and performance trends; proactively address conditions that could affect service.
• Support redundancy, resiliency, and failover testing for network paths and critical connectivity.
• Maintain current network diagrams, configuration records, interface assignments, IP-addressing information, and as-built documentation.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• Hands-on routing and switching experience in enterprise, service-provider, government, or similarly complex production networks.
• Demonstrated experience independently configuring, implementing, maintaining, and troubleshooting production routers and switches.
• Strong knowledge of: TCP/IP and IPv4 networking, Layer 2 switching, VLANs, trunking, and redundancy, Layer 3 routing and route selection, BGP and OSPF, Network segmentation and resilient network design, and Network monitoring and diagnostic techniques
• Experience planning and executing production network changes, maintenance activities, upgrades, migrations, and cutovers.
• Experience troubleshooting complex connectivity and performance issues across network devices, carrier circuits, and physical infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience working in an IDC or comparable data-center environment.
• Practical experience with data-center physical infrastructure, including equipment installation, rack-level work, fiber and copper cabling, patch panels, transceivers, and cross-connects.
• Working experience with a DCIM platform, including validating and maintaining equipment, rack, port, cable, or asset records.
• Experience with incident, problem, and change-management processes and associated ticket documentation.
• Ability to produce accurate network diagrams, configuration records, implementation plans, rollback procedures, and as-built documentation.
• Must be eligible to obtain a Top-Secret Security Clearance with Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI).

Benefit offerings available for our associates include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, additional voluntary benefits, EAP program, commuter benefits and a 401K plan. Our benefit offerings provide employees the flexibility to choose the type of coverage that meets their individual needs. In addition, our associates may be eligible for paid leave including Paid Sick Leave or any other paid leave required by Federal, State, or local law, as well as Holiday pay where applicable.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

Military connected talent encouraged to apply

To read our Candidate Privacy Information Statement, which explains how we will use your information, please navigate to https://www.akkodis.com/en/us/candidate-privacy-policy

The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Massachusetts Candidates Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.