WAN Tester Full Time

Location: San Diego, CA, US

Date Posted: 2026-04-16

Category: Information Technology

Subcategory: Network Engineer

Schedule: Full-Time

Shift: Day Job

Travel: No

Minimum Clearance Required: Secret

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: None

Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE

Description

SAIC is seeking a skilled WAN Tester with a strong foundation in network engineering, hands-on testing expertise, and network automation capabilities to support the testing, validation, and optimization of mission-critical Wide Area Networks (WANs). The role focuses on ensuring the performance, reliability, and security of WAN infrastructures, while leveraging automation tools like Ansible to enhance efficiency.

Job Duties:

• Design, execute, and manage test plans for WAN performance, latency, throughput, and security validation.
• Simulate and troubleshoot complex WAN topologies to identify bottlenecks, packet loss, or connectivity issues.
• Test protocols and routing configurations such as BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, MPLS, and evaluate SD-WAN deployments if applicable.
• Configure and deploy WAN devices, including routers, switches, and firewalls, as part of test environments.
• Collaborate with network architects to validate new WAN designs and solutions before deployment.
• Support production teams during network upgrades or troubleshooting sessions.
• Leverage Ansible to automate testing processes, network configurations, and infrastructure deployment.
• Implement automated solutions to streamline testing and validation routines across multiple WAN sites.
• Develop and maintain scripts, playbooks, and templates for network automation.
• Diagnose WAN issues, including performance degradation, routing errors, QoS misconfigurations, and security gaps.
• Provide recommendations to enhance network performance and reliability.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams to resolve issues efficiently and effectively.
• Prepare detailed reports on test outcomes, key performance indicators (KPIs), and overall WAN health.
• Maintain accurate records of testing methodologies, configurations, and remediations.

Qualifications

Required Skills and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field with five (5) years of experience; four (4) years of equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Hands-on experience in network engineering and testing WAN environments.
• Strong knowledge of Wide Area Network protocols, technologies, and architectures (e.g., MPLS, SD-WAN, VPN).
• Proficiency in configuring and troubleshooting Cisco, Juniper, or similar network devices.
• Hands-on experience with routing and switching protocols like BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, VLANs, and QoS.
• Familiarity with network testing tools such as Wireshark, iPerf, Spirent, SolarWinds, or similar solutions.

Required Security Clearance:

• Must have an active secret clearance on first day of employment.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with automation tools like Ansible, including creating and managing playbooks.
• Familiarity with DevOps practices and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) principles.
• Network certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, JNCIA, or SD-WAN certifications (e.g., VMware or Cisco Viptela).
• Experience working in secure or DoD environments and with government contracts.

Target salary range: $80,001 – $120,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.