Senior network administrator

Directorate of Special Units – National Technical & Tactical Support Unit

Start date: ASAP

Working environment

The Directorate of Special Units of the Federal Police (DSU) is a highly specialized support unit that provides and/or implements specialist support, tactics and techniques for the local and federal police. The DSU focuses on serious organized crime and the activities of terrorist and extremist groups. DSU is a police service that can be deployed throughout Belgium and abroad if necessary.

The NTSU (National Technical & Tactical Support Unit) is part of the Special Units of the Federal Judicial Police. It is primarily responsible for preparing and carrying out discreet placements of equipment as part of special search methods and in crisis situations. Within the NTSU, the CTIF (Central Technical Interception Facility) is responsible for real-time interception and observation of telecommunications. CTIF has the necessary infrastructure to carry out its missions and is also developing its own solutions to make telecommunications interception more effective in the future.

You’ll be joining a dynamic, passionate team where the exceptional is every day’s reality: the resources, systems and technologies legally reserved for police and intelligence services are our working tools in judicial investigations.

Job description

We are looking for a skilled and motivated Senior Network Administrator to ensure the design, deployment, security, and optimisation of the company’s network infrastructure within a hybrid environment. The Senior Network Administrator plays a key role in the transition toward a state-of-the-art infrastructure, aligned with modern technological constraints and the evolving needs of the organisation. In this role, you will collaborate closely with experts in telecommunications interception, infrastructure engineering, and IT operations.

Responsibilities:

Network Architecture & Infrastructure Management

• Design, deploy, and manage physical and virtual networks in hybrid environments (on-premise & cloud).
• Administer, configure, and maintain LAN/WAN/WLAN infrastructures.
• Participate in the evolution of network architecture based on application and service requirements.
• Work with infrastructure teams to implement SDN, and other virtualised network services.

Security & Reliability

• Ensure the security, resilience, and reliability of network and communication systems.
• Manage firewalls, VPNs, load balancers, IDS/IPS, and other network security solutions.
• Define, implement, and maintain network security policies and best practices.
• Identify vulnerabilities and contribute to mitigation strategies.

Operations & Troubleshooting

• Monitor network performance and proactively detect anomalies.
• Diagnose and resolve complex connectivity, performance, and configuration issues.
• Support incident response and ensure timely resolution of critical problems.
• Maintain and update network documentation, configurations, and operational procedures.

Project Participation & Collaboration

• Contribute to infrastructure and migration projects, including virtualisation and modernisation initiatives.
• Work closely with system, security, and telecom experts to ensure solution consistency.
• Take ownership of assigned tasks, assess risks, and escalate when necessary.
• Contribute as a team player while being fully capable of working independently.

Continuous Improvement & Technology Watch

• Conduct technology watch and propose improvements aligned with industry trends.
• Promote continuous improvement approaches and pragmatic, solution-oriented practices.
• Support knowledge sharing and contribute to internal expertise development.

Required experience:

• 5–7+ years of experience in network administration, ideally in hybrid or critical environments.
• Strong command of Cisco, Fortinet, or equivalent technologies.
• Excellent knowledge of network protocols and technologies:
• TCP/IP, VLAN, BGP, OSPF, QoS
• MPLS, routing & switching
• Proven experience with firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, and segmentation strategies.
• Experience with virtualisation and modern network technologies:
• SDN
• Virtualised network services
• Familiarity with network monitoring and management tools.

Soft Skills & Professional Qualities

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in IT, networking, or equivalent professional experience.
• Strong analytical mindset with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Pragmatic, solution-oriented approach to technical challenges.
• Curious, proactive, and eager to learn new technologies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, able to explain complex topics clearly.
• Discrete, stress-resistant, and reliable in critical environments.
• Ability to work autonomously while contributing effectively to team objectives.
• Fluent in French or Dutch, with solid understanding of the other language.
• Good command of written and spoken technical English.
• A certification in CCNP, CCIE, NSE, PCNSE or equivalent is a plus.

A ‘TOP SECRET’ level security clearance is required for this position as referred to in the law of 11/12/1998 on classification, security clearances, attestations and notices.

Location: Caserne de Witte de Haelen (Etterbeek)