Key Responsibilities
- Designs and architects scalable, resilient network solutions across routing, switching, fabric, and security domains
- Leads complex troubleshooting efforts, including routing protocol issues, fabric/switching connectivity, and firewall policy conflicts
- Architects and maintains Cisco ACI fabric environments, including tenant design, endpoint groups, contracts, and fabric integration
- Architects and maintains Cisco SD-Access (SDA) fabric environments, including underlay/overlay design, fabric edge/border/control-plane nodes, and DNA Center-based policy and segmentation
- Designs, configures, and troubleshoots BGP and OSPF routing environments, including route redistribution, policy control, and multi-site architectures
- Architects highly available switching infrastructure across Nexus, ACI, and SD-Access fabric environments, including VXLAN/EVPN-based segmentation and fabric-based redundancy to eliminate single points of failure
- Configures, maintains, and troubleshoots Palo Alto Networks firewalls, including security policy design, NAT, VPN, and threat prevention
- Designs and manages network access control (NAC) policies and device compliance using Forescout or Aruba Clearpass.
- Serves as an escalation point for high-level, service-impacting network issues
- Identifies, reviews, and recommends security postures to peers and appropriate security teams
- Researches, evaluates, and recommends hardware, software, and vendor solutions based on cost, performance, and business need
- Leads implementation planning prior to installation of network hardware such as routers, firewalls, wireless controllers, and switches
- Develops project plans and task lists for network initiatives, and participates in peer design reviews
- Partners with vendors and third-party providers to evaluate and integrate new equipment and services
- Creates and maintains technical documentation, network diagrams, and standard operating procedures
- Mentors and provides technical guidance to less experienced engineers
- Participates in on-call support rotation per team design
- Architects and implements automation and infrastructure-as-code pipelines (Python, Ansible) to drive configuration consistency, enforce compliance, and accelerate policy deployment across the enterprise network and security fabric
Knowledge
- Advanced knowledge of the design, configuration, installation, maintenance, and upgrade of enterprise network environments
- Advanced knowledge of TCP/IP, OSI model, and switching technologies
- Advanced knowledge of BGP and OSPF design, troubleshooting, and optimization
- Advanced knowledge of Cisco ACI architecture and data center fabric design
- Advanced knowledge of Cisco SD-Access architecture and campus fabric design
- Strong knowledge of network security architecture, including Palo Alto Networks firewall policy design and segmentation strategies
- Strong knowledge of network access control (NAC) concepts and enforcement using Forescout
- Working knowledge of equipment from multiple vendors, such as Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, and Brocade
Skills
- Network Architecture & Design
- Network Automation & Infrastructure-as-Code (Python, Ansible)
- Complex Troubleshooting & Root Cause Analysis
- Network Rack & Patch-Panel Design
- Network Service Monitoring Systems
- Technical Documentation & Network Diagramming
- Process Improvement
- Client/Customer Service
- Coaching & Mentoring
Education
High School Diploma or regional equivalent required
Bachelor's Degree required, preferably in a field related to the role. At the manager's discretion, additional relevant experience may substitute for the degree requirement
Certifications
- CCNA or higher required (Routing and Switching, Enterprise, or Data Center track); CCNP or CCIE preferred
- Wireless certifications a plus
Experience: 8 - 11 years of experience in the field of the role required