Network Engineer

Position Description

The Senior Network Engineer spearheads the design, configuration, implementation, and monitoring of enterprise network solutions, standards, and processes. This role collaborates across engineering teams to identify, define, and manage project milestones, ensuring network reliability and performance throughout the enterprise. As an expert in network engineering principles and best practices, solution design, architecture, emerging technologies, cross-platform troubleshooting techniques, and Layer 1 to Layer 7 testing approaches, the Senior Network Engineer upholds the core values of the organization and fosters collaboration across all teams.

Essential Functions

• Provide technical inputs and evaluate new and emerging network technologies to address identified gaps.
• Design and implement network improvements to enhance performance, capacity, and scalability.
• Lead day-to-day networking tasks to ensure network reliability, availability, and serviceability with minimal interruption.
• Provide technical support, respond to work orders and tickets, and resolve reported network problems.
• Install and configure networking hardware, LAN switches, Wi-Fi, and firewalls.
• Develop and maintain network architecture drawings and documentation.
• Support network compliance and risk management activities.
• Review network monitoring tools and respond to alerts.
• Participate in network incident response and lead root cause analysis (RCA) efforts, publishing RCA reports as appropriate.
• Update network equipment with the latest firmware releases.
• Apply knowledge of network systems, applications, and infrastructure to provide technical expertise for network designs, expansions, and configurations.
• Deploy and manage SD-WAN.
• Support network architecture definition, incorporating standards, templates, and processes.
• Assist with life cycle planning, problem management, integration, and network configuration.
• Manage key initiatives to ensure desired business outcomes.
• Build and maintain relationships with groups outside the immediate organization.
• Coach and guide network and technical support staff as part of team-based activities.
• Leverage diversity and inclusion to drive optimal outcomes.
• Collaborate with vendors on implementation and deployment.
• Prepare and deliver visual and oral project updates.
• Plan future strategies and initiatives to maintain high network performance.
• Specific experience with Fortinet, Meraki, and Cisco networking products is desirable.
• Possess practical knowledge of fundamental networking controls, including Layer 3 and Layer 7 firewalls.
• Demonstrate strong knowledge of security principles across IT infrastructure.
• Understand Internet security and networking protocols.
• Possess knowledge of commonly used network protocols.
• Experience with cloud security and cloud architecture.
• Familiarity with major security vendors and product capabilities.
• Knowledge of operating system internals and hardening (Linux, OS X, Windows).
• Collaborate effectively as part of a team and work independently with minimal supervision.

Required Skills and Competencies

• B.S. in Computer Science or equivalent experience in a lead Network Engineer role.
• At least 10 years of hands-on experience in networking, designing, implementing, deploying, and supporting a production network at an enterprise scale.
• Active Professional-tier Cisco Certification specializing in Enterprise, Data Center, or Service Provider (CCNP).
• Expertise in industry networking technology, including knowledge of Ethernet, TCP/IP, MPLS, DMVPN, QoS, and VoIP.
• Proficiency in enterprise routing and switching protocols (e.g., OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, Spanning Tree Protocol, Port Aggregates, vPC).
• Experience deploying and maintaining SD-WAN networks.
• Knowledge and experience with current Cisco IOS, IOS-XE, and NX-OS software and hardware features.
• Experience with firewalls and firewall rule sets (e.g., Fortinet, Meraki, Cisco).
• Knowledge and experience with Network Configuration Manager (NCM).
• Proficiency in multi-vendor infrastructure platforms (e.g., Aruba/HP, Cisco, Meraki, Fortinet).
• Understanding of data center architectures, converged networks, and current networking trends, including SDN implementations for Data Center Network and WAN applications.
• Knowledge of WAN architectures (e.g., Carrier Ethernet, Optical Fabrics (OTN), SD-WAN, MPLS).
• Ability to produce technical architecture, roadmaps, and designs for functional networks (LAN, WLAN, WAN, SD-LAN/WAN, and Cloud).
• Experience with Cisco Wireless Controllers, configuration, implementation, and problem resolution.
• Familiarity with Microsoft Azure networking, Network Automation, or network security skills is a plus.
• Comprehensive understanding of infrastructure implementations through all phases.
• Deployment of enterprise networking tools and processes.
• Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment, multi-task, and ensure high-quality work.
• Strong time management, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to present solutions in a non-technical manner.
• Ability to travel unassisted to different facilities as required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience deploying and managing Fortinet Firewalls (e.g., CLI, GUI, FortiManager template, scripting, and deployments, SD-WAN).
• Knowledge and experience with data center networking (e.g., VXLAN, Nexus Dashboard, VRFs).
• Proficiency in automation technologies for networking (e.g., Python/Ansible).
• Experience with Cisco ISE deployments and management.

Working Conditions:

• Onsite – with the flexibility to work from home one day per week.
• Physical Demands– Continuously sitting for prolonged periods, as the job is administrative in nature.
• Visual/Sensory – This position requires attention to detail, requiring attention with one or two senses at a time.
• Work Environment – Work and environment fasted paced, requiring ability to remain focused under pressure.

Vaco values a diverse workplace and strongly encourages women, people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, foreign-born residents, and veterans to apply.

EEO Notice

Vaco is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race (including but not limited to traits historically associated with race such as hair texture and hair style), color, sex (includes pregnancy or related conditions), religion or creed, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, status as a veteran, union membership, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, or any other protected characteristics as required by federal, state or local law.

Vaco LLC and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries are committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Vaco LLC and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact [email protected] .

Vaco also wants all applicants to know their rights that workplace discrimination is illegal.

By submitting to this position, you agree that you will be giving Vaco the exclusive right to present your as a candidate for the foregoing employment opportunity. You further agree that you have represented information about yourself accurately and have not affirmatively misrepresented your qualifications. You also agree to maintain as confidential, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any information you learn from Vaco about the position and you will limit disclosure of information about the position only to the extent necessary to perform any obligations in furtherance of your application. In exchange, Vaco agrees to exercise reasonable efforts to represent you through all solicitation, job screening and resume dispersal.

Privacy Notice

Vaco LLC and its parents, affiliates, and subsidiaries (“we,” “our,” or “Vaco”) respects your privacy and are committed to providing transparent notice of our policies.

• California residents may access Vaco’s HR Notice at Collection for California Applicants and Employees here.
• Virginia residents may access our state specific policies here.
• Residents of all other states may access our policies here.
• Canadian residents may access our policies in English here and in French here.
• Residents of countries governed by GDPR may access our policies here.

Pay Transparency Notice

Determining compensation for this role (and others) at Vaco depends upon a wide array of factors including but not limited to:

• the individual’s skill sets, experience and training;
• licensure and certification requirements;
• office location and other geographic considerations;
• other business and organizational needs.

With that said, as required by local law, Vaco believes that the following salary range referenced above reasonably estimates the base compensation for an individual hired into this position in geographies that require salary range disclosure. The individual may also be eligible for discretionary bonuses.

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