Senior Network Automation Architect

Role Purpose:

This role sits in Network Automation team, which is part of the Design and Engineering function of Network Products and Services (NPS) within LSEG. 

Network Automation team is tasked with the development of software solutions for the automatic instantiation of network connectivity and network services such as DNS, IPAM, load balancers, and firewalls.

The software and solution produced by the team is used to translate user requirements for network services into actions which are taken on network infrastructure to fulfil the user request. This can take various forms, from the allocation of a new DNS record to a complex configuration for a network connectivity service applied to one or more network devices. Development is primarily in the form of software applications using the ‘micro-service’ architecture style, and various other software artefacts such as infrastructure-as-code and CI/CD pipeline code.

The primary development activities supported by the team are:

• The development of front-end business-facing applications providing a front-door in the form of APIs and Web UIs for our user community to request network services.
• Development of ‘mid-tier’ integration-layer applications which integrate north-bound with the business front-end app(s), and south-bound with the network service layer. The mid-tier automates all logic, workflow, and life-cycle maintenance of attributes required to manage a global network of devices and services
• Development of abstract models and code describing network connectivity services and their various components such as routing instances, interfaces, and vlans.

Responsibilities:

This is a senior role with the successful candidate expected to take a leading position in the architecture roadmap and development of software capabilties to meet LSEG’s ambitions for fully automated network connectivity and network service provisioning. 

This role involves working closely with product owners, business unit stakeholders, senior managers, and senior-level application developers, to understand and formlise requirements for developing LSEG’s next-generation of automated business-class network connectivity services, providing the network interconnectivity and data transport of LSEG’s global market data products. 

LSEG data and products, and the network infrastructure underpinning them, significantly underpin the global financial markets. As such, this role is key in ensuring LSEG’s software-based network transport products are architected to the highest possible standards of resiliency and reliabililty, whilst simultaneously providing the right levels of abstraction to ensure ease of use to our business unit stakeholders. 

Our software architecture aims to provide simple interfaces in the form of web Uis and smart APIs to allow our business unit stakeholder to manage their own global network connectivity requirements, with integrated, automated, and reliable network service provisioning, auditable change management, and comprehensive pre and post change testing. 

Responsibilities include: 

• Determine and identify high-level functional and technical requirements on the basis of interactions with product owners and network service development architects and technical design owners.
• Develop the architecture for software to support the total requirements, as well as to provide for present and future cross-functional requirements and interfaces.
• Interact with Product Owners to plan project schedules and technical direction.
• Provide quality assurance reviews and the evaluations of existing and new software products.
• Develop high-level system design diagrams for program design, coding, testing, debugging and documentation.
• Designing user interaction models, workflows and user interfaces.
• Integrating internal and external product design into a cohesive user experience.
• Creating prototypes and authoring detailed interaction specifications.
• Working with user experience researchers to design and observe usability studies.
• Translating usability and field research findings into design improvements.
• Working with visual designers to improve and refine product visual design and consistency.
• Successfully communicating conceptual ideas and design rationale.

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s Degree in appropriate field of study or equivalent work experience.
• At least 5+ years experience leading large design efforts and high scalability projects involving cloud-based infrastructure design, microservices implementation and coordinating project teams of 4 or more members.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Mastery of user interaction design skills.
• Familiarity with field and lab-based usability research methodologies.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Ability to communicate design rationale and build consensus at a senior management level.
• Ability to prioritize and manage work to critical project timelines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to develop new approaches to complex design problems.
• Must be organized, have an eye for detail, and be able to put ideas into a tangible form.
• Experienced with all ancillary technologies necessary for Internet applications: HTTP, TCP/IP, POP/SMTP, etc.
• Experienced in working with UML tools for creating business process workflow sequence documentation and diagrams.
• Successful track record of developing quality software products and releasing production ready software.
• Good understanding of Web Services protocols such as REST, and API design for extensibility and portability.
• Solid understanding of the Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Software as a Service (SaaS) models in the online environment.
• Experience with Scrum/Agile development methodologies.
• Experience of software development and testing methodologies including Behaviour Driven Design.
• Ability to use version control software such as GIT.
• Knowledge and experience working with service provider networks, including large-scale BGP/MPLS core neworks, a big plus.
• Knowledge and experience of working with datacenter LAN networks, in particular using Cisco ACI infrastructure, a big plus.
• Knowledge and experience working with global DNS infrastructure, network security (firewalling), in particular Checkpoint and PaloAlto, and global/local server loadbalancing technologies such as Amazon Web Services ELB/ALB and F5 loadbalancers, a big plus.

Top skills & proficiencies: 

• Teamwork.
• Analyze User Needs.
• Analytical Thinking.
• Critical Thinking.
• Document Application Process.
• Attention to Detail.
• Problem Solving.
• Verbal and Written Communication.
• Software Design.
• Distributed Workflow Design and documentation.

LSEG is a leading global financial markets infrastructure and data provider. Our purpose is driving financial stability, empowering economies and enabling customers to create sustainable growth.

Our purpose is the foundation on which our culture is built. Our values of Integrity, Partnership, Excellence and Change underpin our purpose and set the standard for everything we do, every day. They go to the heart of who we are and guide our decision making and everyday actions.

Working with us means that you will be part of a dynamic organisation of 25,000 people across 65 countries. However, we will value your individuality and enable you to bring your true self to work so you can help enrich our diverse workforce. You will be part of a collaborative and creative culture where we encourage new ideas and are committed to sustainability across our global business. You will experience the critical role we have in helping to re-engineer the financial ecosystem to support and drive sustainable economic growth. Together, we are aiming to achieve this growth by accelerating the just transition to net zero, enabling growth of the green economy and creating inclusive economic opportunity.

LSEG offers a range of tailored benefits and support, including healthcare, retirement planning, paid volunteering days and wellbeing initiatives.

We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer. This means that we do not discriminate on the basis of anyone’s race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. Conforming with applicable law, we can reasonably accommodate applicants’ and employees’ religious practices and beliefs, as well as mental health or physical disability needs.

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