Principal Network Engineer

Principal Network Engineer

Job in Austin, TX (Hybrid). Candidate must be located within commutable distance of our data center in Austin for up to 10% onsite work.

KLDiscovery is a global leader in data management, information governance, and eDiscovery solutions.

The Principal Network Engineer is the senior individual contributor and deep domain expert in networking. This role carries ultimate technical accountability for the availability, security, and performance of KLDiscovery’s global network infrastructure and leads the team toward zero unplanned network downtime. The role provides authoritative input into Enterprise Architecture, owns strategy and designs, mentors the team, and participates in a 24x7x365 on‑call rotation.

• Network domain authority, zero‑downtime strategy, and EA conformance
• SDWAN strategy & network security architecture
• Senior escalation, incidents & vendor strategy
• Input provider to the Enterprise Architecture team, cross‑team leadership, projects & documentation
• Capacity planning & lifecycle management

• 8+ years in enterprise network engineering with architectural ownership across global WAN, LAN, firewall, SD‑WAN, and datacenter environments in high‑availability production contexts; prior senior technical lead experience required
• Expert‑level knowledge of WAN protocols: MPLS, OSPF, BGP, SD‑WAN, PTPs
• Expert‑level knowledge of Layer 2 technologies: STP, VPC, MLAG, 802.3ad, ARP
• Expert‑level knowledge of load balancing, NAT/PAT, ACLs, and traffic shaping
• Experience designing and owning global enterprise network infrastructure with availability and resilience as primary design criteria across WAN, LAN, firewall, wireless, SD‑WAN, and datacenter domains
• Expert‑level network security design: zero‑trust principles, segmentation strategy, firewall policy frameworks, and VPN architecture
• Hardware and software lifecycle management: asset inventory, end‑of‑life tracking and proactive remediation planning
• Expert level troubleshooting and analytical thinking: rapid root‑cause isolation in complex multi‑domain environments using structured diagnostics and tools
• Network capacity planning: bandwidth modeling, growth forecasting, and infrastructure constraint identification across WAN, LAN, and datacenter
• Experience supporting 24x7 global production environments; on‑call availability required

CCNP/CCIE or equivalent; ITIL V3/4; experience with Cisco, Cisco Meraki, Palo Alto Networks, and/or HPE Aruba; SD‑WAN platform experience (Silver Peak, HPE Aruba Edge Connect, or equivalent); cloud‑delivered security/network services (e.g., Cloudflare);
Azure and/or AWS network experience; prior eDiscovery or similarly regulated environment.

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or equivalent experience.

• 90% remote with high‑performance laptop, wireless headset or external speaker, up to two 24" 2K monitors, mobile phone for business use.
• Generous paid time off (vacation, sick leave, parental leave, jury leave, etc.)
• Comprehensive health, dental, vision and supplemental benefits including life insurance, short‑ and long‑term disability.
• Continuous professional development through training and education reimbursement programs.
• Diverse and inclusive workplace fostering growth.
• Global wellness program with perks and discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• 401(k) with employer match.
• Paid community service day.
• Pet insurance option for employees.

We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, pregnancy, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected status. We welcome and celebrate individuals of all backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives and support accommodation requests.