Network Architect

HTC Global Services is seeking an experienced Lead Network Support Engineer (L3) to provide advanced technical leadership and serve as the final escalation point for complex network issues. This role includes network assessments, architecture support, firewall management, performance optimization, automation, and mentoring junior engineers. The engineer will be a core member of the assessment delivery team and transition into a lead technical role supporting the client's transformation from an SOP-based operating model to a self-healing infrastructure model.

Work Location:

• Based out of the HTC Troy office.
• Must be available to travel to the client location in Buffalo, New York, on short notice as required.

• Assess Forti Gate deployments, including FortiOS version currency, Forti Manager/Forti Analyzer integration, HA cluster configuration, SD-WAN posture, security fabric maturity, VPNs, and threat prevention profile alignment.
• Assess Palo Alto Networks deployments, including PAN-OS version currency, Panorama management, HA configuration, Global Protect VPN posture, App-/User-/Content-, Wild Fire integration, and security policy layering.
• Review firewall change control processes, rule review cadence, and rulebase governance.
• Lead data center switching assessments across Cisco Nexus and Arista environments, including spine-leaf, VPC, MLAG, EVPN-VXLAN, rack build standards, cabling, capacity analysis, out-of-band management, and software version currency.
• Lead reviews of perimeter and network security controls, including firewall rule analysis, policy hygiene, security profiles, and configuration standardization.
• Support risk register development and 30-60-90-day remediation roadmaps.
• Develop standardized configuration templates and practice standards for switches, firewalls, network additions, rack builds, and change activities.
• Contribute to hardware lifecycle, firmware/software currency, and end-of-life/end-of-support reviews.
• Configure and work with Solar Winds and other monitoring tools.
• Perform network discovery activities.
• Apply knowledge of data center design patterns, including spine-leaf topology, ECMP, jumbo frames, storage traffic isolation, and out-of-band management.
• Act as the final L3 escalation point for complex network issues involving QoS, OSPF, BGP, VLANs, STP, port channels, NAT, ACLs, and VPNs.
• Perform packet and traffic analysis using Wireshark, Forti Analyzer, Syslog, and related tools.
• Lead P1/P2 incident bridge calls, perform root cause analysis, and drive issue resolution.
• Support network discovery and CMDB tooling, including Device
  42, Lansweeper, Service Now Discovery, Solar Winds, or comparable platforms.
• Operate within a Service Now ITSM environment, supporting incident, change, problem, and CMDB workflows.
• Contribute to and review high-level and low-level network designs for new sites, migrations, segmentation initiatives, and firewall architectures.
• Validate network designs for scalability, security, and adherence to enterprise standards.
• Recommend improvements across routing, switching, wireless, and security environments.
• Manage and optimize Fortinet Forti Gate environments, including policies, NAT, UTM profiles, VPNs, routing, and HA.
• Audit firewall rules for least-privilege access and compliance.
• Support segmentation, hardening, and compliance initiatives.
• Perform capacity planning, traffic analysis, performance tuning, and proactive network health monitoring.
• Develop and maintain automation scripts using Python, Bash, and EEM.
• Automate configuration backups, compliance checks, and monitoring integrations.
• Lead network changes, upgrades, firewall migrations, and routing redesigns.
• Prepare RFCs, rollback plans, risk assessments, and post-change reports.
• Coordinate with application, infrastructure, security, and ISP teams.
• Work with ISPs and OEMs, including Cisco and Fortinet, on escalations, TAC cases, and hardware issues.
• Validate circuit performance and support last-mile troubleshooting.
• Maintain network diagrams, SOPs, configuration standards, and runbooks.
• Improve L1/L2 documentation and operational processes.
• Mentor L1/L2 engineers and contribute to training, standards, and continuous improvement initiatives.

• 10 12 years of networking experience, including 3 4 years in an L3 or Architect-level role.
• Extensive hands-on experience with Cisco IOS/XE and NX-OS.
• Strong expertise in routing (OSPF, BGP) and switching (VLANs, STP, Ether Channel).
• Experience with Fortinet Forti Gate (FortiOS) and Palo Alto Networks firewalls.
• Experience with HA cluster configuration.
• Experience with SD-WAN posture, security fabric maturity, VPNs, and threat prevention profile alignment.
• Senior-level experience with Cisco Nexus 9000/7000/5000 series, NX-OS upgrades, VPC, VXLAN/EVPN, FEX topologies, out-of-band management, and greenfield rack builds.
• Strong experience with Meraki wireless.
• Experience with Cisco DNaC and Cisco ISE.
• Solid…