Principal Network Engineer

Arctiq is a global, intelligence-driven technology services company delivering professional and managed services across Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, Networking & Connected Experiences, Cybersecurity, Data & AI, Autonomous Operations & Intelligence, and Enterprise Service Management. We help organizations operate, secure, and modernize complex environments by unifying infrastructure, networking, data, security, automation, and observability under a single, integrated operating model. Our work focuses on helping customers reduce operational friction, improve resilience, and make better, faster decisions as their environments evolve.

Arctiq builds on decades of industry expertise and a customer-centric ethos to deliver exceptional value to clients across diverse industries.

This is a contract-to-hire opportunity with one of Arctiq's clients. It is a requirement to be onsite in their Winston Salem, NC office 5 days/week.

The Principal Network Engineer serves as the senior-most technical authority for enterprise networking, network security, connectivity, and perimeter infrastructure across the client. This role is responsible for the architecture, engineering, implementation, and lifecycle management of highly available, secure, and scalable network solutions supporting branch locations, data centers, cloud services, contact centers, and digital banking platforms.

The Principal Network Engineer provides strategic and technical leadership for the client’s network infrastructure, with deep expertise in Fortinet and Palo Alto technologies. The position partners closely with Information Security, Infrastructure Engineering, Application Support, Cloud Operations, and business stakeholders to ensure network performance, operational resiliency, regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity protection.

This role acts as a technical mentor and escalation point for network engineers and operational support teams while driving modernization initiatives aligned with business objectives and regulatory expectations.

• Design, implement, and maintain enterprise-class network architectures supporting branch, campus, data center, cloud, and remote workforce connectivity.
• Develop strategic network roadmaps aligned with organizational growth, digital transformation, and cybersecurity initiatives.
• Architect highly available and redundant routing, switching, wireless, SD-WAN, VPN, and perimeter security solutions.
• Lead technology evaluations, proof-of-concepts, and infrastructure modernization efforts.
• Develop network standards, reference architectures, engineering guidelines, and operational procedures.

• Serve as the subject matter expert for Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet security platforms.
• Design and manage next-generation firewall architectures utilizing:
  • Palo Alto NGFW
  • Panorama
  • Global Protect
  • Palo Alto DNS Security
  • Advanced Threat Prevention
  • URL Filtering
  • Wild Fire
  • Forti Gate
  • Forti Manager
  • Forti Analyzer
  • Forti Web
  • Forti Authenticator
  • Forti Switch
  • FortiAP
  • FortiEDR integration
• Implement and maintain Zero Trust network principles.
• Design network segmentation strategies supporting PCI-DSS, FFIEC, NCUA, NIST, and cybersecurity frameworks.
• Support security assessments, audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability remediation activities.

• Design and support secure connectivity solutions for:
  • Microsoft Azure
  • Microsoft 365
  • SaaS platforms
  • Third-party financial service providers
  • DR and business continuity environments
• Architect VPN, Express Route, SD-WAN, and secure cloud interconnect solutions.
• Ensure optimized network performance and security across hybrid environments.

• Function as highest-level escalation point for network-related incidents and complex problem resolution.
• Lead root cause analysis and corrective action planning for major incidents.
• Establish performance baselines and proactive monitoring strategies.
• Ensure network capacity planning, uptime, resiliency, and availability targets are achieved.
• Participate in disaster recovery and business continuity planning, testing, and validation activities.

• Ensure network infrastructure complies with:
  • NCUA regulations
  • FFIEC guidance
  • GLBA requirements
  • PCI-DSS standards
  • NIST Cybersecurity Framework
  • CIS Controls
• Support internal and external audits.
• Maintain documentation required for regulatory examinations and cybersecurity assessments.
• Identify and mitigate…