Principal Network Engineer; Wireless Network

About this role

The Principal Network Engineer is a senior technical leader responsible for the design, implementation, and support of highly reliable, secure, and scalable network solutions to support Gartner Conference and enterprise operations. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in network architecture, security, wireless, and operations, and is passionate about leveraging modern technologies and automation to drive business outcomes.

• Architect, design, configure, and support complex enterprise IP network solutions (LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, Data Center, and Cloud).
• Lead the design, implementation, and support of network security systems, including firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, and zero trust architectures.
• Deep expertise in routing and switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, VLANs, VXLAN, etc.).
• Evaluate, configure, and support secure remote access solutions (SSL VPN, IPSEC, SASE).
• Configure, troubleshoot, and support DNS, DHCP, and related network services.
• Support and troubleshoot unified communications (VoIP, video conferencing, QoS, SIP, WebRTC).
• Design, deploy, and support large-scale wireless LAN solutions (Wi-Fi 6/6E, WPA3, guest access, wireless security, RF planning, and site surveys) for high-density environments such as conferences and events.
• Perform wireless site surveys, spectrum analysis, and capacity planning to ensure optimal wireless coverage, performance, and user experience.
• Troubleshoot and resolve wireless connectivity and performance issues using advanced wireless analysis tools (Ekahau, Hamina and Cisco DNA Center, etc.).
• Provide advanced technical support for networking at Gartner Events, including rapid deployment and troubleshooting in dynamic environments.
• Analyze, design, and implement comprehensive security solutions (next-generation firewalls, intrusion prevention, network segmentation, NAC).
• Proactively identify, isolate, and resolve complex network issues to minimize business impact.
• Evaluate, test, and lead the deployment of emerging network technologies (SDN, network automation, AIOps, cloud networking).
• Troubleshoot complex applications and network performance issues using advanced network analysis and monitoring tools.
• Collaborate with facilities and AV teams to integrate wireless networks with event infrastructure and ensure seamless attendee connectivity.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to achieve business and technical objectives, and drive continuous process improvement.
• Manage network-related projects, service requests, and maintenance activities using ITSM tools (e.g., Service Now, Jira).
• Create and maintain detailed, up-to-date network documentation, diagrams, and runbooks.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance to junior engineers and peers.

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• 10+ years of hands-on experience supporting large-scale enterprise networks.
• Expert-level understanding of routing and switching protocols and architectures.
• Extensive experience with Cisco networking platforms (IOS XE, NX-OS, Meraki), and multi-vendor environments (Arista, Juniper, etc.).
• Strong experience with network security systems and protocols (Cisco ASA/Firepower, Checkpoint, Palo Alto, SASE).
• Extensive experience designing, deploying, and supporting enterprise wireless LANs, including controller-based architectures (Cisco Catalyst, Meraki, Aruba, etc.), guest networks, and wireless security.
• Proficiency in wireless site survey tools, RF planning, and troubleshooting tools (Ekahau, Air Magnet, Cisco Prime, DNA Center).
• Experience supporting high-density wireless environments and events, including capacity planning and performance optimization.
• Experience with load balancers (F5, Citrix ADC), WAN accelerators, and content filtering solutions.
• Experience with cloud networking (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid connectivity (VPN, Direct Connect, Express Route).
• Proficiency in network automation and scripting (Python, Ansible, Terraform) is highly desirable.
• Solid understanding of UNIX/Linux and Microsoft Server operating systems.

• Bachelor s degree or foreign equivalent degree in…