Network Engineer III

Job Summary:

The Network Engineer III is responsible for evaluating, supporting, implementing and monitoring Network Management Toolsets also, implements complex multi-site network solutions, leads projects, and serves as an escalation point for the team.

Essential Functions:

* Design and implement data center switching/routing architectures (Cisco and Arista) including spine-leaf fabrics, MLAG/VXLAN, and inter-DC interconnects

* Own physical capacity planning for owned and co-located data centers: rack/power/cooling capacity forecasting, cabinet and cross-connect layout standards, and structured cabling design

* Manage relationships and SLAs with co-location providers and circuit/carrier vendors, including contract renewals, remote-hands escalations, and facility maintenance coordination

* Lead data center build-outs, expansions, and equipment refresh/lifecycle projects, including coordination of electrical, mechanical, and physical security requirements with facilities and co-location partners

* Own the Aruba SD-WAN architecture across the branch portfolio: policy design, QoS, path conditioning, and Orchestrator administration

* Lead cloud connectivity initiatives (Direct Connect/Express Route, transit gateways/virtual WANs, cloud routing strategy) in coordination with cloud infrastructure and security teams

* Serve as the primary network point of contact for cross-functional projects with the Security team, translating network architecture and traffic requirements into clear inputs for firewall, segmentation, and zero-trust initiatives without performing the security configuration itself

* Lead root-cause analysis for major or recurring network incidents and complex multi-domain outages (LAN/WAN/DC/cloud)

* Develop network standards, reference architectures, and lifecycle/capacity plans for switching, routing, and SD-WAN platforms

* Lead and review changes for high-risk or complex maintenance windows; act as escalation point for Level I/II engineers

* Evaluate new technologies and vendor features (Cisco, Arista, Aruba) and provide recommendations to engineering leadership

* Perform any other job related duties as requested.

Education and Experience:

* Associates degree is required

* Equivalent years of relevant work experience may be accepted in lieu of required education

* Seven (7) years of network experience is required

Competencies, Knowledge and

Skills:

* Advanced computer and networking skills

* Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite to include Word, Excel and Power Point

* Excellent written and verbal communication skills

* Effective listening and critical thinking skills

* Strong interpersonal skills and high level of professionalism

* Effective problem solving skills with attention to detail

* Ability to work independently and within a team environment

* Training/teaching skills

* Technical writing skills

* Time management skills

* Leadership experience and skills

* Ability to develop, prioritize and accomplish goals

* Expert-level Cisco IOS and Arista EOS skills: advanced routing (OSPF, BGP), spine-leaf/VXLAN-EVPN fabrics, MLAG/vPC

* Deep Aruba SD-WAN expertise:
Orchestrator policy design, application-aware routing, multi-circuit failover, and SD-WAN-to-data-center integration

* Strong understanding of cloud network architecture (AWS/Azure/GCP networking constructs, transit gateways, hybrid routing, BGP over Direct Connect/Express Route)

* Strong working knowledge of firewall and security architecture concepts (zones, micro-segmentation, NGFW policy logic, IDS/IPS placement) sufficient to design networks that meet security requirements and to partner effectively with the Security team - not hands-on firewall rule authorship

* Proficient with network automation/scripting (e.g., Python, Ansible) for configuration and validation tasks

* Strong understanding of data center physical infrastructure design: power redundancy (N+1/2N), cooling architecture, structured cabling standards (e.g., TIA-942), and DCIM tooling

* Working knowledge of physical and environmental security controls in data center/co-location facilities (badge access, cameras, environmental sensors) sufficient to coordinate with facilities/security teams and co-location providers, not to manage those systems directly

* Strong incident command and root-cause analysis skills across complex, multi-vendor environments

Licensure and Certification:

* Arista Level (L3) required

* Arista Level (L5) preferred

* Cisco CCNP required

* Cisco CCIE preferred or

* Cisco CCDE preferred

Working Conditions:

* General office environment; may be required to sit or stand for extended periods of time

* May be required to work additional hours and/or outside normal business hours as needed to meet deadlines.

* Regular movement between multiple building sites will be required. Must be able to work a flexible schedule to support changing and emerging physical security protection situations.

* Reside in the same territory they are assigned to work in; exceptions may be considered, due to business need.

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