Sr Principal Network Architect, Ventus; Hopkins, MN or Norwalk, CT - Hybrid

Sr Principal Network Architect, Ventus (Hopkins, MN or Norwalk, CT - Hybrid)

Ventus, part of Digi International, is an industry leader in IT networking innovations,leveraging technology to produce market-driving network solutions. Operating from over 20 years of experience delivering secure enterprise class networks, Ventus develops cellular wireless and fixed line SD-WAN, Hybrid WAN, and Cellular WAN solutions for an expanding array of business connectivity applications.

Location:
Hopkins, MN or Norwalk, CT. Hybrid - weekly office presence.

We areseekinga highly skilled

Network Architect to design, evolve, and scale our next-generation managed service provider (MSP) network platforms. The ideal candidate is an expert inTCP/IP networking,site-to-site connectivity, andmulti-site routing technologies, with extensive hands-on experience architectinglarge-scale,highly available, and secure network infrastructuresacross hybridon-premises and AWS cloud environments.

This role is both strategic and deeply technical: you will define network architecture blueprints, drive modernization initiatives, and set technical standards, while also being capable of diving into packet flows, routing tables, and VPN configurations when needed.

Design andarchitectlarge-scale MSP network infrastructures, including multi-tenant environments and distributed systems.

• Develop andmaintainreference architectures and networkdesignsleveraging
  
  TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, and modern routing protocols.
• Architect and deploy
  
  VPN technologies, including
  
  IPsec,andGRE tunnels, ensuring resilient, secure interconnectivity across customer sites and cloud environments.
• Design andoptimizemulticastrouting strategies for real-time, large-scaledata distribution and latency-sensitive applications.
• Lead hybrid connectivity initiatives spanningon-premises datacenters and AWSusing technologies such as Direct Connect, VPC peering, and route control policies.
• Serve as the organization’s subject matter expert for Cisco-based enterprise and MSP-grade solutions, influencing vendor strategy, hardware selection, and lifecycle planning.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, Dev Ops,Security, and cloud architecture teams to deliver reliable, scalable, and secure network platforms.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, conduct POCs, and recommend solutions to support growth, performance, and operational excellence.
• Participate in tier-4 escalation support, mentoring, and peer reviews to elevate technical capability across the team.

• 10+ years of progressive experience in network engineering and architecture, with at least 5 years supporting
  
  MSP or multi-customer environments.
• TCP/IP networking and advanced routing
• Layer 2/3 network design, segmentation, and QoS
• Strong hands-on experience architecting hybrid network topologies spanningon-prem and AWS cloud, including core services like VPC, TGW, NACLs, Security Groups, and AWS networking best practices.
• Expert-level experience with Cisco networking platforms(routers, switches, firewalls, wireless, SD-WAN).
• Industry certifications, ideallyactive
  
  CCNP (preferred) orCCNA;
  
  CCIEis a significant plus.
• Proven experience with network monitoring, diagnostics, and performance optimization.
• Strong documentation skills and ability to create clear, actionable architecture diagrams and standards.

• Experience with
  
  Zero Trust architectures and modern security frameworks.
• Knowledge ofAWS networking automation, including APIs, Cloud Formation, or Terraform.
• Exposure toSD-WAN solutions,for example
  
  Cisco Meraki or Cisco Viptela.
• Familiarity withhigh-density, multi-tenant network designscommon in MSP or carrier-grade environments.
• Background inreal-time communications, or latency-sensitive workloads.
• Experience with Dev Ops tooling and CI/CD pipelines for network automation.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to collaborate across diverse technical and business teams.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to mentor engineers and influence architectural direction.
• Analytical thinker with a passion for solving complex network challenges.
• Highly…