Lead Network Engineer

It’s an exciting time in technology, and that buzz is felt throughout Pet Smart! We are continuing to grow at a faster pace and we want to continue to provide best-in-class experiences for pets and pet parents.

Our
Technology team
has 6 different departments:
Information Security, Service Delivery, Business Enabling Systems, eCommerce & Marketing Technology, Data and Stores, Services & Supply Chain.

Whether it’s online or in our stores, the work that the IT team does is instrumental in Pet Smart’s success. We have a strategic and actionable plan underway and are looking for associates who are just as excited about it as we are.

Collaborative & Flexible Work Environment: We believe in fostering growth, teamwork and creativity in a dynamic workplace. This role is based at Pet Smart’s Phoenix Home Office, where associates currently enjoy the benefits of in-person collaboration while having the flexibility to work remotely one day per week (a “flex workday” with leader approval), and an expected four days in the office.

At Pet Smart, you’ll be part of an engaging and supportive environment designed to help you and our teams thrive.

This role will work in our Phoenix Home Office - Visa sponsorship is not available for this role

Pet Smart is seeking a highly experienced Lead Network Engineer to join our Enterprise Network Engineering and Operations team within the Service Delivery organization. This role is ideal for an external candidate who brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership capabilities, and a proven track record designing and operating large-scale enterprise networks.

As the Lead Network Engineer, you will play a critical role in shaping the strategy, architecture, and reliability of Pet Smart’s network infrastructure across retail, distribution, corporate, and cloud environments. You will serve as both a hands-on technical expert and mentor, partnering across teams to deliver scalable, secure, and highly available network solutions.

REQUIRED SKILLS

• Expert-level knowledge of advanced routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP) in large-scale enterprise environments.
• Deep expertise in VXLAN/EVPN/Underlay/Overlay networks
• Experience and understanding of implementing Zero Trust architecture
• Advanced understanding of secure networking concepts including VPNs (IPsec/SSL), PKI, ACLs, and network segmentation.
• Strong experience with VLANs, VRFs, and multi-tenant architectures.
• Proven ability to design and support large-scale WAN environments (1000+ sites), including SD-WAN integration (Silver Peak or equivalent).
• Experience with hybrid and cloud networking architectures (GCP preferred).
• Familiarity with network monitoring and observability tools (e.g., Solar Winds).
• Exceptional troubleshooting skills across complex, distributed environments.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with the architecture, design, and deployment of enterprise network solutions across data centers, corporate offices, distribution centers, retail locations, and cloud platforms.
• Act as a technical authority for network engineering, providing guidance and assisting with decision-making on complex designs and issues.
• Drive end-to-end delivery of network projects, including planning, execution, risk management, and post-implementation validation.
• Provide Tier 3/4 escalation support for major incidents, performing deep troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
• Establish and enforce network standards, best practices, and documentation for a multi-vendor enterprise environment.
• Partner with security, cloud, infrastructure, and application teams to deliver integrated and secure solutions.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend improvements aligned to business and technology roadmaps.
• Manage vendor relationships, including product selection, escalation management, and performance oversight.
• Lead change management activities and ensure compliance with operational and security policies.
• Participate in a 24x7 on-call rotation and lead incident response when required.
  
  Mentor and guide network engineers, fostering knowledge sharing and technical growth across the team.

LEADERSHIP & COMMUNICATION

• Demonstrated ability…