Senior Network Engineer (Automation & AI Focus)

6 Month Contract to Hire

USC and GC Preferred

Summary

Seeking a highly skilled, adaptable, and forward-thinking Senior Network Engineer with strong expertise in enterprise networking, automation, and emerging AI-driven network operations. This role is ideal for a professional who can design, implement, and optimize scalable, secure, and intelligent network solutions across corporate campus, WAN, cloud, and remote access environments.

Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and manage enterprise network solutions across campus, WAN, cloud, and remote access environments in a multivendor ecosystem (Cisco, Meraki, Palo Alto, Fortinet).
• Lead network automation initiatives using Ansible, Python, Terraform, and infrastructure-as-code methodologies to streamline provisioning, configuration management, and operational efficiency.
• Evaluate and integrate AI/ML-driven network operations (AIOps) tools and methodologies to enhance monitoring, anomaly detection, predictive analytics, root cause analysis, and capacity planning.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate business requirements into scalable, secure, and efficient network architectures.
• Architect and support hybrid network environments, ensuring seamless connectivity between on-prem, cloud (AWS, Azure), and SaaS platforms.
• Implement and maintain network security controls including firewalls, segmentation, zero-trust architectures, access controls, and encryption standards to safeguard sensitive data and ensure compliance with industry standards.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines and NetDevOps workflows for network infrastructure-as-code, enabling version-controlled, repeatable, and auditable network changes.
• Monitor network performance, analyze trends, and proactively resolve issues to ensure high availability and optimal user experience.
• Drive continuous improvement through adoption of modern networking technologies such as SD-WAN, SASE, and cloud-native networking.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation, automation workflows, and operational runbooks.
• Participate in on-call rotation for incident response and critical issue resolution.

Qualifications:

• Minimum 6+ years of experience in enterprise/corporate network engineering.
• Must be able to hit the ground running on large-scale initiatives including project planning, design, capacity forecasting, and implementation.
• Strong expertise in routing and switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), WAN technologies, and enterprise network design.
• Hands-on experience with network automation and infrastructure-as-code tools (Ansible, Terraform, Python) including playbook development and scripting.
• Experience with AI-assisted network operations, telemetry analysis, or intelligent monitoring platforms (e.g., AIOps tools, NetDevOps pipelines).
• Proficiency with firewall technologies (Palo Alto, Fortinet) and network security best practices including zero-trust frameworks and encryption methods.
• Strong experience with Meraki or other cloud-managed networking platforms.
• Solid understanding of WAN architectures, VPNs, and cloud connectivity.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills for complex network environments.
• Excellent communication skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leadership, project management, and end users.
• Self-starter mindset with the ability to work independently and within teams to accomplish goals.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Industry certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, DevNet Associate/Professional, or equivalent.
• Experience with NetDevOps practices, CI/CD pipelines, and version control (Git, GitLab, Jenkins).
• Familiarity with SD-WAN, SASE, and zero-trust architectures.
• Knowledge of software-defined networking (SDN) concepts, intent-based networking, and micro/macro segmentation.
• Experience with public cloud networking (AWS, Azure, GCP) and hybrid cloud environments.
• Exposure to AI/ML use cases in networking such as anomaly detection, predictive capacity planning, or automated remediation.
• Experience with containerized environments (Docker, Kubernetes) and their networking models.