We are seeking an experienced Principal Network Engineer II to support the operation, maintenance, and expansion of a modern, multi-vendor telecommunications network. This is a hands-on engineering role focused on network operations, design, troubleshooting, provisioning, and performance optimization across large-scale infrastructure environments.
The ideal candidate is a self-starter with strong technical expertise in Layer 1–3 networking, capable of resolving customer-impacting issues quickly, supporting complex network services, and contributing to continuous improvement, automation, and network reliability.
Responsibilities:
- Operate and maintain data and transport networks across Layer 1, 2, and 3 environments
- Design, engineer, and provision network services including FTTH, Carrier Ethernet, transport circuits, and optical systems
- Troubleshoot and resolve network issues, identify risks, and drive corrective actions to minimize service impact
- Monitor network performance and maintain infrastructure systems supporting service delivery and reliability
- Support Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams with provisioning, troubleshooting, and escalation support
- Create and maintain technical documentation including diagrams, procedures, rack layouts, change requests, and network reports
- Develop detailed implementation procedures (MOPs) for maintenance and network changes
- Analyze network performance, identify failures, and recommend improvements and optimizations
- Develop automation scripts and tools to improve configuration, testing, auditing, and monitoring processes
- Evaluate and support implementation of new technologies and vendor solutions
- Participate in 24/7 on-call rotation and assist with field or equipment installation as needed
Requirements:
- 3+ years of experience in network engineering within carrier-class environments
- 3+ years of experience designing, implementing, and optimizing LAN, WAN, transport, and optical networks
- Strong understanding of TCP/IP, IPv4, and IPv6 addressing
- Hands-on experience with routing and switching protocols including:
- BGP
- OSPF
- IS-IS
- MPLS (LDP/RSVP-TE)
- BFD, VLANs, STP/RSTP, VRRP/HSRP, LACP, SNMP
- G.8032/ERPS
- Experience with Segment Routing (SR-MPLS) and EVPN-VXLAN (or ability to ramp quickly)
- Knowledge of Carrier Ethernet / MEF services (E-Line, E-LAN, E-Tree, E-Access; EPL/EVPL, UNI/ENNI)
- Experience with optical transport systems including DWDM/CWDM and packet-optical networks
- Ability to perform L1–L3 testing including RFC 2544 and Y.1564
- Strong understanding of QoS/CoS, VPN technologies, and network security best practices
- Experience troubleshooting across multi-vendor environments
- Ability to communicate technical information clearly and manage complex tasks
- Valid driver’s license and ability to travel or perform field installation work as needed
Preferred Qualifications:
- Telecommunications or service-provider (ILEC/CLEC) experience
- Knowledge of DHCP, DNS, RADIUS, SNMP, and SIP
- Experience with long-haul transport technologies (Ethernet, OTN, DWDM, SONET)
- Familiarity with virtualization, NFV, and Linux environments
- Scripting and automation experience (Python, Ansible, NETCONF/YANG, REST APIs, Git)
- Experience with IPAM/source-of-truth tools (e.g., NetBox)
- Familiarity with Cisco IOS/IOS XR, Juniper Junos, Palo Alto PAN-OS, Microsoft 365, Visio, and Project
Certifications:
- CCNP and/or JNCIP required (or equivalent experience)
- CCIE/JNCIE preferred
- MEF certification is a plus