The Network Architect is responsible for designing, building, implementing, and supporting enterprise network infrastructure across corporate, data center, cloud, and remote environments. This role requires extensive hands-on experience architecting networks from the ground up, with expertise in SD-WAN, advanced routing and switching, VLAN design, network security, and multi-vendor technologies. The ideal candidate is a technical leader capable of driving network modernization initiatives while ensuring high availability, scalability, performance, and security.
Essential Responsibilities
- Architect, design, implement, and support enterprise LAN, WAN, WLAN, SD-WAN, and data center network infrastructure.
- Build greenfield network environments, including IP addressing schemes, VLAN architecture, Layer 2/Layer 3 design, routing, switching, and segmentation.
- Design, configure, and optimize SD-WAN solutions utilizing application-aware routing, QoS, traffic engineering, and high availability.
- Implement and troubleshoot advanced routing and switching technologies including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, VLANs, VRF, HSRP/VRRP, STP, EtherChannel, and multi-layer switching.
- Deploy and administer Cisco ACI, Cisco Meraki, Juniper, Palo Alto, Azure, AWS, and GCP networking solutions.
- Design and maintain secure network infrastructure including firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, network segmentation, Zero Trust, and access control policies.
- Lead data center network deployments, cloud connectivity, infrastructure refreshes, branch rollouts, and enterprise network transformation projects.
- Perform capacity planning, network performance optimization, root cause analysis, and advanced troubleshooting across Layer 1–7.
- Develop and maintain network documentation including topology diagrams, IP addressing plans, VLAN assignments, routing documentation, and operational procedures.
- Collaborate with vendors, carriers, business stakeholders, and third-party partners to deliver reliable, secure connectivity solutions.
- Mentor junior engineers, establish engineering standards, and provide technical leadership for infrastructure initiatives.
Required Experience
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Network Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience).
- 7+ years of enterprise network engineering experience with proven success designing and implementing networks from the ground up.
- Extensive hands-on experience with SD-WAN architecture and deployment.
- Strong experience with Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Cisco Meraki, Cisco ACI, Azure, AWS, and GCP networking.
- Experience designing and supporting enterprise data center and hybrid cloud networking environments.
- Previous leadership or technical lead experience preferred.
Required Technical Skills
- Advanced Routing: BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, Static Routing, Route Redistribution, VRF, Policy-Based Routing
- Advanced Switching: VLAN Design, Inter-VLAN Routing, Multi-Layer Switching, STP/RSTP/MSTP, EtherChannel/LACP, HSRP/VRRP
- SD-WAN: Design, deployment, optimization, QoS, WAN failover, application-aware routing, traffic engineering
- Data Center: Cisco ACI, Spine-Leaf architectures, virtualization, high availability
- Cloud Networking: Azure, AWS, GCP, ExpressRoute, Direct Connect, VPN, hybrid connectivity
- Security: Palo Alto Firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, NAC, Zero Trust, network segmentation
- Strong troubleshooting, packet analysis, capacity planning, and network performance optimization skills.
Preferred Certifications
- Cisco CCNP Enterprise or CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure
- Juniper JNCIP-ENT or JNCIE-ENT
- Palo Alto PCNSE (preferred)
- Azure Network Engineer Associate or AWS Advanced Networking Specialty (preferred)
Success Metrics
- Network availability exceeding 99.9% (excluding planned maintenance)
- Network packet loss below 2%
- Average network latency below 100 ms
- Successful delivery of enterprise infrastructure projects on time with minimal service disruption
- Secure, scalable, and highly available enterprise network infrastructure supporting business growth.