Principal Network Engineer

Key Skills: Hybrid network architecture, SD-WAN, SASE, Zero Trust, Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, F5, TCP/IP, BGP, MPLS, VPN, AWS/Azure/GCP networking, IDS/IPS, Wireshark, Splunk, SolarWinds, Python, Ansible, Terraform, network security, automation, performance optimization

Roles & Responsibilities:

• Lead the architectural design, evolution, and implementation of secure, scalable hybrid (cloud/on-prem) network infrastructure aligned with global business goals.
• Research and integrate emerging technologies like SASE, Zero Trust, and advanced SD-WAN to enhance network capabilities.
• Drive development and implementation of network automation tools and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) practices for operational efficiency.
• Architect and enforce robust network security using next-gen firewalls, IDS/IPS, NAC, and VPNs, ensuring compliance with policies and standards.
• Optimize network performance through proactive monitoring, tuning, and configuration improvements.
• Define, track, and exceed SLAs for critical network services to support business continuity and customer satisfaction.
• Serve as the final escalation point for complex network issues, performing deep diagnostics and root cause analysis.
• Collaborate with DevOps, Security, SRE, and Application teams to ensure seamless network integration and provide mentorship.
• Maintain high-quality network documentation including architecture diagrams, runbooks, security policies, and automation scripts.

Experience Requirement:

• 8-12 years of progressive experience in network engineering, with a proven record of designing, implementing, and managing large-scale hybrid and cloud-native network infrastructures.
• Extensive hands-on experience working with multi-vendor environments, including Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto Networks, and F5.
• Demonstrated experience in architecting and managing enterprise-grade SD-WAN, VPN, and Zero Trust implementations.
• Strong background in managing cloud-native networking across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, including VPCs, Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, and Cloud Interconnect.
• Proven track record of leading network migration and transformation projects from traditional to modern cloud-first infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience with high-availability and disaster recovery strategies within a global network environment.
• Experience with network segmentation, micro-segmentation, and secure access policies across hybrid environments.
• Demonstrated ability to build automation frameworks and deploy Infrastructure-as-Code using Ansible, Terraform, and Python.
• Experience in performing risk assessments, compliance audits, and implementing remediations in line with industry standards (ISO, NIST, etc.).
• Prior involvement in 24x7 support environments with strong focus on SLA adherence, incident response, and problem management.
• Proven ability to act as a mentor, technical leader, and strategic contributor in a cross-functional team setup.

Education: B.Tech M.Tech (Dual), B.E., B.Tech