Principal Technical Specialist, Telco IP Core

Optus; Sydney; Hybrid; AUD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Employee discounts

Parental leave

On-site facilities

Professional development

Job summary

Optus is seeking a Principal Technical Specialist to define and drive the architectural direction of our Telco IP Core and IP Modernisation programs. You will provide technical leadership across Network Engineering, developing guidelines, governing changes, and representing the function in cross-group forums.

This strategic individual contributor role shapes long-term evolution of our Telco IP Core in line with regulatory requirements and industry best practice, with emphasis on collaboration

Qualifications

• Extensive IP core network engineering experience.
• 5+ years in leadership roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in CS/EE; master or certs desirable.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain architectural guidelines for the Telco IP Core.
• Chair the Solutions Review Board – IP Core and related bodies; ensure decisions align with architecture principles.
• Represent Network Engineering in cross-functional forums and emergency groups; provide Tier-3 guidance for high-impact issues.
• Lead technical engagement with vendors and partners; evaluate solutions against architecture guidelines.
• Mentor senior engineers and build technical capability through playbooks and communities of practice.

Skills

IP network engineering

TCP/IP

BGP

OSPF

MPLS

Leadership

Architectural governance

Strategic communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or related field

Master’s degree or CCNP/CCIE certification desirable

Tools

Netconf/YANG

Ansible

Automation frameworks

Job description

Principal Technical Specialist, Telco IP Core

Optus is an Australian telecommunications company, delivering more than 11 million services to our customers every day across mobile, broadband and digital solutions.

As our Principal Technical Specialist, Telco IP Core, you’ll define and drive the architectural direction of Optus’s Telco IP Core and IP Modernisation programs. You’ll provide technical leadership across Network Engineering by developing architectural guidelines, governing solution and change processes, and representing the function in cross-functional and cross-group technical forums. This is a strategic individual contributor role with significant influence across internal teams and external partners, shaping the long-term evolution of our Telco IP Core network in line with strategic objectives, regulatory requirements and industry best practice.

What You'll Do

• Develop, maintain and drive adoption of architectural guidelines and technical standards for the Telco IP Core network.
• Chair the Solutions Review Board – IP Core, Technical Review Board – IP Modernisation, and Change Review Panel – IP Core, ensuring solution and change decisions align with architecture principles, risk requirements and operational impact.
• Represent Network Engineering in the Emergency Working Group and the Singtel IP Centre of Excellence, contributing to the evolution of E000 emergency services capability and alignment of IP strategy, standards and best practice.
• Provide authoritative technical guidance to Engineering, Architecture and Operations teams, including Tier-3 support for high-impact operational and architectural issues.
• Lead technical engagement with vendors, technology partners and industry forums, evaluating solutions and technologies for fit against architectural guidelines.
• Mentor senior engineers and build technical capability through infrastructure engineering playbooks, build guides and communities of practice.

What makes you perfect for the role?

• Many years’ experience in IP network engineering, including at least 5 years in a leadership role and experience delivering complex engineering solutions and large projects.
• Deep understanding of TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, MPLS and routing and switching technologies, with strong experience in Telco IP Core architecture design and governance.
• Proven ability to develop and enforce architectural standards and guidelines, with a strong understanding of Internet governance, standards bodies and industry forums.
• Familiarity with emergency services network requirements, including E000, and experience working with regulatory, legislative and contractual obligations.
• Strategic communication, executive reporting, influencing and conflict-management skills, with the ability to work autonomously and build collaborative relationships across a matrix environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering or a related field. A Master’s degree, network certification such as CCNP/CCIE, or experience with automation frameworks such as Netconf/YANG or Ansible is desirable.

The good stuff…

• Competitive remuneration and employee discounts.
• Make life easier and more affordable with $80 monthly credit and 25% off Optus products and unique shopping discounts with our retail partners.
• Flexible working arrangements with opportunities to work three days in the office, two days remote or home.
• Vibrant and collaborative office campus that includes cafes, convenience store, chill out zones, GP, post office, gym and on-site childcare centre.
• Competitive leave policies, including additional ‘Connected’ days to focus on culture, family, health, community, or whatever’s important to you.
• We support growing families with inclusive, carer-neutral paid Parental Leave of up to 16 weeks.
• Direct your own development and build future-ready skills with Optus U’s industry-focused micro-credentials, developed with La Trobe and Macquarie Universities.
• Build meaningful connections through employee-led networks and diversity initiatives including Culture Connect, Elevate Women, Disability Network and Express Yourself (LGBTQIA+).
• Put your wellbeing first with free access to counselling and support services, 24/7 — in-person, by phone, SMS, or video.
• Free Optus bus from Macquarie University Metro Station (every 6–8 minutes); morning and afternoon.

At Optus, we are strengthened by others and that means valuing diversity and saying ‘yes’ to embracing individual differences.

We are committed to ensuring that our application process provides an equal employment opportunity to all job seekers, including individuals from diverse gender, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, individuals with a disability, individuals identifying as being part of the LGBTQIA+ community, individuals who may have served in the armed forces or who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander.

We also want to do our best to make our recruitment process inclusive.

If you require any adjustments or accessibility support to participate fairly and equitably in the recruitment process, please email ***************@optus.com.au or call 1800 309 ***.