Lead Network Architect With Iac - Bristol, UK

Randstad Technologies Recruitment; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Randstad Technologies Recruitment seeks a highly hands-on Lead Network Architect to eliminate manual network configurations and drive Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) in production Cisco data centres.

You will translate low-level designs into automation workflows and build robust CI/CD pipelines for mission-critical changes, with a focus on governance and automation across enterprise platforms.

Qualifications

• Deep expertise in Cisco NX-OS, VXLAN BGP-EVPN, vPC and NDFC.
• IaC experience and automation tooling.
• Hands-on scripting with Python, YAML and JSON; experience with Ansible.

Responsibilities

• Build and optimize CI/CD pipelines for automated network changes and migrations.
• Champion GitOps with strict gates and automated rollbacks.
• Integrate automation across NDFC, NetBox, ServiceNow and Ansible Platform.

Skills

Cisco NX-OS

VXLAN BGP-EVPN

vPC

Cisco NDFC

Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Python (REST APIs)

YAML

JSON

Ansible

GitOps

CI/CD pipelines

Tools

AAP (Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform)

Job description

Role: Lead Network Architect with Infrastructure as Code (IaC)

Type: Contract (6 Months)

Location: Bristol, Birmingham & London, UK

Working Model: Hybrid (3 days per week in office)

The Role

We are seeking a highly hands-on Lead Network Architect to eliminate manual network configurations and drive Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC). You will translate low-level designs into production-grade automation workflows, building robust CI/CD pipelines for mission-critical Cisco data centres.

What You'll Do

• Build and optimize CI/CD pipelines for automated network changes and migrations.
• Champion GitOps principles, treating Git as the ultimate source of truth with strict pipeline gates and automated rollbacks.
• Integrate automation seamlessly across enterprise platforms including NDFC, NetBox, ServiceNow, and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform.

Must-Have Skills

• Networking: Deep expertise in Cisco NX-OS, VXLAN BGP-EVPN, vPC, and Cisco NDFC.
• Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
• Automation: Python (REST APIs, data modeling), YAML, JSON, and Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform (AAP).
• CI/CD & Testing: GitHub/GitLab workflows, pyATS, and Genie for pre- and post-change validation.
• Governance: Experience working in strictly regulated environments requiring detailed LLD documentation (FCA / PRA standards).

This is an urgent vacancy with a deadline where the hiring manager is shortlisting for an interview immediately.