Network Automation Architect

TN United Kingdom; London; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Network Automation Architect to lead innovative automation initiatives. This role involves defining architectures that enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs while leveraging cutting-edge technologies like AI and machine learning. The successful candidate will collaborate with various teams to identify automation opportunities and develop solutions that improve service delivery. With a focus on innovation and excellence, this position offers the chance to work on exciting projects that significantly impact network operations and customer experience. Join a dynamic team dedicated to transforming the future of connectivity and technology.

Benefits

Competitive salary + Bonus

25 days annual leave

Free access to LinkedIn Learning

Company Pension Contributions

Access to wellbeing benefits

Company Laptop

Mobile and Phone Subscription

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of networking protocols and automation tools.
• Experience with AI and Machine Learning for network assurance.
• Familiarity with DevOps and Agile methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Define architectures for network automation to streamline operations.
• Collaborate with teams to identify automation opportunities.
• Deliver documentation and present options for decision-making.

Skills

Networking protocols

Network automation

Orchestration tools

Machine Learning

DevOps methodologies

Analytical skills

Programming languages

APIs knowledge

Automatic testing

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science

Equivalent work experience

Tools

Itential

Cisco NSO

Terraform

Ansible

Git

Job description

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We’re building Tomorrow’s Connections Today, bringing people together through the power of our technology.

Liberty Global is a world leader in converged broadband, video and mobile communications and an active investor in cutting-edge infrastructure, content and technology ventures.

With our investments in fibre-based and 5G networks we play a vital role in society, currently providing over 85 million fixed and mobile connections and rolling out the next generation of products and services, while readying our networks for 10 Gbps and beyond.

We’re creating national champions, combining the best broadband and mobile networks under brands such as Virgin Media-02 in the UK, VodafoneZiggo in The Netherlands, Telenet in Belgium, Sunrise in Switzerland, Virgin Media in Ireland and UPC in Slovakia.

Liberty Global Ventures, our global investment arm, has a portfolio of more than 75 companies and funds across content, technology and infrastructure, including strategic stakes in ITV, Univision, Plume, Lionsgate and the Formula E racing series.

Our scale enables us to transfer knowledge and expertise across our operations and investments, creating a dynamic family of brands united in the pursuit of innovation and excellence.

And we’re prioritising diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace and communities, while reducing our impact on the environment. We are using technology as a force for good; for our people, our partners and the planet.

Job purpose

As an Internet Service Provider, we are in the transformation from manual to automated networking, and we want to improve consistency, compliancy of our network configurations to improve our operations and deliver greater value to our customers. Next to that we would like to get better insights in our networks and enhance our capabilities to collect and correlate data from the networks. The combination of having the right data, and automation capabilities will allow the network quickly to adjust itself and optimize use of resources and customer experience. We believe that technologies like AI and machine learning will help us enhancing these capabilities.

You will report to the Senior Manager Core Network Architecture and will collaborate with the other members of our Core Networking Architecture team to identify opportunities for automation, create solutions and architectures, contribute to the roadmap, introduce the latest technologies and solutions to the organisations, to streamline our operations, improve our efficiency, and reduce costs.

The Network Automation Architect is driving innovation and seeking out best practice solutions, supporting business priorities and objectives. He/she acts as the technical lead for automation initiatives in the Core to drive the architecture towards concrete solutions. This person collaborates with other teams and operating entities.

As a Network Automation Architect, you will be responsible for standardizing and automating activities, and the designs to support that and also work with the relevant teams to allow them to implement, and maintain the solutions.

Next to that you will work with the different teams identifying the data that is required to be collected and processed from the network and contribute to the data modelling and correlation.

This person will promote innovative technologies like AI / Machine Learning to drive innovative solutions.

The successful candidate can be based in the Netherlands or the UK to support networks across multiple countries. He/she works collaboratively with his/her colleagues to develop innovative and customer-specific solutions. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to contribute to a range of exciting automation projects that help us improve our service, operations and efficiency.

Key accountabilities

1. Define architectures and solutions for Network automation that help streamline our operations, improve our efficiency, and reduce costs.
2. Develop and maintain and communicate automation and technology blueprints and allow standardizing and automating activities to increase operational efficiency and streamline workflows.
3. Work closely with our network architecture, engineering, and operation teams to identify opportunities for automation, understand requirements and develop solutions to support processes that help us achieve our goals.
4. Work with the strategy teams and proactively engage with industry forums, standards organizations, vendors and Cloud providers to drive standards and lead innovation.
5. Engage across multiple functions, both business and technical, to ensure services consistently match needs and expectations.
6. Deliver professional documentation and present options and rationale to enable peers and leadership to make decisions.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS & ABILITIES:

1. Understanding of networking protocols and concepts, including TCP/IP, LAN/WAN, VLAN, and routing/switching technologies.
2. Experience in network automation and orchestration using tools such as Itential, Cisco NSO, Terraform and Ansible.
3. Experience with collecting network data using Telemetry, netflow, SNMP, large scale processing the data, storage according to data models and presenting the data to applications and users.
4. Work with Machine Learning and AI to improve assurance of the network services and work to closed loop assurance, including self-healing services.
5. Experience in working with vendor developed tools and working with vendors to develop use cases and integration in the application landscape of LG.
6. Familiarity with DevOps and Agile methodologies, including continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD). Has good knowledge of version control with Git and the interactions with code repositories from Github/Gitlab.
7. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex technical issues.
8. Knowledge of programming and data modelling languages, including Python, Bash, YANG, YAML.
9. Knowledge of interface protocols and APIs using REST, RESTCONF, NETCONF, gNMI/OpenConfig.
10. Knowledge of JSON/XML modelling languages.
11. Experience in automatic testing of networks using tools or systems like traffic generators (for example IXIA or Spirent) in combination with use cases on the network.
12. Experience in a Service Provider environment.

Preferred education/qualifications:

1. Strong academics demonstrating intellectual curiosity and problem solving in complex environments.
2. Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science/engineering, Network Technology, or related field, or equivalent work experience.
3. Passionate about new technologies, that drive the quality and efficiency of our solutions.

* Liberty Global is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our people. We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process. We’re 100% committed to having a workforce that represents every part of our society. So we’re keen to hear from candidates of all background and circumstances.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary + Bonus
• 25 days annual leave with the option to purchase 5 more
• Free access to LinkedIn Learning & Coursera to continue to develop and grow your career with us
• Company Pension Contributions
• Access to our car benefit scheme (UK only)
• Access to wellbeing and mental health benefits such as the Calm app, personal medical, critical illness cover and dental insurance (UK only)
• Free premium subscription to Calm – a renowned well-being & meditation app (NL only)
• Free public transport subscription that can be used for both work and leisure travel on all modes of public transport, anywhere in the Netherlands (NL only)
• Subsidy on health insurance premium (NL only)
• Company Laptop, Mobile and Phone Subscription (NL only)