Principal Backbone & Edge Architect

AI Startups UK; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Flexible work

Job summary

Nscale is hiring a Principal Network Backbone & Edge Architect to lead as the senior technical design authority for our global network infrastructure. You’ll design, validate and own standards governing transport networks from data centre edge to backbone and cloud exchange connectivity.

This highly influential IC role defines what gets built and how our network evolves, working with carriers, vendors, hyperscalers, and enterprise customers across regions.

Qualifications

• 12+ years of network engineering experience; senior architecture background.
• Deep expertise in large-scale IP/MPLS, SRv6, IPv6, BGP and traffic engineering.
• Experience designing backbone and WAN for hyperscale data centers.
• Hands-on with Nokia SR routing platforms and coherent optical transport.

Responsibilities

• Own and maintain global network architecture standards across edge, WAN, backbone, and cloud exchange.
• Lead design of new network deployments across regions and environments.
• Produce detailed designs, topology docs, IP schemes, and routing policies.
• Review and approve major network designs before implementation.
• Engage with carriers, hyperscalers, and customers on architecture roadmaps.

Skills

Network engineering

Senior architecture

IP/MPLS design

SRv6

BGP

OpenConfig

NETCONF

YANG

Tools

Nokia SR routing

OpenConfig

NETCONF

YANG

API-driven infra

Job description

About Nscale

Nscale is the GPU cloud engineered for AI. We provide cost-effective, high-performance infrastructure for AI start-ups and large enterprise customers. Nscale enables AI-focused companies to achieve superior results by reducing the complexity of AI development. Our GPU cloud bolsters technical capabilities and directly supports strategic business outcomes, including cost management, rapid innovation, and environmental responsibility.

At Nscale, our AI Infrastructure team plays a critical role in building the global network infrastructure that powers our GPU cloud platform, enabling reliable, high-performance connectivity across our data centres, customers, cloud partners, and global backbone.

We thrive on a culture of relentless innovation, ownership, and accountability, where every team member takes pride in their work and drives it with excellence and urgency. As an Nscaler, you'll build trust through openness and transparency, where everyone is inspired to do their best work. If you join our team, you'll be contributing to building the technology that powers the future.

About the Role

We are hiring a Principal Network Backbone & Edge Architect to serve as the senior technical design authority for Nscale's global network infrastructure.

You will design, validate, and own the technical standards governing our transport networks — from GPU data centre edge through WAN and backbone transport to cloud exchange connectivity and Internet peering.

This is a highly influential individual contributor role. While you won't have direct reports, your architectural decisions will define what gets built, how it gets built, and how Nscale's global network evolves.

You'll work across our global network organisation and engage directly with carriers, technology vendors, hyperscalers, and enterprise customers. We're looking for someone equally comfortable developing detailed architecture and design standards, evaluating emerging network technologies, and being hands‑on in a data centre validating a new backbone node.

Architecture & Standards

• Own and maintain Nscale's global network architecture standards across DC edge, WAN edge, backbone transport, cloud exchange, OOB/management, and automation architecture.
• Lead the design of new network infrastructure deployments across regions.
• Produce detailed network designs, topology documentation, IP addressing schemes, and routing policy frameworks.
• Define technology selection criteria and lead vendor and technology evaluations for major network infrastructure decisions.
• Conduct architecture reviews for significant network changes, ensuring alignment with global standards before implementation.
• Contribute network architecture requirements to data centre design reviews from the earliest stages of new facility planning.

Technology Strategy & Roadmap

• Own Nscale's network technology roadmap.
• Identify and evaluate emerging capabilities including 800G/1.6T coherent optics, AI-driven network operations, and next-generation cloud exchange integration.
• Produce and maintain technology horizon documentation to inform investment planning and strategic supplier discussions.
• Evaluate and recommend technologies, vendors, and platforms aligned with Nscale's commercial objectives, operating model, and growth plans.

Technical Governance

• Serve as the final technical authority for major network design decisions.
• Review and approve significant network designs before implementation.
• Identify technical risks within proposed architectures and drive resolution before they reach production.
• Maintain and evolve Nscale's network design standards library, ensuring documentation remains current and actionable across regions.

Supplier & Customer Engagement

• Engage directly with strategic technology and connectivity partners on architecture roadmaps, capabilities, and technical partnerships.
• Support enterprise customer and hyperscaler engagements, including architecture walkthroughs, connectivity design reviews, and technical due diligence.
• Work with carrier and colocation partners on complex challenges including multi-site diversity, capacity planning, and technology evolution.
• Collaborate with Product and Sales teams to translate network architecture capabilities into customer-facing value.

About You

• 12+ years of network engineering experience, including at least 4 years in a senior architecture or Principal Engineering role.
• Deep expertise in large-scale IP/MPLS network design, SRv6, IPv6, BGP, traffic engineering, and multi-AS routing architectures.
• Proven experience designing carrier-grade backbone and WAN infrastructure for hyperscale or large-scale data centre environments.
• Hands‑on expertise with Nokia SR routing platforms and coherent optical transport architecture.
• Strong working knowledge of data centre fabric architecture, cloud exchange platforms, and customer connectivity design.
• Experience with network automation architecture, including OpenConfig, NETCONF, YANG, and API‑driven infrastructure.
• Strong ability to produce high‑quality architecture designs, technical documentation, and standards frameworks.
• Track record of strategic vendor and technology evaluation.
• Experience engaging enterprise customers and hyperscalers in technical architecture discussions.
• Knowledge of carrier ecosystems across EMEA, APAC, and the Americas is strongly preferred.

What we can offer you

At Nscale, you'll find a collaborative, supportive, and innovative environment where your contributions spark real impact. We're building something extraordinary, and we want you at the core.

Highly competitive package (base + equity) with reviews every 12 months.

Join one of the fastest-growing AI infrastructure companies — your opportunity to define the global network architecture powering the next generation of AI.

Expect a dynamic progression plan tailored to your ambitions. Shape technical strategy, evaluate emerging technologies, and influence how Nscale's global network evolves as we scale.

Human-First Flexibility: We treat you as humans first. Our flexible workplace trusts Nscalers to deliver, giving you the autonomy to shape your day around life's moments.

Equal Opportunities Statement

We strongly encourage applications from people of colour, the LGBTQ+ community, people with disabilities, neurodivergent people, parents, carers, and people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

If there's anything we can do to accommodate your specific situation, please let us know.

The responsibilities outlined in this job description are not exhaustive and are intended to provide a general overview of the position. The employee may be required to perform additional duties, tasks, and responsibilities as assigned by management, consistent with the skills and qualifications required for the role.

For information on how Nscale handles candidate personal data, please see our Employee & Candidate Privacy Notice: Here.