Senior Network Engineer, Backbone and Internet Edge

Apple Inc.; Cork; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple Inc. in Cork, Ireland is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to join the Global Network Services team. You will lead multi-site projects across backbone and peering, plan deployments, and drive operational excellence in a fast-paced, production-focused environment.

Ideal candidates bring 8+ years of hands-on networking, strong Python scripting for automation, and a proven ability to deliver complex networks with Cisco/Juniper/Arista gear.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience as a Network Engineer, including lead roles on large deployments.
• Fluent English (spoken and written) for client and stakeholder communication.
• Deep hands-on TCP/IP (v4/v6), BGP, MPLS, IS-IS, LAN/WAN and DWDM knowledge.
• Strong Python programming with network automation and version-control experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute large-scale network projects from planning to deployment.
• Manage multi-site rollouts, data centre builds, peering and transit expansions.
• Develop automation tooling and Python scripts for provisioning and deployment.
• Coordinate across vendors and internal teams to ensure timely delivery.

Skills

8+ years networking

BGP

MPLS

IS-IS

Python scripting

Automation tooling

Unix/Linux

English fluency

Project leadership

Education

BS or equivalent

Tools

Netmiko

NAPALM

Scrapli

REST APIs

Ansible

Terraform

Jenkins

Git

Job description

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Senior Network Engineer, Backbone and Internet Edge

Cork, County Cork, Ireland Corporate Functions

Imagine what you could do here. At Apple, new ideas have a way of becoming phenomenal products, services, and customer experiences very quickly. Bring passionand dedication to your job and there's no telling what you could accomplish. Come join the networking team that supports Apple’s Global Backbone and Internet peering infrastructure! We're a team of seasoned professionals that maintain and operate one of the world’s largest service provider-based backbone networks to connect all of Apple’s businesses globally. We are growing and building the fastest and most reliable network to meet Apple’s phenomenal scale and unique requirements.The Senior Network Engineer will be working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment while developing, implementing, and supporting a complex backbone. To be successful in this role, the candidate is required to possess extensive experience in engineering and operations of very large-scale enterprise/service provider networks.

Description

Apple is looking for an experienced Senior Network Engineer to join our Global Network Services (GNS) team. The successful candidate will work in a dynamic team environment, leading and executing large-scale network projects from planning through deployment and handover — multi-site rollouts, data centre builds, and peering and transit expansion. You will combine deep hands-on networking expertise with proven project management skills, managing multiple concurrent projects and adapting as priorities shift.Day to day, you will work across carrier-grade platforms from vendors such as Cisco, Juniper, and Arista, with protocols including BGP, IS-IS, MPLS, and IPsec, alongside the LAN/WAN and DWDM optical transport technologies that underpin our global footprint. Supporting large-scale peering and transit networks, you will apply a sound understanding of complex traffic engineering and Internet routing policy. The role also calls for building custom applications and automation tooling to streamline network provisioning, configuration, and deployment — typically in Python using Netmiko, NAPALM, Scrapli, or REST APIs, with orchestration through Ansible, Terraform, or Jenkins, and version control in Git. The goal is measurable efficiency gains and shorter deployment times in complex environments.This engineer will excel in a fast-paced environment, troubleshoot complex large-scale network issues under pressure, obsess over the customer experience, and drive excellence through strong technical leadership and mentorship. Early morning or late night calls may be required

Minimum Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience as a Network Engineer, including 3+ years in a project engineering or lead role on large-scale network deployments. Fluent English (spoken and written) is required due to frequent client and stakeholder communication.
• In-depth, hands-on expertise across TCP/IP (v4 and v6), BGP, MPLS, and IS-IS, with practical knowledge of LAN/WAN and DWDM optical transport, and proficiency in macOS, Linux, or other UNIX-based systems
• Strong programming skills, particularly Python, with demonstrated experience building network automation tools and working with orchestration platforms and version control
• Excellent analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills, with a proven ability to troubleshoot complex network issues under pressure while managing multiple concurrent projects

Preferred Qualifications

• Working knowledge of DWDM Optical Transport technologies.
• Strong programming skills, particularly Python, with experience building ap-
• plications or tools for network automation (e.g., using Netmiko, NAPALM, Scrapli,
• or REST APIs).
• Experience with automation/orchestration platforms (Ansible, Terraform, Jenkins)
• and version control (Git).
• BS or equivalent education preferred
• Advanced industry network certifications preferred

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