Infrastructure Engineer

Forward Networks, Inc.; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Networks is seeking an experienced Infrastructure Engineer to support the deployment, operation, and evolution of internal platforms and applications. You will work across on‑prem and cloud environments, interacting with security and engineering teams as the infrastructure expands.

The role involves hands‑on work with virtualization, networking, and security concepts, with opportunities to learn and grow as the team scales.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years hands-on experience with network equipment and servers.
• Comfort with CLI and Linux; strong debugging skills.
• Experience configuring, operating and maintaining virtualization, DDI, and security infrastructure.
• Understanding network concepts (IP, routing, VPN, firewalls).

Responsibilities

• Drive development work for physical systems, network devices, and virtual machines to add new systems, replace existing ones, or integrate new functionality.
• Drive operations for corporate systems: handle tier-two escalations, write runbooks, and transfer knowledge to systems engineers.
• Implement corporate security policies into all systems.
• Drive updates and patching.

Skills

Linux

CLI

Networking

Security concepts

Scripting

Troubleshooting

AWS basics

Tools

OpenShift/Kubernetes

VMware vCenter/ESX

DNS/DHCP/IPAM

Job description

Forward Networks is transforming how the world’s most complex networks are managed and secured. Founded in 2013 by four Stanford Ph.D.s, we built the industry’s first network digital twin — a mathematically precise model of the production network that gives IT teams unmatched visibility, verification, and agility across every major cloud and vendor environment.

Our customers include global leaders such as Goldman Sachs, PayPal, S&P Global, IBM, and Dell, as well as fast-growing enterprises and government agencies. According to IDC, Forward Networks customers realize an average of $14.2 million in annual benefits through improved efficiency and security.

Backed by world-class investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Goldman Sachs, MSD Partners, and Threshold Ventures, Forward Networks offers a people-centric, innovative culture where brilliant minds are shaping the future of network reliability, security, and AI-ready operations.

Forward Networks is looking for an experienced Infrastructure Engineer. As an Infrastructure Engineer, you will support the deployment, operation, and evolution of internal platforms and applications.

In this role, you'll have hands‑on time with a wide breadth of systems and system types, going beyond just core “IT”, to frequent interactions with security and engineering teams. As we grow our infrastructure, (both on‑prem and in-cloud), and grow the team, you’ll have ample opportunities to learn. Both Dev and Ops work is in scope.

Storage, Compute, Network, Cloud, or Application? If you said ‘Yes’, you may be the right fit.

Must be able to work from the office in Santa Clara at least two days a week, and able to come in as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Drive development work for physical systems, network devices, and virtual machines - to add new systems, replace existing ones, or integrate new functionality
• Drive operations for corporate systems: handle tier-two escalations, write runbooks, and do knowledge transfer to systems engineers on the team
• Implement corporate security policies into all systems
• Drive updates and patching

Required background:

• Thirst for knowledge / desire to learn and grow
• Ability to effectively debug hard problems on a range of systems types
• Infrastructure Systems Experience: experience configuring, operating, and maintaining:
  • Virtualization Hosts: (OpenShift/Kubernetes andVMware vCenter/ESX)
  • DDI Systems (DNS, DHCP, IPAM)
  • Network and security infrastructure (experience with routers/routing, switches/switching, and firewalls/network policy)
  • Backup and disaster recovery systems
  • Working knowledge of wireless networking and troubleshooting of them
• Comfort and working experience with CLI and Linux
• Understanding of application-relevant security concepts, including certificates, VPNs, and encryption
• Understanding of network connectivity concepts, including IP address allocation, tunneling, L2/L3 routing and switching, firewalls, and proxies (ideally, CCNA-level knowledge or better)
• 3-5 years of hands on experience with network equipment and servers

Nice-to-have:

• Scripting: Practical scripting and automation experience, including git, Bash, Python, Ansible, Terraform, Kubernetes, REST APIs, etc.
• Comfort working with AI tools / processes and effective prompting
• Cloud: Experience provisioning and using resources in AWS (or other clouds)
• File servers and NAS (disk and flash-based) - basic knowledge and understanding of storage is required but specific / detailed knowledge of a specific system or format is not required
• iSCSI knowledge
• Access and identity systems (SSO, LDAP, VPN, …)

Examples of potential job tasks:

• Move Jira to the Cloud
• Fix issues (provisioning, resource allocation, performance, etc) in Kubernetes, bonus for VMWare
• Generate and deploy certificates to a running app
• Change a system to use Okta auth via SAML
• Write and maintain inventory discovery and reconciliation scripts
• Writing a runbook
• Writing a high / low level design document

Salary Range: The base pay range for this role is between $175,000 and $210,000. Base pay will depend on your skills, qualifications, experience, and location