Lead Network Engineer

UFP Industries, Inc.; Grand Rapids (MI); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

UFP Industries, Inc. in Grand Rapids, MI is seeking a Lead Network Engineer to serve as the technical leader for our enterprise network. You will architect complex hybrid cloud networks, mentor engineers, and govern network standards across the organization.

Responsibilities include guiding modernization, ensuring security with Palo Alto firewalls and zero-trust, and driving automation with Python, Ansible, and Terraform. Collaboration with IT leadership and operations is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in information technology or a related field.
• 5+ years of network engineering experience leading architectural initiatives and mentoring engineers.
• Proficiency with MPLS, BGP/MP-BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, EVPN.
• Strong knowledge of network security, including Palo Alto firewalls and zero-trust concepts.
• Experience with Azure ExpressRoute and hybrid cloud architectures.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end design of enterprise network architectures across on-prem and cloud.
• Provide architectural oversight and governance for networking initiatives.
• Mentor and coach network engineers with regular performance reviews.
• Develop roadmaps, standards, and best practices.
• Drive automation using Python, Ansible, Terraform and APIs.

Skills

MPLS

BGP/MP-BGP

OSPF

VXLAN

EVPN

Zero-trust

SASE

Palo Alto firewalls

Cisco ISE

Network security

Python

Automation

Education

Bachelor's degree in information technology

Tools

Ansible

Terraform

Azure ExpressRoute

NSG configuration

Versa SD-WAN

Cisco Meraki

Cloud interconnects

Job description

Lead Network Engineer page is loaded## Lead Network Engineerlocations: Grand Rapids, MI (IT Building)time type: Full timeposted on: Posted 30+ Days Agojob requisition id: R21644**Job Summary:**The Lead Network Engineer serves as the technical leader for network infrastructure and connectivity services across the enterprise. This role combines advanced network architecture and engineering responsibilities with team leadership, mentoring, and technical governance. The Lead Network Engineer partners closely with management to develop engineering talent, establish standards, drive modernization initiatives, and ensure the reliability, scalability, and security of the organization's network environment.**Leadership Duties and Responsibilities:*** Provide coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and professional development guidance to network engineers through regular one-on-one meetings and structured development plans.* Perform annual performance reviews in partnership with management.* Serve as the technical leader for the network engineering function, providing architectural oversight and technical direction.* Partner with management to improve operational processes, prioritize work, refine backlogs, and align resource assignments with business needs and team capabilities.* Evaluate networking technologies, vendors, and service providers, providing technical recommendations and contributing to lifecycle and investment planning.**Technical Duties and Responsibilities:*** Lead the end-to-end design of complex enterprise and hybrid cloud network architectures, including on-prem data centers, cloud interconnects, and global WAN topologies.* Architect, implement, and optimize advanced routing solutions using MPLS, MP-BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, and EVPN concepts.* Oversee the operational health, support strategy, and lifecycle planning for Cisco switching, Meraki wireless, and Versa SD-WAN platforms.* Engineer and maintain Palo Alto firewall architectures, including segmentation, global security policies, and threat prevention.* Design, implement, and support segmented Operational Technology (OT) networks, ensuring secure connectivity between manufacturing systems and enterprise environments.* Design and support Azure hybrid connectivity, including ExpressRoute, VNET architectures, NSGs, and cloud DNS; AWS/GCP exposure a plus.* Establish, maintain, and enforce network engineering standards, design patterns, and operational best practices across the enterprise.* Partner with operations teams to ensure network availability, resiliency, monitoring, capacity planning, and incident response processes are effective and continuously improved.* Develop and enhance secure network access and connectivity strategies using Cisco ISE, segmentation, and zero-trust principles while partnering with cloud, security, systems, and application teams.* Support network integration, separation, and expansion activities associated with acquisitions, divestitures, and new facility deployments.* Analyze and improve network performance across LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, wireless, and cloud environments.* Develop network roadmaps and long-term architectural strategies that align technology investments with business objectives.* Lead complex root-cause analyses and drive long-term corrective actions.* Lead the adoption of network automation and infrastructure-as-code practices using technologies such as Python, Ansible, Terraform, and API-driven integrations.* Drive major network initiatives including modernization, cloud migrations, refresh programs, and architectural redesigns.* Maintain high-quality documentation, architecture diagrams, and technical standards.**Experience:*** Bachelor's degree in information technology, or related field.* 5+ years of network engineering experience, including experience leading complex architectural initiatives and mentoring engineers.* Proficiency in MPLS, BGP/MP-BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, EVPN, and large-scale routing architectures.* Strong knowledge of network security principles and technologies, including Palo Alto firewalls, segmentation, VPNs, Cisco ISE, zero-trust, and SASE architectures.* Experience designing and supporting OT environments and familiarity with automation technologies such as Python, Ansible, or Terraform is strongly preferred.* Experience with Cisco Catalyst, Cisco/Meraki wireless, and Versa SD-WAN platforms.* Experience designing and supporting Azure network connectivity (ExpressRoute, VNETs, NSGs, DNS).*The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.*locations: Grand Rapids, MI (IT Building)time type: Full timeposted on: Posted 21 Days Ago**We're successful.** We've been around for more than 65 years, and we've been profitable every year since our founding. We work hard, and we know how to set and beat records.**We're competitive.** Our line of work is demanding, but you'll get back what you put in and have fun doing it.**We're family.**We care for each other and want to see each other succeed. We enjoy watching each other build great careers and take advantage of the many opportunities we have to advance. And that makes UFP Industries a great place to be.**We work hard and smart.**We learn and grow from each other, from experience, from trial and error, from success. We collaborate to maintain our competitive edge. And we do it all on a global scale.