Manager, Network Engineering

NextGen | GTA: A Kelly Telecom Company; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

NextGen | GTA: A Kelly Telecom Company is seeking an experienced Manager, Network Engineering to lead a team responsible for the design, implementation, optimization, and support of a carrier-grade IP and optical network infrastructure.

The role provides technical leadership, oversees projects, and ensures reliability, security, and scalability of the network. Strong leadership and extensive routing/telecom expertise are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Telecommunications, or equivalent.
• 15+ years in carrier/service provider networking with leadership responsibilities.
• Hands-on experience with Juniper, Cisco, Nokia, and Ciena platforms.
• Expertise in MPLS, BGP, IS-IS/OSPF, Layer 2/Layer 3 VPNs, Carrier Ethernet, and DWDM/ROADM.
• Strong troubleshooting, communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Network Engineering team, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Oversee network engineering projects, including upgrades, migrations, capacity planning, and technology deployments.
• Evaluate new technologies and provide strategic recommendations for network improvements.
• Manage network capacity, engineering priorities, budgets, and project timelines.
• Support IP and optical network design, testing, and implementation.
• Ensure adherence to change management processes and operational standards.
• Develop technical documentation, implementation plans, and engineering procedures.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for engineering operations and on‑call support.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to deliver reliable and scalable network services.

Skills

MPLS

BGP

IS-IS/OSPF

L2/L3 VPNs

Carrier Ethernet

ROADM/DWDM

Network architecture

Team leadership

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Engineering/CS/Telecommunications

Tools

Juniper

Cisco

Nokia

Ciena

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Manager, Network Engineering to lead a team responsible for the design, implementation, optimization, and support of a carrier-grade IP and optical network infrastructure.

This role provides technical leadership, oversees network engineering projects, manages team performance, drives technology initiatives, and ensures the reliability, scalability, and security of the network. The ideal candidate combines strong hands‑on technical expertise with proven leadership and project management experience.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Network Engineering team, including hiring, coaching, performance management, and professional development.
• Oversee network engineering projects, including upgrades, migrations, capacity planning, and technology deployments.
• Evaluate new technologies and provide strategic recommendations for network improvements.
• Manage network capacity, engineering priorities, budgets, and project timelines.
• Support IP and optical network design, testing, and implementation.
• Ensure adherence to change management processes and operational standards.
• Develop technical documentation, implementation plans, and engineering procedures.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for engineering operations and on‑call support.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams to deliver reliable and scalable network services.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Telecommunications, or equivalent experience.
• 15+ years of experience in carrier/service provider networking, including leadership responsibilities.
• Strong expertise in:
• MPLS (LDP, RSVP-TE or Segment Routing)
• BGP
• IS-IS & OSPF
• Layer 2/Layer 3 VPNs
• Carrier Ethernet
• Advanced knowledge of ROADM, DWDM, and optical transport networks.
• Hands‑on experience with Juniper, Cisco, Nokia, and Ciena platforms.
• Experience with network architecture, capacity planning, network modernization, and large‑scale migrations.
• Strong troubleshooting skills involving routing, telemetry, packet captures, and network performance analysis.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Python, Ansible, NETCONF, YANG, gNMI, or other network automation tools.
• Experience with EVPN, DCI, Segment Routing, and IP/Optical convergence.