Network Engineer - Cisco SDA - Contract (3-4 Months) - Onsite: Irvine, CA

Socket.dev; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 138,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Socket.dev is seeking a Network Engineer to provide technical expertise and strategic planning for the core network infrastructure. The role involves designing, implementing, and documenting data and voice networking solutions to support high availability across the enterprise.

The position requires advanced knowledge of routing, switching, QoS, and firewall technologies, with hands-on experience in Cisco and Palo Alto environments. The contract runs 3–4 months, with 40 hours per week.

Qualifications

• CCNP certification (Enterprise or Routing/Switching) required.
• Experience with enterprise LAN/WAN/WLAN networks.
• Cisco/Palo Alto device expertise required.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate, design, implement and support data and voice networking technologies.
• Maintain DNS/DHCP and remote access services.
• Monitor and report on network performance and capacity.
• Provide expert level technical support to the Service Desk.
• Lead complex network project deployments and documentation.
• Perform RCA after outages and on-call duties as required.

Skills

Network routing

Network switching

QoS

Root cause analysis

On-call support

Education

CCNP (Enterprise or Routing/Switching)

Tools

Cisco Nexus/9k

Cisco Catalyst

Meraki

Palo Alto

Packet analyzers

Job description

Rate: $100-$120/ hour – Depending on Experience

40 hours/ week

Contract is for 3-4 months

About the Position:

Provides technical expertise, strategic and tactical planning and maintains documentation of core network infrastructure including the implementation and design of hardware and software. This position performs network analytics and can report on capacity, availability of the enterprise network. The Network Engineer performs root cause analysis, level 3-problem resolution and demonstrates expertise in a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures. This position works closely with the Infrastructure & VoIP services team in daily support & projects to establish strategies and priorities to support and maintain the highest availability of the overall network environment.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Evaluate, design, implement, test, document, deploy, maintain, and support data and voice networking technologies.
• Evaluate, implement, test, document, deploy, maintain, and support new versions of hardware, software, firmware, drivers and patches for all data and security equipment and related networking devices.
• Evaluate, test, document, maintain and support DNS, DHCP, internet, intranet, extranet and remote access services.
• Monitor, configure, implement, test, deploy, maintain, and support Systems Monitoring, Alerts, and Reporting for the projects Network Infrastructure and telecommunications systems.
• Evaluate and maintain network hardware and software life cycle including inventory, reporting, and end of life refresh.
• Provide expert level technical support to the Service Desk, including troubleshooting user operating problems, application problems, system configuration issues and malfunctions, and network operating problems.
• Develop, configure, maintain, and support procedures for all network equipment backups and restores utilizing the backup solution.
• Provide technical expertise for the maintenance and support of the network equipment (e.g., CISCO, Palo Alto, HP, etc.).
• Perform expert level performance tuning as well as expert level network performance audits on a regular basis.
• Diagnose and resolve overall system hardware, software, firmware, and network problems.
• Assist in the engineering, design, and maintenance of multisite enterprise networks.
• Perform expert level analytical studies to develop, implement, test, and deploy data and voice connectivity for local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) systems.
• Act as a project leader to design, implement, test, document, and deploy complex systems that are required to support the Network Infrastructure.
• Develop, implement, test, deploy, maintain and support standard network configurations for all data, voice and security networked equipment (e.g., switches, routers, wireless, firewalls, VPN, VoIP, 802.1x, etc.).
• Design, implement, test, deploy, maintain, and support the most complex LAN, WAN, VLAN, Wireless or Voice Systems in accordance with requirements.
• Perform research and provide expert level technical recommendations regarding complex system enhancements and new technologies to management.
• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) and provide after-action report (AAR) following unplanned outages.
• Perform on-call duties and travels as required

Requirements

• Advanced knowledge of network routing, switching, and QoS (OSPF, EIGRP, BGP, VPC, STP)
• Advanced knowledge of firewalls, load balancers, wireless, and VPN. (IPS, IDS, IPSEC Tunnels)
• In-depth knowledge of Cisco networking devices. (e.g. Nexus 7k, Nexus 9k, Cisco Catalyst, Meraki)
• In-depth knowledge of Palo Alto networking devices. (e.g. PA220, PA2030, PA880)
• Experience with packet / protocol analyzers to find and remedy application and network performance issues.
• Experience in supporting complex, enterprise level LAN / WAN / WLAN networks.
• Experience with Software Defined networking (Cloud, VMware, etc.)
• CCNP (Enterprise or Routing/Switching preferred).

Desired Skills, Abilities and Work Ethic:

• Possess a strong work ethic and team player mentality.
• Highly developed sense of integrity and commitment to customer satisfaction.
• Ability to communicate clearly?and professionally, both verbally and in writing.
• Strong problem-solving, research,?analytical and decision-making abilities.
• Proficient PC skills, including competency in MS Office Suite.
• Able to maintain excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Ability to work evenings and weekends as necessary.
• Create a positive customer?support experience and build strong relationships?through deep problem?understanding, ensuring timely resolution or escalation, communicating promptly on progress,?and?handling?customers with a consummately professional attitude.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot and resolve escalated issues.

Critical Success Factor

• Strong oral and written skills
• Excellent documentation skills
• Excellent time management skills
• Ability to set priorities and meet obligations in a timely manner
• Extremely detail oriented
• Ability to maintain the highest levels of productivity with minimal management oversight