Network Lab Engineer

KPG99 INC; New York (NY); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

KPG99 INC. is seeking a Lab Engineer to build, maintain, document, and operate the trading lab environment. You will report status, issues, and recommendations while supporting the lab's network infrastructure and associated compute operations.

The role involves creating testbeds, performing interoperability tests with Cisco NXOS/Arista EOS, and coordinating with vendors like Ixia/Spirent for traffic generation and testing. Strong communication is essential.

Qualifications

• BACHELOR OF COMPUTER SCIENCE
• 5+ years in internetworking and lab management
• Experience with structured cabling, transceivers, and core routing/switching
• Familiarity with Cisco NXOS/Arista EOS and basic server concepts

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain lab testbeds and interoperability setups
• Document lab environments and test results clearly
• Provide timely lab connectivity for trading plant topology reproduction
• Manage lab inventory, assets, and access control
• Develop and implement new lab processes and procedures
• Coordinate certifications/interop testing and report outcomes
• Microsoft Visio/Draw.io for topology diagrams

Skills

Internetworking

Structured cabling

Core routing & switching

Cisco NXOS

Arista EOS

Server basics

NIC cards

Lab management

Visio

Draw.io

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor of Computer Science

Tools

Ixia

Spirent

CML

NetBox

Nautobot

ReadyWorks

Infoblox

Job description

• The Lab Engineer supports execution by building, maintaining, documenting, and operating the lab environment, and by reporting status, issues, and recommendations accordingly.
• This position is primarily focused on network infrastructure within the trading lab (having working knowledge of basic server and compute operations is a plus). The role operates alongside - not in place of - the existing lab support structure
• Build/Manage feature testing, interoperability and certification testbeds in lab - requiring knowledge of Cisco/Arista/FPGA HW platforms, various optics types, Ixia for traffic generation. Some of vendors and technologies the resource will be working with are noted next, but not limited. The successful resource will have knowledge across many of these:
• Optics & Cabling: Optical and copper transceivers (SFP+, QSFP+, QSFP28, DACs), fiber (single/multi-mode), structured cabling, optical taps
• Traffic Generation & Packet Capture: Ixia, Spirent, Corvil, FMADIO
• Compute & NICs: Server platforms, AMD, Intel, Cisco network interface cards, virtualization (ESXi/ KVM)
• Operating Systems & Out-of-Band Access: Redhat Enterprise Linux, NX-OS, IOS XE, Avocent, EOS , jump hosts
• Build lab environments to match provided production trading plant topologies and system connectivity requirements.
• Executing limited certifications/Interop testing, which will entail overall test setup/ test plan/ execution/ reporting and presenting lab test results.
• Provide requested network connections in timely manner for fast moving trading plant topology reproduction in lab
• Support multiple concurrent requests with timelines driven by project go-live dates.
• Detailed documentation of the lab testbeds and its upkeep, including testing equipment connections
• Design, present and implement new lab processes and procedures.
• Adhere to lab policies and process for hardware and optics allocation and inventory management
• Identify process gaps, recommend improvements, and implement changes as directed.
• Complete Lab asset (and modules eg line cards) inventory mgt, registration to ReadyWorks, nmdB and any future mgt platform identified (eg NetBox/Nautobot (DCIM/IPAM), ReadyWorks (asset tracking), NMDB (network device inventory), Infoblox (DNS/IPAM), Forward Networks (topology/config), and any future platforms.
• Server/Compute Lead (server infrastructure, NIC config, server-to-switch connectivity
• Lifecycle mgt of lab DUT gear (EoL/EoS/ EoVSS/ LDoS) including ensuring they run the latest certified code and/ or code under cert as needed
• Lifecycle mgt of lab test gear (eg Ixia) , ixa/ testgear code upkeep, scheduling, virtual routers (Arista Cloud Vision CVP = used for bug mgt), simulated testbeds (eg CML)
• Manage lab capacity, removal of no longer devices to free up rack space, track inbound to the lab devices, manage their physical installation, the DNS registration, out of band access, cable mgt & cleanup, produce monthly lab capacity and usage report
• Automated inventory mgt for lab related needs (cables, optics, wraps, bins, terminal servers,jump hosts ) reporting and proactive inventory replenishment
• Lab data wipes as needed
• Skills Required: Internetworking Skill (intermediate 5+ years), experience with structured cabling, various transceivers, core routing and switching (preferable Cisco NXOS and Arista EOS), basic understanding of servers and various NIC cards, Lab management experience a plus, Visio and drawio, excellent org skills, imperative to have excellent communication skills (written & spoken).
• Good to have skills -
• Multicast, Traffic generator tools knowledge, knowledge of traffic generator tools(Ixia, spirent) a major plus
• Automation languages (python, ansible) as well as knowledge of AI tools (I,e copilot(s), claude, etc) to help streamline day-to-day operations.

Desired Candidate Profile

Qualifications : BACHELON OF COMPUTER SCIENCE