Principal Adv Network Tech Support

AT&T; Richardson (TX); On-site; USD 144,000 - 216,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision coverage

401(k) plan

Tuition reimbursement

Paid Time Off and Holidays

Paid Parental Leave

Paid Caregiver Leave

Adoption Reimbursement

Disability Benefits

Life Insurance

Employee discounts

Job summary

AT&T is seeking a highly experienced Principal Network Tech Support to serve as a lead SME within the Service Assurance Tier 3 (GT3) team in Richardson, TX. You will provide expert support for SD-WAN and related technologies, act as a trusted advisor for peers, and manage critical outages with decisive action.

The role demands exceptional communication with internal engineers and customers, mentoring, and leading cross-functional initiatives to ensure high-availability network services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in a related field.
• 7+ years of related experience in senior network roles.
• Certifications in relevant networking/security domains preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as lead SME within GT3 team for technical expertise.
• Mentor GT3 peers and guide other teams; develop training materials.
• Manage complex projects from initiation to completion with cross-functional teams.
• Translate complex technical findings into clear messages for diverse audiences.
• Lead root-cause analyses and drive continuous improvement in service quality.

Skills

Enterprise routing & switching

SD-WAN technologies

Network security

Advanced troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology or related field

Tools

Cisco Routing & Switching

Cisco Nexus Data Center

Cisco Wireless Infrastructure

Cisco ASA Firewalls

Juniper Routing & Switching

Riverbed WAN Optimization

Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN

Job description

This position requires office presence of a minimum of 5 days per week and is only located in the location(s) posted. No relocation is offered.

Overall Purpose: Technical Expertise and Support:

Serve as a lead technical expert and Subject Matter Expert (SME) within the Service Assurance Tier 3 (GT3) team.

Provide specialized support for D2 technologies, including SD-WAN solutions such as Silver Peak SDWAN, VMware/Broadcom/Arista SD-WAN and Cisco SD-WAN, along with virtualized platforms like Flexware and Universal CPE.

Act as a recognized routing and connectivity SME across all supported service lines, frequently consulted by peers for technical advice and problem resolution.

The position exercises judgment by effectively managing a high volume of complex and critical customer network outages, requiring swift and accurate decision-making to triage and isolate issues. The candidate applies advanced critical thinking skills to analyze problems deeply and prioritize actions that minimize service impact. Additionally, judgment is demonstrated in tailoring communication - translating technical findings into clear, appropriate messages for diverse audiences, including both internal engineers and customers with varying technical expertise - ensuring understanding and maintaining professionalism throughout critical situations.

Training And Mentorship

Serve as a mentor for GT3 peers, other Service Assurance teams, and provide guidance to LCM/LE resources.

Develop and deliver training materials and documentation for GCSC and GT3 teams, capturing best practices in troubleshooting and sharing lessons learned.

Act as a key resource for managing complex, long-duration issues and technical escalations, supporting both peers within the GT3 organization and management.

Manage projects

from initiation to completion by planning scope, schedule, and resources. Lead cross-functional teams, monitor progress, mitigate risks, and communicate updates to stakeholders. Ensure quality, manage changes, and drive continuous improvement throughout the project lifecycle.

Required Technical Expertise (Expert Level)

The ideal candidate will possess expert-level experience in enterprise networking, SD-WAN technologies, network security, and advanced troubleshooting within large-scale, mission-critical environments.

Core Technical Competencies

• Advanced knowledge of enterprise routing, switching, and network architecture design
• Expert-level troubleshooting and root cause analysis across complex WAN, LAN, Wireless, Security, Cloud, and SD-WAN environments
• Extensive experience with: Cisco Routing and Switching Platforms Cisco Nexus Data Center Switching Cisco Wireless Infrastructure Cisco ASA Firewalls Juniper Networks Routing and Switching Solutions Riverbed WAN Optimization Technologies Aruba EdgeConnect (Silver Peak) SD-WAN VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN

Network Technologies & Protocols

• Routing Protocols: BGP OSPF EIGRP
• IPSec VPN design, implementation, and troubleshooting
• LAN/WAN connectivity and optimization
• Network segmentation, redundancy, and high-availability architectures
• Performance monitoring, capacity planning, and proactive network optimization

Security Solutions & Technologies

• Deep understanding of enterprise security architectures and best practices
• Experience implementing and supporting: Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) Zero Trust Network Architectures Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) Network Access Control (NAC) IDS/IPS Solutions DNS Security DDoS Protection Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) Secure Remote Access Technologies Cloud Security Controls Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) platforms
• Hands-on experience with: Cisco ASA and Firepower Palo Alto Networks Firewalls Cisco ISE Fortinet Solutions (preferred) Zscaler, Prisma Access, or similar SASE platforms (preferred)
• Experience supporting compliance and security frameworks including: NIST CIS Controls FedRAMP FISMA DoD Security Requirements

Transport & Connectivity Expertise

Strong Understanding Of WAN Transport Technologies Including

• MPLS
• Dedicated Internet Access (DIA)
• Broadband
• Ethernet
• Fiber
• LTE/5G Wireless
• Satellite Communications
• Private and Hybrid Network Solutions

Preferred Certifications

One or more advanced certifications strongly preferred:

Networking Certifications

• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise
• Cisco Certified Specialist – SD-WAN
• Juniper Networks Certified Professional/Expert (JNCIP/JNCIE)
• VMware SD-WAN (VeloCloud) Certification
• Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN Certification

Security Certifications

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
• Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
• Cisco Certified CyberOps Professional
• Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE)
• GIAC Security Certifications (preferred)
• CompTIA Security+ (minimum baseline preferred)

Security Clearance Requirements

• Must be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
• Active Secret Clearance preferred.
• Active Top Secret (TS) or Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) clearance highly desirable.
• Experience supporting Federal Government, Defense, Intelligence Community, or highly regulated environments is strongly preferred.

Additional Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to lead complex network incidents, escalations, and service restoration efforts.
• Experience supporting geographically dispersed enterprise and government environments.
• Strong analytical, documentation, communication, and customer-facing skills.
• Proven ability to serve as a technical leader and mentor for network engineering and operations teams.
• Integration and Support of New Technologies: Integrate and support new technology platforms into network environments, including developing, testing, training, and creating methods and procedures for new technology introduction.
• Collaboration with CTO Partners: Collaborate with Partners, including working in Agile/DevOps environments and reviewing and signing off on CTO designs.
• Utilization of Advanced Techniques: Utilize advanced networking techniques such as software-defined networking, virtualization, containerization, CI/CD pipelines for automation, custom tool creation, and advanced data analytics.
• Troubleshooting and Problem Management: Resolving complex network issues, including providing technical leadership, resolving critical outages, leading root cause analysis, and driving problem management initiatives.
• Development of Tools and Metrics: Develop tools and metrics for network operations, including creating custom tools, network performance metrics, and network automation.

Job Contribution:

An expert in their field, applying broad business knowledge and strategic insight surrounding emerging trends and technologies to solve complex problems and drive organizational results. Leads critical, high-impact projects and designs/implements innovative business strategies. Works with minimal oversight, frequently consulting senior leadership and influencing executive decisions. Serves as a mentor and assists others with challenging issues.

Supervisor: No

TCP Career Step Differentiator: Guiding cross-functional teams in technology insertion and root cause analysis, managing vendor relationships, and ensuring network health through advanced analytics, while leading across multiple technologies.

Education/Experience:

Bachelor’s degree (BS/BA) desired. 7+ years of related experience. Certification is required in some areas. Our Principal Adv Network Tech Support jobs earn between $143,800.00 - $215,800.00 USD Annual. Not to mention all the other amazing rewards that working at AT&T offers. Individual starting salary within this range may depend on geography, experience, expertise, and education/training.

Joining Our Team Comes With Amazing Perks And Benefits

• Medical/Dental/Vision coverage
• 401(k) plan
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Paid Time Off and Holidays (based on date of hire, at least 23 days of vacation each year and 9 company-designated holidays)
• Paid Parental Leave
• Paid Caregiver Leave
• Additional sick leave beyond what state and local law require may be available but is unprotected
• Adoption Reimbursement
• Disability Benefits (short term and long term)
• Life and Accidental Death Insurance
• Supplemental benefit programs: critical illness/accident hospital indemnity/group legal
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Extensive employee wellness programs
• Employee discounts up to 50% off on eligible AT&T mobility plans and accessories, AT&T internet (and fiber where available) and AT&T phone

Weekly Hours

40

Time Type

Regular

Location

Richardson, Texas

Salary Range

$143,800.00 - $215,800.00

AT&T and its subsidiaries are committed to equal employment opportunity. All hiring, promotion, and other employment decisions remain merit-based and free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, physical disability, mental disability, pregnancy, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, citizenship status, military status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. In addition, AT&T will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. AT&T is a fair chance employer and does not initiate a background check until an offer is made.