Senior Network Architect: SD-WAN, Cloud & DC (Hybrid)

Apex Systems; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Everforth Apex Systems seeks a Senior Network Engineer in Chicago on a hybrid basis to deliver hands-on leadership across enterprise routing, switching, WAN, and cloud connectivity. You will drive migrations, troubleshooting, and production support for global data centers and cloud integrations.

The role requires 10+ years of experience with Cisco Nexus/Catalyst, SD-WAN, and cloud interconnects, with proficiency in automation tools such as Ansible, Terraform, and Python.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of hands-on experience deploying, migrating, and supporting complex enterprise data center network solutions.
• CCNP-level certification or equivalent Cisco certifications preferred.
• Hands-on experience with Palo Alto firewalls, Infoblox DNS/DHCP/IPAM, and F5 load-balancing platforms.

Responsibilities

• Implement, migrate, optimize, and troubleshoot routing and switching in Cisco Nexus and Catalyst environments using BGP, OSPF, and resilient Layer 2/3 designs.
• Deploy and operate data center network fabrics and management platforms utilizing Cisco NDFC or equivalent tooling.
• Design, deploy, migrate, and support enterprise SD-WAN and WAN services, utilizing Prisma SD-WAN platforms.
• Establish and troubleshoot private connectivity between on-premises environments and public cloud platforms including Azure ExpressRoute and AWS Direct Connect.
• Lead global network deployments and complex migrations with precise dependency management, rollback planning, and post-implementation validation.
• Provide Tier 3 technical escalation support to diagnose and resolve production issues across hybrid environments.
• Collaborate with security and platform teams on adjacent services including firewalls, DNS/DHCP/IPAM, and load balancing.
• Contribute engineering expertise to design reviews to ensure operational readiness, supportability, and feasibility.
• Operate within automation frameworks utilizing Terraform, Ansible, Python, GitHub, and GitOps practices.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive engineering documentation, including designs, methods of procedure, and operational handoff standards.

Skills

Senior network engineering

Leadership

Hybrid cloud

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS or related field

Tools

Cisco Nexus/Catalyst

NDFC

BGP/Ospf

SD-WAN

Terraform

Ansible

Python

Azure ExpressRoute

AWS Direct Connect

Job description

Everforth Apex Systems seeks a Senior Network Engineer in Chicago on a hybrid basis to deliver hands-on leadership across enterprise routing, switching, WAN, and cloud connectivity. You will drive migrations, troubleshooting, and production support for global data centers and cloud integrations.

The role requires 10+ years of experience with Cisco Nexus/Catalyst, SD-WAN, and cloud interconnects, with proficiency in automation tools such as Ansible, Terraform, and Python.