Senior Network Engineer

Weekday AI (YC W21); Nebraska; On-site; USD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading tech firm is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to troubleshoot and optimize email delivery systems. You will analyze bounced emails, investigate SMTP issues, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance email performance. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of email protocols, DNS configurations, and vast experience with network troubleshooting. Strong analytical skills and problem-solving abilities are essential for success in this role.

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of email protocols including SMTP, POP3, and IMAP.
• Experience analyzing email bounce logs, SMTP response codes.
• Familiarity with mail servers such as Postfix, Microsoft Exchange.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and troubleshoot bounced emails and email delivery failures.
• Investigate SMTP errors and identify root causes for delivery delays.
• Maintain and optimize email infrastructure including SMTP servers.

Skills

Email protocols: SMTP, POP3, IMAP

Email bounce logs analysis

DNS configuration

Networking knowledge: TCP/IP

Problem-solving skills

Tools

Postfix

Microsoft Exchange

AWS

Job description

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients.

Min Experience: 0 years

Location: Nebraska

JobType: full‑time

We are looking for a skilled Senior Network Engineer with strong expertise in email infrastructure, bounced email analysis, and network‑level troubleshooting. The ideal candidate will work on diagnosing and resolving email delivery failures, bounce‑back issues, and network routing problems affecting large‑scale communication systems. This role is suited for professionals across a wide range of experience levels who possess strong analytical skills and a solid understanding of network protocols and email systems.

You will collaborate with engineering, infrastructure, and operations teams to monitor email delivery performance, investigate bounce reports, and optimize mail server configurations to improve reliability and deliverability. This position requires strong troubleshooting abilities, familiarity with SMTP protocols, and knowledge of how network configurations impact email delivery.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor, analyze, and troubleshoot bounced emails and email delivery failures across enterprise systems.
• Investigate SMTP errors, soft bounces, hard bounces, and delivery delays to identify root causes.
• Work with network and infrastructure teams to diagnose issues related to DNS, routing, firewall rules, and mail server configurations.
• Maintain and optimize email infrastructure including SMTP servers, gateways, and relay systems.
• Analyze server logs, bounce messages, and delivery reports to resolve technical issues affecting email performance.
• Configure and manage authentication and security mechanisms such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
• Collaborate with product and engineering teams to improve email deliverability and system reliability.
• Monitor network performance and ensure optimal configuration for high‑volume email systems.
• Implement preventive measures to reduce bounce rates and ensure successful email transmission.
• Document troubleshooting steps, root cause analyses, and solutions for recurring issues.

Required Skills & Qualifications

• Strong understanding of email protocols including SMTP, POP3, and IMAP.
• Experience analyzing email bounce logs, SMTP response codes, and delivery status notifications (DSN).
• Knowledge of DNS configuration, MX records, reverse DNS, and email authentication standards (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
• Familiarity with mail servers such as Postfix, Sendmail, Exim, Microsoft Exchange, or cloud‑based email services.
• Solid networking knowledge including TCP/IP, firewalls, routing, and load balancing.
• Experience troubleshooting issues related to email deliverability, spam filtering, and blacklisting.
• Ability to analyze logs, identify patterns, and resolve complex technical issues.
• Strong problem‑solving skills with attention to detail.
• Excellent documentation and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing large‑scale email delivery systems or marketing email platforms.
• Familiarity with email reputation monitoring tools and anti‑spam frameworks.
• Exposure to cloud infrastructure such as AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure networking.
• Knowledge of automation, scripting, or monitoring tools used in network operations.