Senior Network Operations Engineer

Eleven Recruiting; La Mirada (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Eleven Recruiting is aiding a client— a nonprofit technology and networking organization— in hiring a Senior Network Operations Engineer in La Mirada, CA. The role sits in a 24x7 NOC and requires serving as the senior technical resource, guiding incident resolution and overseeing critical network operations.

The ideal candidate will manage complex, long-running incidents, mentor junior engineers, and drive strategic NOC improvements in tooling, monitoring, and automation, while maintaining high

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Networking, or a related discipline; 6+ years of relevant experience.
• 5+ years of network operations experience within a 24x7 NOC, service provider, telecommunications, or large-scale production network environment.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex, multi-layer network incidents beyond standard NOC triage procedures.
• Strong expertise in IP networking and routing (BGP/OSPF/IS-IS) at CCNP/JNCIP level or higher.
• Hands-on experience with MPLS and optical/transport networks, including DWDM and DCI deployments.
• Understanding of incident management, ticketing, escalation procedures, and NOC best practices.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; ability to document findings and coordinate across teams.
• Ownership and follow-through on technical projects and operational improvements.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary escalation point for NOC Engineers, providing hands-on guidance during incidents.
• Lead the resolution of complex network incidents and coordinate with stakeholders to drive restoration.
• Troubleshoot multi-layer issues across IP, routing, MPLS, and optical networks.
• Provide technical oversight during shifts when a supervisor is unavailable.
• Own and execute strategic projects to improve NOC tooling, monitoring, and automation.
• Mentor NOC engineers and promote best practices across teams.
• Document incident resolutions and post-incident reviews for knowledge sharing.
• Stay current with emerging networking technologies for large-scale networks.

Skills

Network operations

Incident management

IP networking

BGP/OSPF/IS-IS

MPLS/optical/transport

DCI deployments

NOC tooling/monitoring

Mentoring/leadership

Ansible

Cisco NSO

Git

Python

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Networking, or related discipline

Tools

Ansible

Cisco NSO

Git

Python

Job description

We are a specialized technology staffing agency supporting professional and financial services companies. Why do we stand out in technology staffing? We listen and act as advisors for our candidates on how they can best add value, find interesting projects, and pave a path for career advancement. We advocate for the best pay, diversity in tech, and the best job fit for every candidate we place.

Our client, a non-profit technology and networking organization, is seeking a Senior Network Operations Engineer to join their team in La Mirada, CA!

The ideal candidate will serve as the senior-most technical resource within a 24x7 Network Operations Center (NOC) supporting a large-scale, mission-critical network environment.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary escalation point for Network Operations Engineers, providing hands‑on technical guidance and troubleshooting support for issues beyond standard triage procedures.
• Lead the resolution of complex, ambiguous, and long-running network incidents, coordinating with internal teams and technical stakeholders to drive issues through resolution.
• Troubleshoot multi‑layer network issues spanning IP, routing, MPLS, optical, and transport environments.
• Provide technical oversight during shifts when a supervisor or lead is unavailable, ensuring incidents are properly managed, escalated, documented, and resolved.
• Step into standard NOC triage responsibilities when staffing needs require additional operational coverage.
• Own and execute strategic projects focused on improving NOC tooling, workflows, monitoring, automation, and operational efficiency.
• Serve as a technical owner for critical NOC systems and platforms, including monitoring, ticketing, and network operations tools.
• Identify recurring or systemic issues and develop recommendations for process, tooling, or infrastructure improvements.
• Thoroughly document complex incident resolutions, escalation outcomes, troubleshooting procedures, and lessons learned.
• Contribute to knowledge‑base development and post‑incident reviews.
• Mentor NOC engineers and administrators, promoting technical development and consistent operational best practices.
• Collaborate effectively across shifts and technical teams with minimal direct oversight.
• Stay current with emerging networking technologies and operational practices relevant to large‑scale service provider and research/education networks.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Networking, or a related discipline with 6+ years of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 5+ years of network operations experience within a 24x7 NOC, service provider, telecommunications, or large‑scale production network environment.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot complex, multi-layer network incidents that extend beyond standard NOC triage procedures.
• Strong expertise in IP networking and routing, including BGP, OSPF, and/or IS-IS, at approximately a CCNP/JNCIP level or higher.
• Hands‑on experience troubleshooting environments involving MPLS and optical/transport networks.
• Experience with DWDM optical line systems and Data Center Interconnect (DCI) deployments.
• Strong understanding of incident management, ticketing, escalation procedures, technical documentation, and NOC operational standards.
• Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to diagnose issues that have resisted conventional approaches.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to remain composed and exercise sound technical judgment during high‑impact or ambiguous incidents.
• Demonstrated ownership and follow‑through on technical projects and operational improvements.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience administering or serving as the technical owner of NOC platforms, including monitoring, ticketing, configuration, or inventory systems.
• Experience with MPLS technologies, including Segment Routing, LDP, and RSVP‑TE.
• Experience with L2VPN, IPVPN, EVPN, or similar services.
• Experience with network traffic engineering in a large‑scale production environment.
• Experience mentoring or informally leading technical personnel within a NOC or network operations environment.
• Familiarity with network automation and DevOps tools such as Ansible, Cisco NSO, Git, Python, or similar technologies.
• Experience working within a research and education network or another large‑scale, mission‑critical network environment.
• Experience supporting large‑scale IP and optical networks.

Work Schedule

• Network Operations operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
• The standard schedule consists of four 10‑hour shifts per week, with shifts scheduled on any day of the week based on operational requirements.
• Hybrid: first 2 weeks onsite of each month.