Senior Network Test Engineer

Russell Tobin; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Life & disability insurance

Employee assistance program

Legal support

Employee discounts

Job summary

Russell Tobin is seeking a Senior Network Routing and Switching Engineer in New York, NY, hybrid (onsite 3–4 days). The role involves testing and certifying network hardware to ensure performance and security, with hands-on automation using Python and Ansible to improve coverage and efficiency.

The ideal candidate has 8+ years in LAN/WAN, CCIE/CCNP level experience, and strong Linux, Kubernetes, and eBPF familiarity. Onsite presence and vendor engagement are important.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of LAN/WAN design, engineering, and code/feature certification/validation.
• CCIE or CCNP level experience.
• Lab testing/certification experience in LAB environments desirable.
• Experience with test automation using Python and Ansible.

Responsibilities

• Test and certify network hardware for performance, reliability, and compliance.
• Develop automated test workflows using Python and Ansible.
• Design, test, and operate cloud-native network infrastructures with Kubernetes and eBPF.
• Evaluate vulnerabilities and support remediation and security validation activities.
• Create and maintain engineering standards and network documentation.

Skills

OSPF

BGP

Cisco IOS/XE/NXOS

Linux

Python

Ansible

Kubernetes

eBPF

Git

Robot Framework

IXIA

Spirent

Education

CCIE or CCNP level

Tools

IXIA

Spirent

Wireshark

tcpdump

ROBOT Framework

Git

Job description

Location: New York, NY (Hybrid 3 - 4 Days a Week Onsite)

Payrate: $ 75 - 80 per hour

Key Responsibilities:

• Network Routing and Switching Engineer is responsible for testing and certifying network hardware to ensure optimal performance, reliability, and compliance. This role is crucial for maintaining the integrity and efficiency of the organization's network infrastructure.
• The successful candidate should have hands-on experience in functional testing, with the ability to identify automation opportunities and develop automated test solutions. Mid-level Python and Ansible skills are required to create, maintain, and enhance test automation workflows, improve test coverage, and increase operational efficiency.
• A combination of networking expertise, Linux proficiency, automation skills, Kubernetes operations, and eBPF observability to design, test, automate, and operate modern enterprises and cloud-native network infrastructures at scale.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity principles, CVE analysis, and network risk assessment. Ability to evaluate vulnerabilities, assess operational and business risk, and support remediation, patch certification, and security validation activities across enterprise network platforms.
• This individual's focus will be on lab testing and certifications with particular focus on the campus/ branch/ WAN-MAN/ Data Center/ Low latency/ limited interoperability with network appliances (firewalls/ load balancers)
• Rapid certification of patches/ SMU/ codes - with particular focus but not limited to - Risk/ CVE driven events and rapid need for targeted & expedited certifications to ensure the given patch/ SMU/ code can be safely applied on production devices.
• Interoperability with IP appliances like F5/ A10/ Fortinet/ SRX Load balancers and firewalls (MAB/ 802.1x, firewall & load balancers experience not necessary but a plus).
• Proficiency with tools such as tcpdump, Wireshark, and Git, and the ability to develop automation using Python, Ansible, APIs, and Infrastructure-as-Code techniques.
• Develop and design testing for various network hardware, including routers, switches.
• Conduct Performance Tests: Perform performance tests to evaluate the functionality, speed, and reliability of network hardware.
• Identify Issues: Detect and diagnose any hardware malfunctions, performance issues, or compatibility problems during testing.
• Document and present recommendations and finding to the wider teams, including testing results and certifications.
• He/ She will work on engineering standards and create best practice network documentation utilizing knowledge of industry and technical trends.
• Providing guidance to the wider teams related to platforms and designs
• This includes but is not limited to evaluating vendor offerings, collaborating with internal and external peers towards innovating, and becoming also responsible for the software and hardware testing of all future code releases and drive decisions about testing improvements.
• Creating and updating standards and configuration templates, tracking bugs and vulnerabilities and providing expert level support of the production environment.
• Heavily engage with vendors to research, understand and communicate industry trends and upcoming products & features of interest and benefit to the BUs.
• The Ideal candidate is one that has prior worked on network engineering designs and testing plus evaluated products within a network lab; but not a must.
• The position is in NY, requires on site presence 3 - 4 days weekly.

Experience:

• Senior level, experienced, can lead projects and work independently.
• 8+ years of experience required with extensive experience with LAN/WAN network design, engineering, and code/ feature certification/ validation.
• Experience with testing design and certification of products in LAB environments is highly desirable.
• CCIE or at a min CCNP level experience.

Skills Required:

• Demonstrate knowledge of working with protocols such as OSPF, BGP, IGMP and PIM.
• Experience with Cisco Platforms such as Catalyst and Nexus.
• Knowledge of certification of new code, and bug Scrubs on IOS/ XE/ NXOS/ and limited XR.
• Good foundation in Linux administration, networking, and automation.
• Cloud-native networking concepts, including Kubernetes architecture, container networking (CNI), and operational tools such as kubectl.
• Familiarity with eBPF-based networking and security, particularly platforms such as Cilium is major plus. This includes policy enforcement, observability, service load balancing, BGP integration, and troubleshooting using eBPF maps and kernel-level telemetry
• Good knowledge of Python, Github.
• Ansible playbooks authoring and how to integrate Ansible with ROBOT framework for seamless automation is beneficial.
• Some proficiency in the ROBOT Framework is a big plus
• Experience with Arista Platforms such as 7280, 7504, 7060 etc.
• Experience developing strategies with multiple vendors.
• Experienced with creating design documents for each certification which includes engineering guidelines.
• Experience with Tools such as IXIA and / or Spirent to test and certify various designs and troubleshoot networks issues.
• Excellent knowledge of IP Routing, BGP, OSPF, and layer2 protocols like Spanning-tree.
• Understanding of network protocols, network platforms such as Cisco/Arista to design and troubleshoot new implementations.
• Multicast: IGMPv2/3, PIM-SM, Static RP, RP-Anycast, MSDP.
• IP Routing Platforms, ISR4k, ASR1K, Catalyst.
• Cisco/ Arista Switching Platforms Catalyst switches.
• strong knowledge of Switching and Switching mechanisms like CEF, TCAM.
• Experience with MAB/ Port Security/ NAC/ 802.1x/ QoS/ IPSec is desirable.
• Understanding of new protocols being deployed intra and inter Data Center.
• AWS (or Azure cloud equivalent) is desirable.
• Data Center power and cooling, cabling 10/ 25G/ 40G/ 50G/ 100G.
• Cloud computing, Virtualization industry standard and trends, server technologies a plus.
• Router hardening technologies, DDoS mitigation, routing protocol encryption, SSH implementation, out-of-bundle network design, 802.1x, NAC, IPSec.
• L2 and L3 QoS are a plus.

Benefits:

• Russell Tobin offers eligible employee’s comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision plans), supplemental coverage (accident insurance, critical illness insurance and hospital indemnity), 401(k)-retirement savings, life & disability insurance, an employee assistance program, legal support, auto, home insurance, pet insurance and employee discounts with preferred vendors.

Russell Tobin is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of the race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, reproductive health decision making, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Russell Tobin is a Fair Chance employer. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local Fair Chance laws and ordinances, including, the California Fair Chance Act and all applicable local Fair Chance ordinances.

Accommodations

We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of this role, please contact us.

Only applicable for San Francisco Candidates

Under the San Francisco Lactation in the Workplace Ordinance, we will provide written notice of lactation accommodation rights, and this notice will automatically be given upon hiring, any inquiry of parental leave or lactation accommodation.