Sr Ethernet AI Network Engineer

Vailexa; Oregon; Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Vailexa is seeking a Senior Network Engineer to design, deploy, and optimize high-bandwidth Ethernet fabrics for AI and HPC environments in the United States. You will ensure scalable, reliable network readiness and work closely with Linux, storage, and cluster teams to isolate host-versus-network issues.

The role requires deep data center experience, hands-on skills with BGP/EVPN, MLAG/ECMP, QoS/PFC, and robust telemetry and automation capabilities.

Qualifications

• 7+ years in large-scale data center networking and high-bandwidth Ethernet fabrics.
• Hands-on experience with spine-leaf designs and production troubleshooting.
• Proficient with BGP, EVPN/VXLAN, MLAG, ECMP, QoS, PFC, and telemetry interpretation.

Responsibilities

• Deploy, validate, and support Ethernet fabrics for AI and HPC clusters.
• Troubleshoot L1–L4 issues across optics, transceivers, cabling, VLANs, and routing.
• Validate network readiness for distributed training and east-west traffic.
• Diagnose performance issues related to buffer pressure and congestion.
• Collaborate with Linux, storage, and cluster teams to isolate root causes.
• Review change plans for switch provisioning, firmware upgrades, and topology expansion.
• Capture evidence to drive root cause analysis and remediation.
• Build standards for cable mapping, port policy, and fabric health.

Skills

Data center networking

Spine-leaf design

BGP

EVPN/VXLAN

MLAG/ECMP

QoS/PFC

Telemetry

Automation

Topology documentation

Switch CLI

Job description

Build More Than Just a Career. Build Your Future.

At Vailexa, we’re not just hiring — we’re building thinkers, creators, and future leaders. We believe in giving people the space to grow, the freedom to think, and the opportunity to create real impact from day one. If you’re someone who wants to learn fast, take ownership, and grow beyond limits, you’ll feel right at home here.

Key Responsibilities

• Deploy, validate, and support Ethernet fabrics used for AI and HPC cluster environments.
• Troubleshoot L1 through L4 issues involving optics, transceivers, cabling, link bring-up, VLANs, MLAG, ECMP, BGP, underlay/overlay reachability, congestion, and packet loss.
• Validate network readiness for distributed training and large east-west traffic patterns.
• Diagnose performance issues related to buffer pressure, microbursts, PFC behavior, QoS policy, MTU mismatch, routing instability, and oversubscription.
• Work closely with Linux, storage, and cluster deployment teams to isolate host-versus-network fault domains.
• Review and execute change plans for switch provisioning, firmware upgrades, topology expansion, and maintenance events.
• Capture packet-level and counter-based evidence to drive root cause analysis.
• Build operational standards for cable mapping, port policy consistency, and fabric health validation.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years in large-scale data center networking, including high-bandwidth Ethernet fabrics.
• Strong experience with spine-leaf design, routing, switching, and production troubleshooting.
• Hands-on skill with BGP, EVPN/VXLAN, MLAG, ECMP, QoS, PFC, RoCE considerations, and telemetry interpretation.
• Experience validating optics, breakout configurations, cable plant integrity, and port-level consistency.
• Proven ability to troubleshoot distributed application impact caused by network behavior.
• Comfort using switch CLI, automation tooling, and packet/counter analysis workflows.
• Strong documentation habits for topology, incident timelines, and remediation plans.

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with AI fabrics carrying large-scale GPU collective traffic.
• Familiarity with SONiC, Cumulus Linux, or vendor NOS platforms used in AI data centers.
• Experience with streaming telemetry, Prometheus/Grafana, and network SRE operating models.

Vailexa Technology is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.