Sr. IP Network Engineer

Vaco Recruiter Services; Raleigh (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Vaco Recruiter Services seeks a Senior IP Network Engineer to design and operate a large-scale global network, focusing on VxLAN/EVPN datacenters, Palo Alto security platforms, and service provider routing. You will architect leaf-spine fabrics, manage firewalls with Panorama, and drive automation initiatives.

The role emphasizes hands-on engineering, technical leadership, and collaboration with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced enterprise environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years designing and supporting large-scale network environments.
• Proven VxLAN/EVPN datacenter experience with leaf-spine architectures and BGP EVPN control planes.
• Hands-on Palo Alto firewall management, Panorama administration, and security policy design.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and support VxLAN/EVPN-based datacenter fabrics across locations, including leaf-spine architectures and BGP EVPN control planes.
• Manage and maintain Palo Alto firewall environments, including security policy design and Panorama administration.
• Architect and support BGP-based WAN routing environments, with iBGP/eBGP policies and route optimization.
• Diagnose and resolve complex networking issues across routing, switching, and security layers.
• Develop and maintain network automation solutions using Python, Ansible, or similar technologies.
• Lead proof-of-concept initiatives to improve performance and scalability; mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Python scripting

Communication skills

Independent work

Technical leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or related field

Tools

Palo Alto Panorama

Linux CLI

Ansible

Job description

Senior IP Network Engineer

Overview

We are seeking a Senior IP Network Engineer to design, operate, and enhance a large-scale global network infrastructure. This role is responsible for critical network functions across datacenter fabric, WAN routing, firewall security, and network automation initiatives. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in VxLAN/EVPN datacenter architectures, Palo Alto security platforms, and service provider networking technologies.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and support VxLAN/EVPN-based datacenter fabrics across multiple locations, including leaf-spine architectures, BGP EVPN control planes, and overlay/underlay integration.
• Manage and maintain Palo Alto firewall environments, including security policy design, Panorama administration, threat prevention, and rule lifecycle management.
• Architect and support BGP-based WAN routing environments, including iBGP/eBGP policies, route optimization, and prefix management.
• Diagnose and resolve complex networking issues across routing, switching, and security layers.
• Develop and maintain network automation solutions for configuration management, provisioning, monitoring, and operational efficiency using Python, Ansible, or similar technologies.
• Evaluate emerging networking technologies and lead proof-of-concept initiatives to improve infrastructure performance and scalability.
• Partner with engineering, operations, and infrastructure teams to implement network enhancements and enterprise initiatives.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and contribute technical leadership across key projects.
• Participate in an on-call rotation and support planned maintenance activities as needed.
• Create and maintain technical documentation, operational runbooks, and post-incident reports.
• Collaborate with vendors and assist in the evaluation of hardware and technology solutions.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Network Engineering, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

Experience

• 5+ years of experience designing and supporting service provider or large-scale enterprise network environments.
• Proven experience implementing and supporting VxLAN/EVPN datacenter fabrics, including leaf-spine architectures and BGP EVPN control planes.
• Hands-on experience managing Palo Alto firewalls, Panorama, and enterprise security policies.

Technical Knowledge

• Expert-level knowledge of BGP (iBGP/eBGP), OSPF, and MPLS in production environments.
• Strong understanding of modern datacenter networking concepts including VxLAN, EVPN, vPC, and Spanning Tree.
• Experience working within Linux environments and command-line administration tools.

Skills

• Proficiency in Python or another scripting language used for network automation.
• Strong communication skills with the ability to document technical processes and present complex concepts clearly.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and lead technical initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Industry certifications such as CCIE, JNCIE, PCNSE, or equivalent advanced networking certifications.
• Experience with Cisco ASR/NCS (IOS-XR), Juniper MX/SRX, or similar service provider platforms.
• Experience with software-defined networking technologies such as ACI, NSX, or comparable solutions.
• Familiarity with AI-driven operations, network observability, or advanced monitoring platforms.
• Deep expertise with large-scale datacenter fabric deployments.
• Experience implementing Infrastructure as Code (IaC) practices using tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or similar frameworks.
• Knowledge of network source-of-truth platforms such as NetBox.

What You'll Gain

• Opportunity to work on complex, large-scale network infrastructure supporting mission-critical services.
• Exposure to cutting-edge networking, automation, and cloud-connectivity technologies.
• Collaborative environment with opportunities to influence architectural decisions and technical strategy.
• Competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits package.
• Career growth opportunities within a highly technical engineering organization.