Principal Network Engineer/ Charlotte, NC

Motion Recruitment - Charlotte, NC

Full-time - Principal

Charlotte, NC

Administrative and Support Services

About the position

We are seeking a Principal Network Engineer to join our team at a Managed Service Provider (MSP). The ideal candidate will be a subject matter expert in Network and Network Security technologies, with a strong emphasis on security and automation. You will work closely with business stakeholders to ensure that solutions align with business processes and requirements, demonstrating strong business acumen. This position is hybrid, requiring on-site presence in Charlotte, NC. In this role, you will lead the design and implementation of network solutions, leveraging both existing and emerging technologies from vendors such as Cisco, Fortinet, and HP. A deep understanding of Cloud, Security, Routing, and Wireless Technologies is essential. You will be responsible for planning, evaluating, coordinating, testing, and implementing hardware and software in a Microsoft Azure cloud environment, across physical media, protocol stacks, switches, routers, firewalls, intrusion detection devices, and other network components. Your proficiency in scripting will be crucial, with a focus on programmatic instantiation and configuration management in cloud-based environments. You will troubleshoot and resolve network issues, perform problem isolation, and devise effective solutions. Additionally, you will install patches and maintain accurate records of network changes and updates, manage network monitoring, maintenance, performance measurement, and reporting, and update network devices, including firewalls, NIDS, switches, routers, and encryption devices. As a Principal Network Engineer, you will serve as an escalation point for customer service issues that cannot be resolved by the Service Desk. You will maintain technical expertise in relevant network technologies, including hardware and software interconnection and interfacing, propose and configure network solutions that meet communication requirements and optimize cost savings, and ensure appropriate network documentation exists, including operational instructions, policies, and procedures. Regular network analysis for planning purposes will also be part of your responsibilities, along with providing training and knowledge sharing with other team members and coordinating third-party maintenance for network equipment as needed. Other duties may be assigned as necessary.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and implementation of network solutions using technologies from vendors such as Cisco, Fortinet, and HP.
• Plan, evaluate, coordinate, test, and implement hardware and software in a Microsoft Azure cloud environment.
• Demonstrate proficiency in scripting for programmatic instantiation and configuration management in cloud-based environments.
• Troubleshoot and resolve network issues, perform problem isolation, and devise effective solutions.
• Install patches and maintain accurate records of network changes and updates.
• Manage network monitoring, maintenance, performance measurement, and reporting.
• Update network devices, including firewalls, NIDS, switches, routers, and encryption devices.
• Serve as an escalation point for customer service issues that cannot be resolved by the Service Desk.
• Maintain technical expertise in relevant network technologies, including hardware and software interconnection and interfacing.
• Propose and configure network solutions that meet communication requirements and optimize cost savings.
• Ensure appropriate network documentation exists, including operational instructions, policies, and procedures.
• Provide regular network analysis for planning purposes.
• Provide training and knowledge sharing with other team members.
• Coordinate third-party maintenance for network equipment as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Ability to obtain DHS Suitability.
• Strength with Cisco, FortiGate, and Fortinet.
• 6+ years of relevant experience with industry network products.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience deploying and configuring solutions across diverse environments.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure or similar cloud technologies.
• Familiarity with Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS), log analysis, malware analysis, network traffic analysis, and packet analysis.
• Experience with Security Event Incident Management, Log Correlation, and Network Behavior Anomaly detection systems (e.g., ArcSight, QRadar, Splunk).
• Familiarity with network protocols and technologies such as BGP, IGRP, DNS, VLANs, VPNs, and NetFlow.

Nice-to-haves

• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or similar certification.
• DoD 8570.1-M Compliance at IAT Level I certification.
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP).
• IAT Level II certification (e.g., Security+, SCNP, SSCP, CISSP, GCIH, GSEC).

Benefits

• Medical benefits
• 401(k) eligibility
• Paid Time Off
• Parental leave