Network Engineer

The Company

Ingles Markets began in 1963 as a single supermarket and has since grown into a regional grocery store chain with just under 200 retail locations operating in 6 southeastern states, a 1.6-million-square foot distribution center, two truck fleets, and a milk processing plant. Ingles Markets’ headquarters and distribution center are located just 15 minutes outside of Asheville, NC in the town of Black Mountain.

The Team

We are a lean team that services 27,000 employees across 6 states. We work hard as a collective to ensure everything is accomplished, even if it is not in our job description. While we do take things seriously, we like to have fun while we are doing it, so we can create the most impact and difference in our community.

The Position

The Network Engineer designs, implements, and manages enterprise network infrastructure across corporate, data center, cloud, and retail environments to ensure reliability, security, and scalability. This hands-on role involves executing network designs, troubleshooting LAN/WAN, VPN, and wireless technologies, maintaining documentation, and supporting lifecycle management. Additionally, the engineer collaborates with vendors, leads project deployments, and stays current with best practices to provide expertise on infrastructure and interoperability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and support end-to-end network infrastructure across multiple environments following best practices.
• Participate in network life-cycle projects, including hardware refreshes, technology upgrades, and design improvements.
• Configure and manage Palo Alto NGFW firewalls, including security policies, threat prevention, NAT, and IPsec VPNs.
• Support Cisco ACI environments (APIC, Nexus), including leaf/switch design, tenant/fabric interconnectivity, and SDN concepts.
• Configure and maintain enterprise wireless networks (Cisco, Aruba), including SSID design, authentication (WPA2/WPA3, 802.1X), and RF troubleshooting.
• Implement and support secure VPN solutions for employees and partners.
• Perform routine monitoring, capacity assessments, and respond to alerts using network management tools.
• Troubleshoot Layer 1-4 network issues using diagnostic tools (ping, traceroute, packet captures).
• Apply deep knowledge of TCP/IP, the OSI model, IPv4 addressing, subnetting, and routing protocols (OSPF, BGP).
• Configure and troubleshoot enterprise routing and switching platforms, including VLANs, trunking, EtherChannel, and Spanning Tree.
• Maintain accurate network documentation (diagrams, port maps, inventory, standards).
• Collaborate with ISPs and carriers to resolve circuit issues promptly.
• Ensure compliance with security standards (PCI-DSS, SOX) and implement best practices for segmentation and secure configurations.
• Provide Tier-2/3 support for network-related tickets and collaborate with help desk and application teams.
• Participate in on-call rotations and perform after-hours maintenance during approved change windows.
• Observe all company rules and policies.
• Adhere to all local, state, and federal health and civil code regulations.
• Perform all other duties and assignments as directed.

The Ideal Candidate:

• A High School Diploma or equivalent is required.
• A Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field is preferred.
• 4+ years of experience in various networking areas is required.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP networking, the OSI model, IPv4 addressing, subnetting, and route summarization.
• Hands-on experience with Cisco routing and switching platforms and protocols (OSPF, BGP).
• Experience with Palo Alto firewalls and VPN configuration.
• Familiarity with Cisco ACI or similar SDN solutions.
• Knowledge of enterprise wireless technologies and RF fundamentals.
• Proficiency with network monitoring tools and diagnostic utilities (Wireshark, CLI analysis).
• Understanding of network security best practices and compliance requirements.
• Basic scripting or automation exposure (Python, Ansible) preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
• Detail-oriented.
• Able to prioritize and multitask effectively.
• Able to work well as a team.
• Flexible and able to adapt quickly in a dynamic work environment.
• Must live in AL, GA, NC, SC, TN or VA.