Senior Network Systems Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 31, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 16, 2026. NetApp scores A on the Alion truth index.
Job Summary
We are seeking a Senior Network Systems Engineer to join our Global Network Services team, operating and engineering the enterprise network that underpins NetApp worldwide. This is a deep technical role for an experienced engineer in Cisco routing, SD-WAN, and campus networking who can own complex infrastructure end to end, from design and deployment through day-to-day operations and escalated troubleshooting, across a global, multi-region environment.
The team is evolving toward a cloud-first, automation-led operating model. While this role is anchored in deep networking expertise, we welcome candidates who bring, or are eager to build, automation and infrastructure-as-code skills. You will help modernise how we operate by replacing manual, repetitive work with codified, repeatable engineering, while acting as a senior technical voice and mentor within the team.
As a Senior Network Systems Engineer, your responsibilities will include:
- Own routing across the global network: Design, implement, and operate enterprise routing, including BGP and OSPF, across internet edge, WAN, and inter-site connectivity.
- Engineer and operate Cisco SD-WAN: Manage Catalyst SD-WAN/Viptela, including policy design, template management, new-site onboarding, and overlay and underlay troubleshooting.
- Lead campus networking: Support the global office, lab, and manufacturing footprint across access, distribution, core, wireless, and network access environments.
- Resolve escalated operational issues: Act as a senior escalation point for complex incidents, driving root-cause analysis and permanent resolution.
- Deliver network projects: Lead new-site builds, refreshes, migrations, and design changes, coordinating with vendors and installation partners through delivery.
- Maintain operational health: Use network monitoring and telemetry to detect, diagnose, and prevent issues, while managing network changes through structured change control.
- Contribute to standards and technical direction: Develop standards, runbooks, and documentation, contribute to network architecture and roadmap decisions, and mentor other engineers.
- Support automation and modernisation: Partner with automation and SRE colleagues to automate recurring tasks and move the team from manual operations toward infrastructure as code.
Job Requirements
- A minimum of 8 years of applicable professional experience in enterprise network engineering and operations, including experience operating in a senior technical capacity.
- Deep hands-on experience with Cisco SD-WAN (Catalyst SD-WAN/Viptela), including vManage/Catalyst Manager, vBond, and vSmart, with experience in policy design, templates, site onboarding, and troubleshooting.
- Expert knowledge of enterprise routing, including BGP, OSPF, route redistribution, path selection, and policy-based routing, with hands-on Cisco experience.
- Proven experience delivering complex network projects at enterprise or multi-site scale, with ownership from design and deployment through operational support.
- Strong knowledge of campus LAN and WAN networking, including Layer 2/Layer 3 design, switching, VLANs, spanning tree, and first-hop redundancy.
- Demonstrated experience using automation to improve network operations, using Python, Ansible, Terraform, APIs, or similar technologies.
- Strong troubleshooting and incident-resolution skills, with experience taking ownership of complex, high-impact infrastructure issues.
- Effective communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work across regions, contribute to technical decisions, and mentor others.
Nice to have:
- Experience with enterprise wireless, including Cisco wireless or Juniper Mist.
- Experience with network access control and segmentation, such as Cisco ISE, 802.1X, TACACS+, or RADIUS.
- Exposure to cloud networking across AWS, Azure, or OCI.
- Experience with network observability and telemetry platforms such as ThousandEyes, NetScout, SolarWinds, or LiveAction.
- Familiarity with Git-based workflows, CI/CD, network-as-code, or SRE practices.
- Interest or experience in AI-assisted network operations, workflow automation, or technologies such as MCP.
- Firewall, data-centre networking, or load-balancing experience, including technologies such as Palo Alto, Nexus, or ACI.
- Relevant certifications such as CCNP, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, or Cisco SD-WAN specialisation are beneficial but not required.
What Success Looks Like
In the first 6 to 12 months, you will become a trusted senior owner of routing, SD-WAN, and campus networking across the regions you support. You will resolve complex escalations, deliver network projects successfully, contribute to architectural decisions, and begin codifying recurring operational tasks to improve the reliability and efficiency of the team.
Join Us
If you have strong enterprise networking experience and are excited by the opportunity to help modernise a global network, we encourage you to apply. We welcome candidates with a variety of backgrounds and experiences who can demonstrate the skills and impact needed to succeed in this role.