Network Automation Architect

Locations: Jersey City, NJ; NYC; Atlanta, GA; Charlotte, NC

Essential Functions

• Design, develop, and enforce enterprise-wide network automation standards, blueprints,
  and infrastructure-as-code (IaC) methodologies that align with organizational digital
  transformation initiatives and industry best practices.
• Serve as the principal architect for the network automation strategy, working directly with
  leadership to develop multi-year roadmaps that balance tactical improvements with
  strategic objectives.
• Lead network architecture evolution to meet the organization's business needs, ensuring
  that automation capabilities are embedded into architectural decisions from inception
  rather than retrofitted.
• Develop and optimize sophisticated automation workflows using Python, Ansible,
  Terraform, and other automation tools, working with SDN controllers and network fabrics
  while implementing modern software development practices including code reviews, unit
  testing, and documentation.
• Design and implement comprehensive network state validation frameworks that perform
  pre- and post-change verification, configuration drift detection, and automated
  remediation for non-compliant network elements.
• Collaborate with network architects, security teams, and infrastructure specialists to build
  scalable automation solutions that enable intent-based networking, self-healing
  architectures, and zero-touch provisioning capabilities across diverse technology
  domains.
• Develop comprehensive APIs and integration frameworks that enable other technology
  teams to programmatically request and consume network services in alignment with
  modern DevOps practices.
• Establish comprehensive automation governance frameworks, implementing CI/CD
  pipelines for network configuration changes with appropriate controls for testing,
  validation, approvals, and rollback capabilities.
• Leverage advanced telemetry and AI-driven analytics for proactive network optimization,
  capacity planning, and anomaly detection, creating self-optimizing network systems
  where possible.
• Develop and enforce network automation coding standards, documentation standards
  and reusable module libraries that promote consistency and quality across automation
  initiatives.
• Build advanced network automation frameworks using industry-leading practices, tools,
  and methodologies that enable continuous deployment capabilities while maintaining
  network stability and security.
• Perform comprehensive analysis of existing network infrastructure, identifying
  automation opportunities, technical debt, and architectural improvements that can
  enhance performance, reliability, and operational efficiency.
• Continuously evaluate emerging network automation technologies, orchestration
  platforms, and infrastructure solutions, providing executive-level recommendations on
  strategic technology investments.
• Develop proof-of-concept implementations for promising network automation
  technologies, quantifying potential benefits, identifying integration challenges, and
  creating implementation roadmaps.
• Serve as the principal subject matter expert for all network automation activities across
  Network Services, providing technical guidance, architectural reviews, and decision
  support to project teams and leadership.
• Mentor junior engineers and operations staff on network automation best practices,
  programming techniques, and architectural principles, creating formalized learning
  pathways and competency development frameworks.

Requirements

• Bachelor s degree in information technology, Computer Science, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in enterprise networking.
• 7+ years of experience with network automation technologies.
• Cisco, Juniper and Network DevNet certifications a plus.
• Deep expertise in Python, Ansible, Terraform, APIs, and network automation, with
  demonstrated ability to develop complex, production-grade automation solutions.
• Experience with Nautobot, HP Network Automation (HPNA), Juniper Mist, Palo Alto
  ADEM, Ansible Tower and ServiceNow implementations.
• Advanced proficiency with network source-of-truth platforms including Nautobot, NetBox,
  with experience implementing GitOps workflows for network infrastructure.
• Comprehensive knowledge of modern networking protocols and technologies and
  advanced overlay technologies with ability to automate complex multi-protocol
  environments.
• Expert proficiency with modern CI/CD pipelines and DevOps methodologies including
  Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions for network automation code deployment and
  validation
• Comprehensive experience with telemetry and observability systems for large-scale
  network performance monitoring
• Advanced knowledge of event correlation platforms, AIOps tools, and predictive
  analytics frameworks for network optimization and automated remediation
• Ability to architect complex automated testing frameworks for network configurations,
  including pre-deployment validation, post-deployment verification, and automated
  rollback mechanisms
• Experience developing custom network automation dashboards and visualization tools
  for executive reporting and operational metrics
• Excellent communication skills and ability to translate technical concepts and
  architecture to stakeholders of varying technical backgrounds