Network Architect

Job title: Network Architect

Location: Bellevue, WA or Dallas, TX

Duration: Long term contract

Key Responsibilities:

Architecture & Design

• Develop highlevel and lowlevel network architectures covering LAN, WAN, SDWAN, WLAN, data centers, firewall topology, and cloud interconnectivity.
• Create scalable, redundant, and secure network designs aligned with business and security requirements.
• Lead network modernization initiatives including automation, segmentation, cloud networking, and zerotrust network transformations.
• Produce architecture documents: HLDs, LLDs, diagrams, and standards. Implementation & Engineering
• Provide expert-level guidance for deployment of routing, switching, wireless, firewalls, and load-balancing solutions.
• Define migration strategies and lead complex cutover events with minimal business disruption.
• Evaluate current network infrastructure and propose improvements based on performance, capacity, and reliability assessments.

Security & Compliance

• Design secure network architecture that align with enterprise security policies and industry standards.
• Work closely with security teams on firewall policies, segmentation strategies (VLAN, VRF, micro-segmentation), and network access controls.
• Ensure compliance with frameworks such as NIST, ISO27001, PCI, HIPAA (as applicable).

Cloud & Data Center Networking

• Architect hybrid and multicloud connectivity (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform) using VPN, Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, or Cloud Interconnect.
• Design data center networking architectures including leaf spine, VXLAN/EVPN, SDN, and load-balancing.
• Partner with storage, compute, and virtualization teams on end to end infrastructure design.

Technology Roadmaps & Strategy

• Develop multiyear network strategy and modernization roadmaps.
• Evaluate emerging technologies (SDWAN, SASE, automation, observability, AI networking) and make recommendations.
• Drive standardization, documentation, and governance of network technologies.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Act as the senior technical advisor across engineering, operations, security, and application teams.
• Provide mentorship to engineers and operational teams.
• Engage with vendors, partners, and executive stakeholders to communicate architecture decisions and trade-offs.

Required Qualifications

• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in enterprise network engineering.
• Strong expertise in routing and switching technologies (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, MPLS, VXLAN, EVPN).
• Deep understanding of firewalls, IPS/IDS, VPNs, load balancers (Palo Alto, Cisco, Fortinet, F5, Check Point).
• Experience with data center network technologies (Cisco Nexus, ACI, Arista, Juniper, SDN).
• Handson experience with hybrid cloud networking (Azure, AWS, Google Cloud Platform).
• Knowledge of SDWAN architectures (Cisco Viptela, Meraki, VMware VeloCloud, Aruba EdgeConnect).
• Familiarity with automation/orchestration (Python, Ansible, Terraform) and network observability platforms.
• Strong documentation skills (Visio, Lucidchart, architecture playbooks).