Principal Software Engineer, Network Services - Direct-Hire/FTE - Remote (US)

THE TEAM

THE JOB

WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING

Tactical Work (45%)

• Design and implement network automation platforms, control planes, and orchestration systems that operate at large scale
• Develop custom tooling, APIs, and automation frameworks for network provisioning, configuration management, and lifecycle operations
• Build automation systems for firewall policy management, security rule deployment, and compliance enforcement
• Implement systems to enforce network access policies across global data centers and AWS environments
• Build network telemetry collection, processing, and analytics systems to drive operational insights and automation decisions
• Implement CI/CD pipelines for network infrastructure using GitLab, focusing on testing, validation, and progressive rollout
• Write clean, testable, and well-documented code that serves as an example for the team
• Develop network abstraction layers that enable self-service capabilities for application and platform teams

Solutions Architecture (35%)

• Contribute to network platform architectures and patterns that scale across data centers, cloud environments, and edge locations
• Create design documents, system diagrams, and proof-of-concepts for network automation initiatives
• Leverage modern networking paradigms (BGP automation, network as code, intent-based networking) to deliver reusable components
• Define architectural decisions and guide implementation approaches across the team
• Design for observability, reliability, and operational excellence in network systems

Strategic Work (20%)

• Partner with team leads and network engineering to deliver on platform modernization initiatives
• Share knowledge and best practices with team members across networking and software engineering disciplines
• Provide technical guidance to junior engineers and participate in code reviews
• Evangelize a software-first approach to network operations and infrastructure management

You will also:

• Build backend systems primarily in Python, Go, or Rust, focusing on maintainable, testable, and observable code for network automation
• Develop CLI tools, APIs, and services that abstract network complexity and improve the operator experience
• Integrate with network vendor APIs (Arista, Juniper, Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, etc.) and open-source network tooling (Nautobot, NAPALM, Netmiko, FRRouting, BIRD)
• Build integrations with our custom in-house network inventory system for IPAM, asset tracking, and network state management
• Use Terraform and Ansible to integrate network infrastructure with broader platform automation
• Leverage Docker and Kubernetes to build and deploy network automation tools and services
• Leverage AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, etc.) to accelerate development, generate code, and solve complex problems
• Apply software engineering best practices to network automation, including unit testing, integration testing, and continuous deployment
• Work in an Agile environment (SAFe) with scoped work in Jira, delivering on sprint commitments
• Implement network security controls and compliance requirements through automation and policy-as-code
• Participate in architecture discussions around network topology, routing protocols, traffic engineering, and capacity planning
• Support critical network incidents as part of the team rotation, with focus on building systems that minimize operational burden and enable rapid troubleshooting

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW (or TECHNICAL SKILLS)

• Proven experience operating networks at large scale (multi-datacenter, large enterprise, or cloud environments)
• Deep networking expertise including routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS), switching (VLANs, VXLANs, EVPN), and network design principles
• Strong software engineering background with significant experience building custom network automation platforms, control planes, or tooling
• Experience with firewall automation including policy management, rule deployment, and security compliance workflows
• Proficient in Python (required), with experience in Go or Rust preferred
• Experience building network APIs, automation frameworks, or orchestration systems
• Strong with Ansible (playbooks, roles, modules) for network automation
• Deep understanding of network telemetry, observability, and monitoring (SNMP, streaming telemetry, sFlow, NetFlow, Prometheus, Grafana, Solarwinds)
• Working knowledge of modern network architectures: spine-leaf topologies, network virtualization (VXLAN/EVPN), SDN concepts
• Deep experience with Terraform for provisioning infrastructure declaratively and integrating it into workflows
• Experience with open source network tooling such as Nautobot, Netbox, NAPALM, Netmiko
• Experience using Docker and Kubernetes to build and manage network tools and services
• Hands-on experience with CI/CD tools (e.g., GitLab CI) for automating build, test, and deployment pipelines for infrastructure changes
• Understanding of network device APIs (NETCONF, RESTCONF, gNMI, vendor REST APIs)
• Familiarity with managing and querying relational and/or NoSQL databases, especially in the context of infrastructure tools and telemetry data
• Strong security mindset—experience managing secrets and automating secure network configurations
• Comfortable using AI tools (Claude, ChatGPT, GitHub Copilot, etc.) to enhance productivity and code quality
• Experience working in Agile environments and comfortable with remote collaboration

YOU (BEHAVIORAL SKILLS)

• Deep technical curiosity and passion for both networking and software engineering
• Capable and comfortable working on highly strategic, complex, and high-risk undertakings
• Autonomous and proactive, focused on iterative delivery and data-driven decision-making
• Exceptional ability to analyze complex issues, synthesize problem statements, and propose valuable problems to solve
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently while knowing when to seek guidance
• Passionate about software craftsmanship, clean code, and continuous learning
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, capable of facilitating cross-team collaboration and bridging the gap between network engineering and software development teams
• Comfortable working in cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams
• Focused on practical solutions that balance ideal design with delivery timelines
• Committed to code quality, testing, and building reliable systems
• Eager to learn and grow, with openness to feedback and coaching from senior team members
• Strong bias toward automation and eliminating manual toil through software
• Deeply concerned with the security and compliance implications of services and solutions
• Able to think at scale: design for 10x growth, plan for failure, optimize for operational simplicity

BENEFITS & PERKS

• HEALTH: Medical, Dental and Vision benefits for you and your family, including Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) and Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)
• YOURSELF: Paid time off policy including holidays, sick time, and day off for your birthday, free concert tickets
• WEALTH: 401(k) program with company match, Stock Program Reimbursement
• FAMILY: New parent programs & support including caregiver leave and infertility support
• CAREER: Tuition reimbursement, student loan repayment internal growth and development programs & trainings
• OTHERS: Volunteer time off, crowdfunding network

About INSPYR Solutions 

Technology is our focus and quality is our commitment. As a national expert in delivering flexible technology and talent solutions, we strategically align industry and technical expertise with our clients'' business objectives and cultural needs. Our solutions are tailored to each client and include a wide variety of professional services, project, and talent solutions. By always striving for excellence and focusing on the human aspect of our business, we work seamlessly with our talent and clients to match the right solutions to the right opportunities. Learn more about us at inspyrsolutions.com. 

INSPYR Solutions provides Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, INSPYR Solutions complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities.