Lead Network Engineer

Description

Summary: The Lead Network Engineer provides advanced hands-on engineering support for enterprise and hybrid cloud network infrastructure while serving as a technical leader and mentor for a team of network engineers. This role is responsible for guiding technical strategy, supporting team development, improving operational processes, and partnering closely with management to drive execution. The Lead Network Engineer remains deeply engaged in complex network design, implementation, and troubleshooting while ensuring the team delivers reliable, secure, and scalable network services aligned with business objectives. Principal Leadership Duties and Responsibilities: -Conduct regular one-on-one meetings with network engineers and provide coaching, mentoring, and performance feedback. -Develop, maintain, and execute individual development plans to grow team capabilities and technical depth in partnership with management. -Perform annual performance reviews in partnership with management. -Identify, communicate, and help remediate broken, inefficient, or unclear processes, partnering with managers to drive operational excellence. -Collaborate with managers on backlog refinement, prioritization, and work assignment based on team skillsets and business needs. -Serve as the technical leader for the engineering team, removing roadblocks, providing architectural guidance, and ensuring best practices. -Support project managers and management with resource planning, sequencing, and technical oversight of critical initiatives. -Mentor junior and mid-level engineers and elevate overall team maturity through knowledge sharing and skill development. Principal Engineer Duties and Responsibilities: -Lead the end-to-end design of complex enterprise and hybrid cloud network architectures, including on-prem data centers, cloud interconnects, and global WAN topologies. -Architect, implement, and optimize advanced routing solutions using MPLS, MP-BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, and EVPN concepts. -Oversee lifecycle management for Cisco switching, Meraki wireless, and Versa SD-WAN platforms. -Engineer and maintain Palo Alto firewall architectures, including segmentation, global security policies, and threat prevention. -Develop and enhance secure access and authentication strategies using Cisco ISE, covering 802.1X, MAB, profiling, and TACACS+ policy enforcement. -Design and support Azure hybrid connectivity, including ExpressRoute, VNET architectures, NSGs, and cloud DNS; AWS/Google Cloud Platform exposure a plus. -Collaborate with cloud, security, systems, and application teams to optimize performance, boundaries, and secure connectivity patterns. -Analyze and improve network performance across LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, wireless, and cloud environments. -Lead complex root-cause analyses and drive long-term corrective actions. -Develop and maintain network automation scripts, templates, and configuration standards (Python, Ansible, Terraform preferred). -Drive major network initiatives including modernization, cloud migrations, refresh programs, and architectural redesigns. -Maintain high-quality documentation, architecture diagrams, and technical standards. Experience: -Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or related field. -10-13+ years of progressive network engineering experience in enterprise-scale environments. -Deep proficiency in MPLS, BGP/MP-BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, EVPN, and large-scale routing architectures. -Extensive hands-on experience with Palo Alto firewalls, segmentation, VPN, and threat prevention technologies. -Strong understanding of SASE architectures and integration concepts. -Expert-level experience with Cisco Catalyst, Cisco/Meraki wireless, and Versa SD-WAN platforms. -Strong working knowledge of Cisco ISE, including 802.1X, MAB, profiling, and policy development. -Advanced experience designing and supporting Azure network connectivity (ExpressRoute, VNETs, NSGs, DNS). -Familiarity with automation frameworks such as Python, Ansible, or Terraform. -Proven experience mentoring and guiding engineers in a technical or leadership capacity.

Skills

routing protocols, BGP, OSPF, vxlan, palo alto firewalls, meraki, sd-wan, cisco ise, ansible, python, firewall, switching protocols, cisco

Top Skills Details

routing protocols,BGP,OSPF,vxlan,palo alto firewalls,meraki,sd-wan,cisco ise,ansible,python,firewall,switching protocols,cisco

Additional Skills & Qualifications

1. Formal experience managing a team. 2. Automation with Teraform or Ansible 3. Cloud integrations / networking

Experience Level

Expert Level

Job Type & Location
This is a Permanent position based out of Grand Rapids, MI.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $100000.00 - $130000.00/yr.
Competitive benefits package appropriate for the role and market
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Grand Rapids,MI.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on May 8, 2026.
>About TEKsystems:
We're partners in transformation. We help clients activate ideas and solutions to take advantage of a new world of opportunity. We are a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 clients, including 80% of the Fortune 500, across North America, Europe and Asia. As an industry leader in Full-Stack Technology Services, Talent Services, and real-world application, we work with progressive leaders to drive change. That's the power of true partnership. TEKsystems is an Allegis Group company.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

About TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services

We're a leading provider of business and technology services. We accelerate business transformation for our customers. Our expertise in strategy, design, execution and operations unlocks business value through a range of solutions. We're a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 customers, including 80% of the Fortune 500 across North America, Europe and Asia, who partner with us for our scale, full-stack capabilities and speed. We're strategic thinkers, hands-on collaborators, helping customers capitalize on change and master the momentum of technology. We're building tomorrow by delivering business outcomes and making positive impacts in our global communities. TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services are Allegis Group companies. Learn more at TEKsystems.com.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.