Network Automation Engineer | Hybrid | Detroit Metro

Our client, one of the world's largest automotive manufacturers, is looking for a Senior Network Support & Automation Analyst to join their team. This is a long-term contract on W2, eligible for full benefits.

You will be required to go into the office in Auburn Hills on a hybrid schedule. No opportunity for fully remote work.

This person will be responsible for implementing and maintaining standards and procedures to protect the integrity and availability of information systems data network. The position is responsible for 3rd level operational network support, including the implementation of both hardware and operating systems per their network policy.

The Senior Network Support Analyst provides a timely response to approved business unit, developer, and administrator community requests for assistance including project support. The position requires participation in a 24-hour on-call support for scheduled changes, and to resolve data network problems/issues. In addition to verifying organizational compliance with established policies and procedures, the Senior Network Support Analyst will be responsible for the health and daily monitoring of data network equipment, these may include Ethernet switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, domain name servers, virtual private network appliances and network monitoring tools.

Main Responsibilities:

• Advances functionality within the network automation, simulation and automated validation solutions (Ansible / NetMiko / Terraform / Python / Cisco CML / GNS3 etc)
• Ensures the lifecycle of network infrastructure is maintained and optimized. This starts with determining the design, collecting requirements and proposing a solution and continues to ensure that regular operational tasks like patching are done leveraging best methods like automation, culminating with ensuring the hardware is replaced through a managed end of life process.
• Drives a continuous improvement process to identify opportunities to eliminate waste and improve processes within VWGoA
• Informs management of critical issues that may affect clients or the infrastructure and provides recommendations for mitigation.
• Works with network product vendors and VWGoA Enterprise Architect and Network Team Lead to implement network improvements, and new data network products and technology.
• Involved in troubleshooting a wide range of issues including electronic data traffic, network security, domain name servers, network load balancing, virtual private networks, local area networks, wireless local area networks and firewalls.
• Will be expected to interface and support incident resolution with 1st and 2nd level support teams with all network problems.
• Analyze and understand the organization's environment and architecture, proposing solutions to meet customer requirements
• Audit third-party providers for compliance with VWGoA network support and implementation policies as needed.
• Maintains required documentation for all data network activities.
• Troubleshoots complex network issues within prescribed service levels.

Education and Skills Requirements (desired)

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent real life experience in Data Networking
• Palo Alto PCNSE / ZScaler ZCCA-IA / Fortinet NSE4 / Pulse PCS: Administration and Configuration
• 10+ years of experience designing and implementing enterprise network and security systems
• Understanding of core IT concepts including networking and access control.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Cisco CCNP (Routing and Switching or DataCenter) and proven experience with Cisco Networks
• WAN Technologies (MPLS), Routing Protocols (Deep knowledge of BGP and OSPF) and supporting technologies (eg BFD)
• Experience with information security management frameworks such as ISO 27001, ITIL, NIST 800-53, CIS
• Cisco CCIE - Routing and Switching (Desired) / Arista ACE

Experience with each of the following required:

• Network Automation & Simulation Experience (Ansible / Python / GNS3)
• Broad experience in full stack support environment, able to troubleshoot problems affecting a variety of operating systems both server and workstation
• 5+ years of experience implementing & managing enterprise firewalls with a specific focus on next-generation feature implementation
• End-user VPNs - SSL, ESP, host posture checking
• Proxies - PAC, forward, reverse, tunnel/gateway

Experience with any of the following preferred:

• Palo Alto, FortiNet, Cisco ASA & FirePower firewalls
• Arista & Cisco Ethernet Switches
• Cisco & Juniper Routers
• Infoblox IPAM & DHCP
• Demonstrable hands-on knowledge of Cisco Networks, including Switches, Routers, Wireless, ISE
• Hands on knowledge of F5 Networks, Load balancer (LTM, GTM, Vipron).
• Hands on knowledge of WAN Optimization & SDWAN.
• Hands on knowledge of Infoblox, including Domain Name Server/ DHCP/ IPAM.
• Linux experience
• Hands on knowledge of NetScout and Wireshark to capture and interpret TCP/IP packets to identify problems in the network environment.

Basic Skills:

• Root Cause Analysis & Problem Solving- creating options and solutions
• Continuous Improvement - perpetually looking for a better way
• Analytical Thinking- using logic and reason
• Persuasion / Motivation- moving others to action
• Customer Focus
• Technical Documentation