Network Day 2 Operations Engineer

Accellor•Maryland City, MD

About The Position

Accellor is an AI-native services firm purpose-built for the post-ChatGPT era. Free from legacy constraints, we focus on delivering measurable business outcomes through advanced AI, data, and engineering capabilities. Our mission is to operationalize AI at scale and unlock sustained enterprise value. Our offerings span AI solutions, data services, enterprise applications, and product engineering, tailored to industry-specific needs across healthcare, life sciences, telecom, retail, financial services, and technology. By leveraging design thinking and technology-agnostic architectures, we ensure faster time-to-value and seamless interoperability. With a proven track record of enabling Fortune 100 enterprises and global innovators, Accellor stands as a trusted partner for organizations seeking to harness the full potential of AI. Our vision is clear: to build intelligent, connected ecosystems that deliver measurable outcomes and redefine the future of enterprise transformation. Role Summary: We are seeking experienced Network Day 2 Operations Engineer to join our client’s Technology Infrastructure team. In this role, you will be responsible for the ongoing operations, monitoring, troubleshooting, and lifecycle management of enterprise network infrastructure. Day 2 operations encompass all activities that occur after initial deployment including incident response, change management, performance optimization, and continuous improvement across a complex, multi-vendor environment. You will work alongside full-time network engineers and must be capable of operating independently in high-pressure production environments with minimal supervision. Positions are available on both day and night shifts to ensure round-the-clock network coverage.

Requirements

Routing & Switching: Cisco Routers, Cisco Switches (IOS, IOS-XE, NX-OS)
Firewalls: Cisco ASA / FTD, Palo Alto Networks (PAN-OS)
VPN & SD-WAN: Cisco VPN (AnyConnect / Site-to-Site), Palo Alto SD-WAN, Zscaler (ZIA / ZPA)
Wireless LAN: HPE Aruba (APs, Mobility Controllers, Central)
Web Application Firewall: Imperva WAF, F5 XC (Distributed Cloud WAF)
DNS / IPAM / DHCP: Infoblox DDI Platform
Load Balancer & Proxy: F5 BIG-IP Load Balancer, Cisco WSA Proxy
Access Control: TACACS+ (Cisco ISE or equivalent)
Automation & Scripting: Python, Ansible, Terraform, Git, REST APIs, Netmiko / NAPALM
5–10 years of progressive hands-on experience in enterprise network operations or engineering.
Demonstrated expertise across routing protocols: OSPF, BGP, EIGRP; VLANs, STP, and layer 2/3 switching.
Proficiency in firewall policy management on at least two vendor platforms (Cisco and/or Palo Alto).
Working knowledge of SSL/TLS inspection, URL filtering, and application-layer security controls.
Experience with ITSM tools (ServiceNow or equivalent) for incident and change management.
Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills in complex, multi-vendor network environments.
Ability to work off-hours for scheduled maintenance windows and emergency incidents.
Strong written and verbal communication skills; ability to produce clear technical documentation.
Proficiency in at least one scripting or automation language (Python preferred) for network task automation, data parsing, and API integration.
Hands-on experience with Ansible or similar configuration management tools for network device provisioning and compliance enforcement.
Familiarity with version control (Git) and CI/CD pipelines for managing and deploying network automation code.
Experience using REST APIs or NETCONF/YANG to interact programmatically with network devices and management platforms.
Participation in on-call rotation may be required depending on project assignment.

Nice To Haves

Active industry certifications: Cisco CCNP / CCIE, Palo Alto PCNSE, Aruba ACCP/ACMP, F5 201/301, Zscaler ZCCA-IA, or equivalent.
Experience in large-scale financial services, insurance, or regulated enterprise environments.
Experience with Terraform for network infrastructure-as-code workflows.
Knowledge of network automation frameworks such as Netmiko, NAPALM, or Nornir.
Exposure to cloud networking (AWS, Azure) and hybrid connectivity models.
Knowledge of NIST, PCI-DSS, or SOX compliance requirements as they relate to network controls

Responsibilities

Monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot enterprise routing and switching infrastructure across data center and campus environments.
Manage firewall policies, security rule bases, and access control lists across Cisco and Palo Alto Networks platforms.
Administer and support VPN and SD-WAN solutions, ensuring secure and reliable connectivity for remote sites and users.
Maintain and optimize wireless network infrastructure using HPE Aruba platforms, including AP management and RF troubleshooting.
Operate and tune Web Application Firewall (WAF) policies on Imperva and F5 XC platforms to protect web-facing applications.
Manage DNS infrastructure and IPAM using Infoblox, including zone management, record updates, and DHCP administration.
Configure, optimize, and troubleshoot F5 load balancer pools, virtual servers, and iRules; manage Cisco WSA Proxy policies.
Administer TACACS+ for network device access control, including policy updates, authentication troubleshooting, and auditing.
Participate in on-call rotation and respond to network incidents within defined SLA windows.
Produce and maintain accurate network documentation, runbooks, and change records.
Collaborate with security, cloud, and application teams to support cross-functional initiatives.
Execute approved change requests following ITIL-aligned change management processes.
Develop and maintain network automation scripts and playbooks to streamline repetitive operational tasks, reduce manual errors, and accelerate change delivery using Python, Ansible, and/or similar tooling.