Network Engineer, Deployment & Integration

Fluidstack•Austin, TX

30d•$150,000 - $250,000•Onsite

About The Position

Fluidstack is seeking a Network Engineer to join our Deployment & Integration team. This is a hands-on execution role focused on building and validating AI datacenter network infrastructure at scale. You'll be in the field turning up modern datacenter fabrics - configuring switches, validating physical layer connectivity, coordinating with cross-functional teams to resolve blockers, and ensuring production-ready handovers to operations. This role is ideal for engineers who thrive in fast-paced environments and want deep exposure to large-scale datacenter deployments. You'll work closely with senior engineers who will provide technical guidance and structured onboarding while you develop expertise in AI fabric turn-up and deployment execution. Success means independently owning pod deployments, becoming the go-to person for field execution, and growing into deployment leadership roles as the organization scales.

Requirements

Datacenter Networking Foundation: 3-7 years in network engineering with hands-on datacenter experience. You understand modern datacenter fabrics (EVPN/VXLAN, BGP, CLOS architectures) and have configured production network infrastructure. You're comfortable with CLI, configuration management, and network validation procedures.
Hands-On Execution Mindset: You thrive in field environments and enjoy the satisfaction of building physical infrastructure. You're equally comfortable pulling cable, configuring switches, and troubleshooting optical layer issues. You don't need perfect tooling to get started - you execute with what's available and improve incrementally.
Strong Troubleshooting Skills: Methodical approach to diagnosing network issues across physical and logical layers. You can read OTDR traces, validate insertion loss, debug BGP sessions, and trace connectivity through complex topologies. You know when to dig deeper and when to escalate.
Coordination & Communication: Clear communicator who can work effectively across technical and non-technical teams. You've coordinated work with datacenter operators, vendors, and internal teams. You document your work clearly and follow through on commitments.
Self-Directed Learning: You learn quickly from structured guidance and can apply that knowledge independently. You ask good questions, seek out documentation, and take ownership of ramping up on new technologies. You see gaps in your knowledge as opportunities, not barriers.
Travel Ready: Comfortable with 70-80% travel to onsite deployments (weeks to months) at datacenter locations. You understand that deployment work means being wherever the infrastructure is being built.

Nice To Haves

AI Fabric Experience: Exposure to AI/ML networking environments with RDMA (RoCEv2), lossless Ethernet (PFC, ECN), or high-performance compute fabrics. You understand the precision and validation required when every packet matters.
Vendor Platform Knowledge: Hands-on experience with Arista, Juniper, or NVIDIA networking platforms. Familiarity with vendor-specific troubleshooting, TAC escalation processes, and platform quirks that impact deployment.
Physical Layer Expertise: Strong understanding of structured cabling standards, fiber optics (SMF/MMF), insertion loss budgets, and optical validation tools. Experience working with structured cabling vendors and ICT teams.
Automation Exposure: Basic familiarity with network automation concepts, configuration templating, or scripting (Python, Ansible). You may not write automation yourself but you understand how to design deployments that can be automated.
DCIM/Asset Management: Experience with datacenter infrastructure management tools, asset tracking systems, or inventory management. Understanding of how to maintain accurate records during fast-paced deployment cycles.

Responsibilities

Deployment Execution: Deploy and validate datacenter network infrastructure including front-end fabric, back-end fabric, BMS, and management networks. Configure switches, install and validate optics, coordinate fiber/cabling work, and drive deployments through completion. Own the hands-on work that turns designs into production networks.
Physical Layer Validation: Ensure physical connectivity meets production standards. Coordinate with structured cabling teams on fiber remediation, validate insertion loss and OTDR traces, troubleshoot optical layer issues, and document physical infrastructure as-builts. You'll become an expert at diagnosing and resolving the physical layer problems that block deployments.
Hardware Lifecycle Management: Manage hardware logistics including device staging, rack/stack coordination, RMA processes, and DCIM updates. Track hardware inventory, coordinate vendor shipments, and ensure devices are ready when deployments need them. Own the hardware pipeline that keeps deployments moving.
Cross-Functional Coordination: Partner with DC Operations (rack/stack, power, cabling), ICT teams (fiber validation), Hardware teams (logistics), and Network Engineering (config validation) to drive deployments forward. You'll learn to identify blockers early, escalate decisively, and keep complex multi-team efforts on track.
Documentation & Process Improvement: Maintain accurate documentation of deployment activities including cutsheets, as-builts, validation results, and lessons learned. Identify gaps in deployment procedures and propose improvements. Contribute to the deployment playbook that enables the team to scale.
Operational Support: Provide backup operational support during and after deployments. Respond to incidents, execute troubleshooting procedures, and coordinate break-fix activities. Build the operational knowledge that makes you effective beyond just deployment execution.