Principal Network Engineer, Global

Vantage Data Centers•Sterling, VA

22h•$180,000 - $200,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects, and connects the technology of the world’s well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers, and large enterprises. Developing and operating across 19 markets in North America, EMEA, and APAC, Vantage has evolved data center design to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency, and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands. Vantage’s business is growing exponentially through greenfield market expansion and acquisitions. The Technology & Systems department drives technological innovation and advances the technology strategy to support global growth, encompassing IT, Software Development, OT / Automation Systems, and business process improvement. They are hands-on, specifying, purchasing, configuring, and maintaining all networking and server hardware, and work closely with partner VARs. The department also participates in designing new data center building’s networking infrastructure. The Principal IT Network Engineer serves a pivotal role within the IT Infrastructure department, typically reporting to the IT Infrastructure Director. In this capacity, they lead engineering teams, offering technical direction and ensuring the successful delivery of projects. The role involves coordinating engineering projects and providing technical guidance, showcasing proficiency in addressing intricate technical challenges. This professional works closely with cross-functional teams to lead the technical aspects of project implementation, demonstrating expertise in network design, configuration, and troubleshooting. They take a lead role in engineering projects, providing technical expertise and guidance to the team, designing and implementing network solutions, optimizing network performance, conducting system upgrades, and ensuring the security and integrity of the network infrastructure. The Lead IT Network Engineer collaborates with stakeholders to gather requirements, assesses network needs, and develops scalable solutions. Additionally, they stay abreast of industry trends, evaluate emerging technologies, and recommend enhancements to maintain a robust and efficient network environment.

Requirements

Bachelor’s in Engineering, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field
Minimum of 8–10 years of program management experience driving complex, cross‑functional network and/or resilience initiatives in global environments
Capacity Planning & Architecture: Leads enterprise capacity strategy; expert in scenario modeling, utilization headroom, and cost‑risk optimization
Disaster Recovery Planning: Architects org‑wide DR solutions, sets/attains RTO/RPO, and conducts large‑scale exercises
Incident Response: Designs IR strategy and playbooks; mentors senior engineers; drives continuous improvement via RCA
IT Network Protocols: Advanced knowledge (e.g., SSL/TLS, VoIP protocols); advises on protocol selection for performance/security
Network Monitoring & Observability: Deep expertise in security, cloud, and application performance monitoring; SRE‑aligned metrics
Firewall Management: Expert‑level rule design/optimization; integration with broader security controls and zero‑trust patterns
VoIP & Unified Communications: SME and advisor on complex UC initiatives; evaluates emerging trends and standards
Cloud Networking (AWS/Azure/GCP): Multi‑cloud design and optimization; transit architectures, private connectivity, and policy
LAN/WAN Configuration: Enterprise‑scale designs; contributes to standards and best practices
Network Security: Specialization in areas such as threat intel, pen testing, or secure segmentation; drives innovation in controls
IT Network Automation: Designs advanced automation and workflow orchestration for heterogeneous environments
Routing & Switching: Performance/scalability optimization; adoption of new routing technologies
Wireless Network Management: Deep expertise in modern wireless architectures and security; mentors junior staff
DHCP Configuration: Integrations with DNS/Active Directory; policy and standards development
Network Hardware Installation & Configuration: Deploys cutting‑edge platforms; leads evaluations and investment recommendations
Patch Management: Designs automated patching at scale; ensures compliance and audit readiness
IT Network Documentation: Innovates documentation methods/tools; integrates into project and change workflows
Network Load Balancing: Designs and manages complex, multi‑platform LBs; expert troubleshooting
ITIL Framework Knowledge: SME; tailors ITIL processes for data center/network environments (change, incident, problem)
DNS Management: Designs high‑availability, secure DNS; provides strategic guidance to leadership
VLAN Configuration: Develops advanced VLAN strategies; conducts audits and trains staff
IT Network Auditing: Specialization in compliance or penetration testing; guides audit programs and improvements
Network Performance Optimization: Expert in application/network optimization and advanced performance tooling
Data Privacy: Leads complex privacy initiatives; provides strategic guidance on data protection within network contexts
Network Architecture: Influences strategic design decisions; ensures seamless integration across platforms
VPN Configuration: Provides strategic guidance on technology selection, optimization, and integration with security controls
IT Network Design: Specialized expertise in security/scalability; champions modern methodologies and emerging tech
Software‑Defined Networking (SDN): Designs customized SDN solutions; conducts performance analysis; thought leadership
Network Troubleshooting: Develops advanced troubleshooting strategies; raises reliability across diverse environments
Virtualization: SME in advanced virtualization, including SDN and storage virtualization, and R&D leadership
Professional Capabilities: Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills; strong analytical thinking; ability to drive clarity and alignment across global teams; highly organized with a track record of on‑time delivery

Nice To Haves

Experience in data centers, cloud networking, large‑scale enterprise networks, or high‑growth global organizations strongly preferred
Relevant certifications are a plus (e.g., PMP/PgMP, ITIL, CCNP/CCIE, AWS/Azure Networking, CISSP/CISM, SANS GCIH)

Responsibilities

Develop and own the multi-year roadmap for network capacity planning, disaster recovery (DR), and incident response (IR) across NA, EMEA, and APAC
Build detailed program plans (scope, milestones, dependencies, KPIs) and drive cross‑functional delivery to schedule and budget
Establish and chair governance cadences, decision forums, and program communications to maintain global alignment
Track outcomes via clear KPIs/OKRs (e.g., utilization, headroom, MTTD/MTTR, change success rate, RTO/RPO attainment)
Lead comprehensive capacity planning strategies that align with data center architecture and long‑term business objectives
Develop forecasting models and “what‑if” scenarios to guide investments, resiliency, and growth (campus, core, cloud, edge)
Partner with Engineering and Operations to codify network reference architectures and standards for scalability and performance
Mentor engineers on complex capacity trade‑offs, cost/risk optimization, and design patterns
Architect organization‑wide DR strategies and playbooks—defining RTO/RPO targets, tiering, dependencies, and failover patterns
Lead cross‑functional DR exercises and simulations; ensure lessons learned drive continuous improvement and budgeted remediation
Align DR with business continuity planning (BCP), vendor strategies, and regulatory/compliance needs across regions
Oversee incident response strategy, including readiness, runbooks, tabletops, and post‑incident reviews with actionable RCA
Integrate IR with monitoring, SIEM/SOAR, change, problem, and asset/CMDB processes to reduce MTTD/MTTR and incident recurrence
Provide executive‑level briefings during critical events; drive coordinated response across internal teams and partners
Define global standards for network design, security controls, and documentation; govern adherence through audits and reviews
Lead adoption of advanced monitoring, observability, and automation (workflow orchestration, configuration as code) across environments
Champion patch management, compliance reporting, and continuous hardening to reduce risk and operational toil
Collaborate with leadership, regional owners, and SMEs to prioritize work, allocate resources, and manage dependencies
Manage vendors and partners (SOWs, SLAs, escalations) to ensure delivery quality and value realization
Identify, quantify, and mitigate program risks; escalate with data‑driven recommendations and recovery options
Additional duties as assigned by Management