Principal Network Engineer

Florida Blue • United States,

2d • $153,800 - $249,900

About The Position

The Principal Network Engineer will own and evolve a multi-cloud network architecture with AWS (Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, AWS Network Firewall, VPC) and/or Azure (ExpressRoute, VNet peering, Azure Firewall), including consistent policy enforcement, hybrid connectivity, and centralized observability across both clouds. We value engineers who reason from first principles — understanding how routing, segmentation, DNS, and security controls behave differently across cloud providers — and can apply that knowledge to design consistent, scalable patterns regardless of underlying platform.

What makes this role unique: We value engineers who reason from first principles—understanding how routing, segmentation, DNS, and security controls behave differently across cloud providers—and can apply that knowledge to design consistent, scalable patterns regardless of underlying platform.

Requirements

• 6+ years of progressive Enterprise Network Engineering experience
• Bachelor's degree in IT-related field or equivalent professional experience
• Demonstrated practical experience with AWS Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, VPC, Network Firewall, Route 53, ALB/NLB, PrivateLink
• Proven ability to design and deploy Terraform-managed Infrastructure-as-Code in AWS environments
• Demonstrated practical experience with Azure ExpressRoute, VNet peering, Azure Firewall
• Ability to architect and implement hybrid connectivity solutions in Azure
• Expert-level knowledge of routing and switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, MPLS, VXLAN/EVPN, spanning tree, QoS)
• Deep hands-on experience with Cisco ACI/IOS/IOS-XE/NX-OS and/or comparable platforms (Arista, Juniper, Palo Alto, Fortinet)
• Proven ability to troubleshoot and resolve complex network issues using tools such as TCPDUMP, FW Monitor, Packet Capture, or Wireshark
• Strong experience with enterprise wireless (Cisco 9800 WLC, Meraki, Aruba, or equivalent), including RF design and troubleshooting
• Working knowledge of next-generation firewalls and remote-access VPN technologies (Cisco ASA/Firepower, Fortinet, AnyConnect, etc.)
• Strong understanding of network security principles, segmentation, and zero-trust concepts
• Hands-on experience with network automation tools and scripting (Python, Ansible, Terraform, Git)
• Demonstrated proficiency implementing observability tools (Datadog, ThousandEyes, or equivalent)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to explain complex networking concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Participation in on-call rotation encompassing evenings and weekends (approximately every 6 weeks, scheduled in advance)

Responsibilities

• Design and operate hybrid network connectivity bridging on-premises infrastructure with AWS and Azure, including BGP route policy management, split-horizon DNS, consistent firewall policy enforcement, and failover validation across Direct Connect and ExpressRoute circuits
• Lead network architecture initiatives including refresh projects, segmentation strategies, SD-WAN deployments, and cloud connectivity (AWS, Azure, and/or GCP)
• Gather and analyze business requirements to design technology solutions that meet evolving business needs, including modifying existing systems or evaluating vendor solutions
• Operate and optimize Cisco (or equivalent) routing, switching, and wireless platforms, including campus core/distribution/access layers and wireless controllers
• Implement and tune network security controls in partnership with the Security team—firewalls, VPN (remote access and site-to-site), NAC, and zero-trust network access
• Troubleshoot complex, multi-domain network issues spanning routing, switching, wireless, DNS, firewalls, and cloud; drive root-cause analysis to permanent resolution
• Build and maintain network observability using tools such as Datadog, Thousand Eyes, SolarWinds, or equivalent—including dashboards, alerting, and capacity planning
• Develop automation and Infrastructure-as-Code (Python, Ansible, Terraform) to streamline configuration management, compliance, and change deployment
• Author and maintain high-quality network documentation including diagrams, runbooks, standards, and as-built records
• Participate in an on-call rotation and lead major incident response when network issues impact the business
• Prepare documentation for audits and participate in monthly releases and disaster recovery exercises
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to the technical growth of the team

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, life and global travel health insurance
• Income protection benefits: life insurance, short- and long-term disability programs
• Leave programs to support personal circumstances
• Retirement Savings Plan including employer match
• Paid time off, volunteer time off, 10 holidays and 2 well-being days
• Additional voluntary benefits available; and a comprehensive wellness program
• competitive pay
• opportunities for incentive or commission compensation
• regular annual reviews with pay for performance considerations for base pay increases

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal