Principal Network Engineer

UnitedHealth Group•Eden Prairie, MN

14h•$112,700 - $193,200•Remote

About The Position

As a Principal Network Engineer within our Core Infra & Ops Platforms division, you will architect, implement, and evolve our global internet edge infrastructure. In this role, you will drive routing policies, traffic engineering strategies, and DDoS mitigation mechanisms to ensure a resilient, secure, and high-performing network footprint. You will lead technical innovations by leveraging software-defined solutions, hybrid cloud connectivity, and advanced automation platforms to build a scalable, highly automated, and self-healing network ecosystem. You’ll enjoy the flexibility to work remotely from anywhere within the U.S. as you take on some tough challenges. For all hires in the Minneapolis or Washington, D.C. area, you will be required to work in the office a minimum of four days per week.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or 4+ years of equivalent network engineering experience
10+ years of network engineering experience with a strong focus on large-scale routing and internet edge environments
Deep expertise in BGP path selection, policy design, route reflectors, communities (including large communities), multipath, traffic engineering, and convergence tuning
Experience designing highly available internet edge environments, multi-homing with multiple transit providers, and peering at internet exchange points (IXPs)
Experience implementing and operating routing-based DDoS mitigation techniques (such as RTBH, BGP FlowSpec, and traffic diversion)
Understanding of routing security practices including prefix filtering, RPKI origin validation, and route leak prevention
Experience designing hybrid cloud routing using AWS Direct Connect, Azure ExpressRoute, or Google Cloud Interconnect
Experience using telemetry, NetFlow/sFlow/IPFIX, and routing analytics tools to monitor traffic patterns and detect anomalies
Willingness to participate in an on-call rotation and perform maintenance or changes during off-hours when required

Nice To Haves

Active CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent level network certification
Experience working with Cisco and Arista routing and switching platforms
Experience automating network operations using Python, Ansible, Git, APIs, or infrastructure-as-code (IaC) practices
Familiarity with modern development workflows, including the use of AI-assisted code generation tools to accelerate configuration management
Solid leadership and project management skills with the ability to drive complex infrastructure initiatives

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and evolve the organization's internet edge architecture including transit connectivity, peering, traffic engineering strategies, and edge redundancy
Develop and maintain stable, scalable routing policy frameworks across the network using protocols such as BGP
Optimize routing policies for transit providers and peering relationships, and design routing-based mitigation mechanisms (e.g., RTBH, BGP FlowSpec, and external mitigation integration)
Design and support resilient routing and route control between on-premises data centers and cloud environments
Investigate and resolve complex routing and connectivity issues using packet captures, control-plane analysis, and telemetry data
Evaluate emerging trends and leverage enterprise-approved AI, scripting, and automation tools to streamline workflows, optimize operations, and drive continuous improvement
Maintain detailed network documentation, routing policy standards, and architecture diagrams to support operational clarity
Provide mentorship and technical guidance to network engineers, review the work of others, and develop innovative architectural approaches