Senior Network Systems Engineer

NetApp, Inc.•San Jose, CA

1d•$147,900 - $220,000

About The Position

We are seeking a Senior Network Systems Engineer to join our Global Network Services team, operating and engineering the enterprise network that underpins NetApp worldwide. This is a deep technical role for an expert in Cisco routing, SD-WAN, and campus networking who can own complex infrastructure end to end — from design and deployment through day-two operations and escalated troubleshooting — across a global, multi-region estate. The team is evolving toward a cloud-first, automation-led operating model. While this role is anchored in deep networking expertise, the ideal candidate brings — or is eager to build — automation and infrastructure-as-code skills, and will help modernise how we operate: replacing manual, repetitive work with codified, repeatable engineering. You will be a senior technical voice on the team, mentoring others and setting the standard for engineering quality.

Requirements

Expert-level knowledge of enterprise routing: BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, route redistribution, path selection, and policy-based routing.
Hands-on experience operating routing on Cisco platforms (IOS-XE, ASR/ISR, Catalyst 8000) at enterprise scale.
Strong grasp of internet edge, WAN, and DIA circuit design, including working with service providers on connectivity and troubleshooting.
Deep expertise in Cisco SD-WAN (Catalyst SD-WAN / Viptela): control, management, and data plane; vManage/Catalyst Manager, vBond, vSmart.
Proven experience with SD-WAN policy design, template configuration, site onboarding, and overlay/underlay troubleshooting.
Understanding of transport-independent design across MPLS, broadband, and cellular, with application-aware routing and QoS.
Expert knowledge of campus LAN architecture: access/distribution/core, Layer 2/Layer 3 design, spanning tree, VLANs, and first-hop redundancy (HSRP/VRRP).
Strong experience with Cisco campus switching (Catalyst 9000 series) or Juniper Switching.
Expertise in enterprise wireless — design, deployment, and troubleshooting of Cisco wireless (WLC, Catalyst/Meraki or Juniper Mist access points), RF planning, and roaming.
Familiarity with network access control and segmentation (Cisco ISE, 802.1X, TACACS+/RADIUS).
Significant hands-on experience (typically 8+ years) in enterprise network engineering and operations, including a senior or lead technical role.
Demonstrated ownership of complex, high-impact network infrastructure in a global environment.
Strong troubleshooting discipline and structured incident-resolution skills under pressure.
Excellent communication skills, with the ability to work across regions and mentor others.

Nice To Haves

Scripting and automation experience — Python, Ansible, or similar — applied to network configuration or operations.
Exposure to infrastructure as code (Terraform) and network-as-code approaches.
Experience with workflow automation and orchestration platforms such as n8n — building automated workflows that connect network tooling, APIs, and operational processes.
Familiarity with the Model Context Protocol (MCP) and AI-agent integration — connecting AI assistants to network tools, data sources, and operational systems.
Familiarity with Git-based workflows and CI/CD concepts for network change.
Experience with network observability and telemetry platforms (e.g. ThousandEyes, NetScout, SolarWinds, LiveAction, streaming telemetry).
Cloud networking exposure across AWS, Azure, or OCI (transit, peering, cloud connectivity).
Interest in AIOps or AI-assisted operations — using modern tooling to reduce toil and improve reliability.
Understanding of SRE practices: SLOs, error budgets, and toil reduction.
Firewall and security exposure (Cisco ASA/Firepower, Palo Alto).
Relevant certifications: CCNP / CCIE (Enterprise Infrastructure), Cisco SD-WAN specialisation, or equivalent.
Experience with data-centre networking (Nexus, ACI) and load balancing / GSLB.

Responsibilities

Own routing across the global routing estate — design, implement, and operate enterprise routing (BGP, OSPF,), including internet edge, WAN, and inter-site connectivity.
Engineer and operate the Cisco SD-WAN environment (Catalyst SD-WAN / Viptela) — policy design, template management, onboarding new sites, and troubleshooting overlay/underlay issues.
Lead campus networking across the global office and lab footprint — access/distribution/core, wireless, and network access — delivering reliable, secure, high-performance connectivity.
Resolve escalated operational issues (Tier 3/4) — act as the senior escalation point for complex incidents, driving root-cause analysis and permanent resolution.
Deliver new site builds, refreshes, and migrations — produce designs, interconnect matrices, and cutover plans; coordinate with vendors and installation partners through delivery.
Drive network changes through structured change control — plan, risk-assess, and execute changes with appropriate testing, validation, and rollback.
Maintain operational health through observability — use network monitoring and telemetry tooling to detect, diagnose, and pre-empt issues before they impact users.
Contribute to standards, runbooks, and documentation — raise the quality bar for how the team designs, operates, and hands off work.
Mentor junior engineers and share expertise — act as a technical mentor and multiplier across the team.
Support automation and modernisation — partner with automation/SRE colleagues to codify recurring tasks, moving the team from manual operations toward infrastructure as code.