Sr Prin Network Engineer

Consumers Energy•Jackson, MI

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Consumers Energy is hiring a Senior Principal Network Engineer to design, implement, operate, maintain, and optimize advanced enterprise network infrastructure across on-premises and cloud environments. The role provides technical leadership to support network security, reliability, scalability, and performance, and includes leading strategic initiatives, mentoring engineers, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. The position is hybrid, with required onsite work on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at One Energy Plaza in Jackson, Michigan. The selected candidate must be within commuting distance or willing to relocate; a relocation package is available for those who qualify. The position is not eligible for current or future immigration sponsorship, including H-1B or TN sponsorship, and is not eligible for candidates using CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT. The role requires expert enterprise networking knowledge, deep cloud networking expertise, network security and automation experience, and the ability to troubleshoot complex issues across on-premises and cloud environments. Candidates must meet one of the stated education-and-experience pathways: a bachelor's degree with the listed experience requirements, an associate's degree with higher experience requirements, or a high school diploma or GED with the highest experience requirements.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Network Engineering, or a related field, with at least 10 years of hands-on network engineering experience; or an associate's degree in a related field with at least 12 years; or a high school diploma or GED with at least 14 years.
For the bachelor's-degree pathway: at least 4 years of hands-on cloud networking experience in AWS, Azure, or GCP; at least 4 years with SD-WAN, network segmentation, and automation tools; at least 4 years leading technical projects and mentoring engineers; and at least 7 years designing and supporting large-scale enterprise networks, including hybrid cloud environments.
For the associate's-degree pathway: at least 6 years of hands-on cloud networking experience in AWS, Azure, or GCP; at least 6 years with SD-WAN, network segmentation, and automation tools; at least 6 years leading technical projects and mentoring engineers; and at least 9 years designing and supporting large-scale enterprise networks, including hybrid cloud environments.
For the high-school-diploma-or-GED pathway: at least 8 years of hands-on cloud networking experience in AWS, Azure, or GCP; at least 8 years with SD-WAN, network segmentation, and automation tools; at least 8 years leading technical projects and mentoring engineers; and at least 11 years designing and supporting large-scale enterprise networks, including hybrid cloud environments.
Expert-level knowledge of network architectures and protocols, including BGP, OSPF, MPLS, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VXLAN, and EVPN.
Deep expertise in cloud networking technologies, including AWS VPC, Azure Virtual WAN, GCP VPC, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, and cloud load balancing.
Proficiency in network automation and scripting using technologies such as Terraform, Ansible, Python, and PowerShell.
Experience with SD-WAN, network virtualization, and software-defined networking technologies, including Cisco ACI, VMware NSX, and AWS Transit Gateway.
Advanced troubleshooting skills for complex, multi-layered network issues across on-premises and cloud environments.
Strategic thinking and technical leadership, including experience leading large-scale networking initiatives and influencing stakeholders.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex networking concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.
Ability to mentor and guide engineers, collaborate effectively, solve problems, and balance business requirements with security, reliability, and operational excellence.
Ability to work collaboratively and embody the principles of being humble, hungry, and people smart.
Must be within commuting distance of the Jackson, Michigan worksite or willing to relocate.
Must not require current or future work-visa immigration sponsorship; candidates using CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT are not eligible.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, operate, and maintain LAN, WLAN, and WAN enterprise networks across on-premises and cloud environments, ensuring scalability, resilience, and reliability.
Stay informed about emerging networking technologies, industry trends, and security threats, and provide strategic recommendations to optimize and future-proof network infrastructure.
Maintain technical documentation, including network configurations, operational procedures, architectural designs, troubleshooting guides, and project plans.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand and address network requirements, providing technical guidance and support.
Develop and implement network automation strategies using Terraform, Ansible, Python, or PowerShell to improve operational efficiency, security, consistency, and scalability.
Monitor, troubleshoot, and resolve critical network issues; provide Tier 3 escalation support; and lead root cause analysis.
Mentor and guide engineers, fostering continuous learning, technical excellence, and professional development.
Develop and document network architectures, operational procedures, standards, and troubleshooting guidelines.
Perform other duties as assigned.