Senior Staff Engineer

The TJX Companies, Inc.•Framingham, MA

4d•Onsite

About The Position

Senior Staff Engineer - Tools & Automation Team Position Overview We are seeking a Network Automation Engineer to lead the design, development, and implementation of enterprise-scale network automation solutions. This role will drive the technical direction of our automation platform, mentoring team members while delivering complex automation capabilities across our multi-vendor network infrastructure. The successful candidate will have deep expertise in network automation, infrastructure as code, and modern DevOps practices.

Requirements

Technical Expertise Automation Platforms: Expert-level experience with Ansible (5+ years), including Ansible Tower/AWX, complex playbook development, and custom module creation
Network Technologies: Deep understanding of routing, switching, security, and monitoring across multi-vendor environments
Programming: Proficiency in Python for automation development, API integration, and custom tooling
Infrastructure as Code: Experience with Git workflows, CI/CD pipelines, and automated testing frameworks
Network Tools: Hands-on experience with enterprise network management platforms (FortiManager, NetScout, ThousandEyes, or similar)
Leadership & Communication Proven track record leading technical teams and complex automation initiatives
Strong communication skills with ability to present technical concepts to diverse audiences
Experience mentoring junior engineers and driving technical skill development
Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with product, security, and infrastructure teams
Experience Requirements 8+ years of network engineering experience with 5+ years focused on network automation
3+ years of technical leadership experience on medium to large-scale automation projects
Experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale automation solutions
Track record of driving automation adoption and organizational change

Nice To Haves

Experience with network inventory management systems (NetBox preferred)
Cloud networking automation experience (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Experience with monitoring and observability platforms (Grafana, Prometheus, ELK stack)
Certifications in relevant technologies (Red Hat Ansible, network vendor certifications)
Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies and DevOps practices

Responsibilities

End-to-End Automation Development Complex Solution Design & Implementation Design and develop medium to very high complexity network automation features using Ansible, NetBox, Python, and modern automation frameworks
Build end-to-end automation solutions spanning multiple network domains (routing, switching, security, monitoring, cloud connectivity)
Create comprehensive automation architectures integrating diverse network tools including FortiManager, NetScout, ThousandEyes, Arista, and NetBrain
Develop threat models, architecture designs, estimates, and implementation plans for business-critical automation initiatives
Lead technical implementation of automation epics, coordinating with product managers and cross-functional teams
Code Excellence & Quality Assurance Deliver clean, secure, performant automation code meeting all non-functional requirements including scalability, reliability, and maintainability
Implement comprehensive testing strategies including unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end automation validation
Ensure all automation solutions comply with security standards, SOX requirements, and company policies
Design and implement CI/CD pipelines for automation deployment and testing
Lead code reviews and establish coding standards for network automation development
Operational Excellence Design automation solutions with operational excellence principles including monitoring, alerting, logging, and system resilience
Implement infrastructure as code practices using Git workflows, version control, and automated deployment processes
Create comprehensive documentation, runbooks, and troubleshooting guides
Establish automation performance metrics, SLAs, and continuous improvement processes
Technical Leadership & Architecture Strategic Technical Direction Lead technical architecture decisions for the network automation platform
Guide technical direction for medium to very large automation initiatives, prioritizing tasks and resolving complex technical challenges
Model engineering excellence, coaching junior engineers and other technology professionals
Lead design discussions for solving visible, strategic, and complex network automation problems
Cross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate with network architects, security teams, and infrastructure teams to ensure automation solutions meet enterprise requirements
Work with product managers to translate business requirements into technical automation specifications
Coordinate with vendor technical teams to optimize tool integrations and resolve complex technical issues
Lead cross-functional initiatives to identify and solve important automation challenges
Strategy & Best Practices Automation Standards & Methodology Define and maintain network automation development standards, best practices, and methodologies
Lead evaluation of third-party automation tools, creating SOWs and managing vendor relationships
Identify emerging network automation technologies and implement proof-of-concepts
Establish DevSecOps practices for network automation including security scanning, compliance checking, and automated testing
Innovation & Technology Leadership Research and evaluate new automation technologies, frameworks, and approaches
Lead adoption of modern automation practices including intent-based networking, AI/ML integration, and cloud-native automation
Drive innovation in network automation approaches, creating competitive advantages through custom automation capabilities
Talent Development & Knowledge Sharing Mentoring & Development Onboard and mentor new team members, providing technical guidance and career development support
Mentor engineers across different technical domains and teams
Conduct knowledge enablement sessions on network automation technologies and practices
Support talent acquisition by conducting technical interviews for network automation roles
Knowledge Leadership Champion DevOps and automation best practices across the organization
Lead internal technology communities of practice for network automation
Present at internal and external conferences on network automation innovations
Subject Matter Expertise Domain Expertise Maintain expert-level knowledge of network automation technologies, tools, and practices
Develop deep understanding of end-to-end network automation processes across the enterprise
Own technical roadmaps for network automation platforms and tools
Provide technical subject matter expertise for business-critical automation initiatives
Business Application Knowledge Understand business applications and services that depend on network automation
Translate business requirements into technical automation specifications
Recommend and initiate IT-driven projects to improve network automation capabilities