Network Architect - Consultant

Our Fortune 500 client is looking for a Sr Network Architect on their project based in  Columbia, SC 

Job Title: Sr Network Architect 

Location: Columbia, SC -Onsite

Duration: Long-term

Job Description:

Daily Duties / Responsibilities:

• Provide technical and project leadership for enterprise network architecture, advanced engineering, modernization, and infrastructure implementation initiatives, including hands-on engineering when required.
• Design and engineer scalable, resilient, and secure LAN, WAN, wireless, data center, cloud, VPN, firewall, and Network Access Control solutions.
• Develop and maintain enterprise network architectures, engineering standards, technical roadmaps, network diagrams, and other technical documentation; review and validate network designs and engineering solutions developed by other technical staff.
• Analyze institutional, business, and technical requirements and translate them into enterprise network designs and implementation strategies.
• Lead network modernization, lifecycle planning, capacity planning, and remediation of aging or at-risk infrastructure.
• Develop and implement monitoring, observability, automation, orchestration, and operational metrics to proactively assess and improve enterprise network health, capacity, performance, and operational efficiency.
• Serve as a senior technical resource and Tier III escalation point for complex network incidents and engineering issues, performing advanced troubleshooting and providing architecture-level guidance and resolution when required.
• Coordinate architecture and engineering activities with Network Operations, Information Security, Physical Network Infrastructure, Facilities Planning, project teams, contractors, consultants, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and solutions and provide technical recommendations supporting procurement, investment, and long-term infrastructure planning.
• Provide technical mentoring, knowledge transfer, and engineering guidance to Network Operations and other technical personnel; participate in maintenance windows and after-hours support when required.

 Required Qualifications:

• 4+ years of experience with enterprise network architecture and engineering within complex, mission-critical environments.
• 4+ years of experience with LAN/WAN technologies, including Juniper enterprise routing and switching, TCP/IP, enterprise routing protocols, DNS, DHCP, and IPAM.
• 4+ years of experience leading complex network architecture and engineering initiatives from requirements and design through implementation, troubleshooting, and operational transition.
• 4+ years of experience with enterprise infrastructure modernization, lifecycle planning, capacity planning, resiliency, and high-availability design.
• 4+ years of experience with network security architecture and technologies, including Fortinet firewalls and VPN/SASE technologies, Network Access Control (NAC), segmentation, and security policy implementation.
• 4+ years of experience with cloud and hybrid networking, including AWS or Microsoft Azure.
• 4+ years of experience with network automation, orchestration, scripting, and Infrastructure as Code concepts and technologies.
• 4+ years of experience with enterprise network monitoring, observability, analytics, metrics, and performance management.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience developing enterprise network strategy, architecture standards, reference architectures, and long-term technology roadmaps.
• Experience supporting network architecture and engineering in a complex higher education environment, including academic, research, administrative, and other diverse institutional technology requirements.
• Experience with Aruba and Cisco enterprise switching and wireless technologies, including software-defined and centrally managed network architectures.
• Experience implementing enterprise observability, telemetry, automation, and proactive or self-healing infrastructure capabilities.
• Experience with virtualization, cloud networking, and hybrid cloud infrastructure.
• Experience coordinating infrastructure projects with facilities organizations, architects, contractors, consultants, and external engineering firms.
• Experience supporting enterprise cybersecurity, zero-trust, segmentation, and secure network architecture initiatives.

 Required Education/Certification

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline or equivalent work experience.

 Preferred Education/Certifications:

• Juniper Networks Certified Professional – Enterprise Routing and Switching (JNCIP-ENT) or higher.
• Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP) or higher certification relevant to network security, firewalls, or secure networking.
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP Enterprise) or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).
• Aruba networking certification relevant to enterprise switching, wireless, or network architecture.
• AWS or Microsoft Azure certification relevant to advanced networking or cloud network architecture.
• ITIL Foundation or higher.
• CompTIA Security+

Please send your updated Word-format resume along with your best contact details to  or call me at .                               

Stellar IT Solutions is a Global IT Solution provider headquartered in Rockville, MD, with operations in the US and India. Stellar IT Solutions has over 15 years of IT and consulting experience to give cost-effective solutions to many Fortune 500 companies.