Network Architect with Automation

Job Title: Network Architect with Automation

Location: Santa Clara, CA (Local Candidates only)

Duration: Long term

Required Skills & Experience

• Strong experience as a Network Architect / Senior Network Engineer with enterprise and/or data center networking experience.
• Strong hands-on experience designing and implementing data center network architectures.
• Extensive knowledge of Cisco networking technologies, including routers and switches.
• Strong understanding of IP routing, switching, TCP/IP, VLANs, BGP, OSPF, and data center networking concepts.
• Strong hands-on experience with network automation.
• Strong Python scripting and development experience for network automation.
• Strong experience with Ansible and Ansible-based network automation.
• Hands-on experience with NetBox, including network inventory, IPAM, source-of-truth, and automation integration.
• Experience designing and configuring network topologies and testbeds/lab environments.
• Experience automating network configuration, provisioning, testing, and validation.
• Strong troubleshooting and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working with APIs and integrating network automation tools.
• Ability to design scalable, reusable automation frameworks.

Agentic AI / AI Automation Requirements

• Practical experience using Generative AI or Agentic AI to improve engineering productivity.
• Understanding of AI agents and their application to infrastructure/network automation.
• Experience using AI to generate or execute Python scripts, Ansible playbooks, network configurations, or testing workflows.
• Ability to identify repetitive network engineering tasks that can be automated using AI.
• Experience integrating AI agents with APIs, automation frameworks, or infrastructure tools is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of responsible AI automation, including validation, approvals, security, and guardrails.

Preferred Skills

• Cisco data center technologies and architectures.
• Cisco Nexus and related data center switching technologies.
• Experience with BGP, OSPF, EVPN/VXLAN, and modern data center architectures.
• Network Configuration Protocols such as NETCONF/RESTCONF.
• REST APIs and JSON.
• Git/GitHub or GitLab.
• CI/CD and infrastructure-as-code practices.
• Docker/Kubernetes exposure.
• Experience integrating NetBox with Ansible and Python automation.
• Experience building internal network engineering platforms or self-service portals.
• Experience designing network lab environments or network simulation/test platforms.
• Experience with AI/LLM frameworks and agent-based automation.

Key Deliverables

The successful candidate will be expected to:

1. Design and establish the network engineering lab/testbed.
2. Build and configure network topologies supporting multiple testing scenarios.
3. Establish Cisco-based network infrastructure within the lab.
4. Develop automated provisioning and configuration capabilities.
5. Implement Python + Ansible + NetBox automation.
6. Build a scalable lab reservation system.
7. Automate network testing and validation.
8. Identify and automate repetitive network engineering activities.
9. Introduce Agentic AI capabilities into network automation workflows.
10. Establish the foundation for an expandable, self-service network automation platform.

Educational Qualifications:

• Required - Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering or closely related or equivalent.
• Preferred - Master’s degree in Management Information Systems (MIS), Computer Science, Big Data or Analytics or equivalent.

Travel:

·   Open to travel based up on the nature of the engagement.

Thanks & Regards