Principal Network Engineer (Cisco)

IT Plano, Texas Contract To Hire May 22, 2026 Principal Network Engineer Network Engineering Plano, TX – In-Office This role requires the employee to be fully on-site at the company’s Plano, Texas headquarters. Role Type Full-time About Our Client Our client is a long‑standing, technology‑forward provider of accessible financial solutions focused on serving underserved and credit‑challenged customers across North America. They operate a portfolio of well‑known consumer brands that enable customers to obtain essential products and services through both in‑store and digital channels, with thousands of retail locations and a strong e‑commerce presence. The organization sits at the intersection of financial services and retail, with a data‑driven model that powers inclusive, customer‑centric offerings across the United States, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. At its core, the company is mission‑driven, emphasizing inclusion, empowerment, and responsible access to financial alternatives for everyday consumers. Job Description The Principal Network Engineer will serve as the primary technical authority for the enterprise network, leading the design, deployment, and optimization of a large‑scale Cisco‑based and cloud‑enabled infrastructure. In this role, you will architect and manage routing, switching, security, and data center solutions across campus, branch, data center, and cloud environments, ensuring reliable and secure connectivity for thousands of users and critical customer‑facing applications. Your work will enable highly available digital and in‑store experiences for customers, support core financial platforms, and drive modernization of the company’s hybrid on‑premises and AWS footprint. Day to day, you will design and maintain Cisco Catalyst and Nexus environments, ACI fabrics, Meraki networks, and AWS networking services while leveraging infrastructure‑as‑code and Python automation to streamline operations. You will collaborate closely with Cloud, Security, DevOps, and Application teams, take ownership of high‑severity incident resolution, and mentor junior engineers as the go‑to expert for complex network and connectivity challenges. The ideal candidate is passionate about enterprise networking, cloud‑native architectures, and automation, and enjoys driving standards, best practices, and strategic initiatives that improve performance, scalability, and security. Duties and Responsibilities Design and deploy enterprise network architectures spanning campus, data center, branch, and cloud environments. Architect and manage Cisco‑based infrastructure including Catalyst and Nexus switching, routing, and wireless solutions. Administer and optimize Cisco ACI fabrics, including policy configuration, fabric management, and service integrations. Lead deployment, configuration, and lifecycle management of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) including 802.1X and policy enforcement. Design, implement, and support AWS advanced networking solutions including VPCs, Transit Gateways, Direct Connect, and hybrid connectivity. Develop and maintain infrastructure‑as‑code frameworks using tools such as Terraform, Ansible, and CloudFormation. Write, enhance, and support Python scripts to automate network provisioning, configuration management, and monitoring activities. Monitor network performance, capacity, and health using telemetry and monitoring tools, driving continual improvement. Lead high‑level troubleshooting and root cause analysis for critical incidents in both on‑premises and cloud environments. Collaborate with Cloud, Security, DevOps, and Application teams to ensure secure, reliable connectivity for key platforms and services. Maintain comprehensive documentation, diagrams, and standards for current and target‑state network architectures. Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior and mid‑level network engineers. Required Experience/Skills 10–15 years of hands‑on experience with Cisco enterprise networking technologies in medium to large environments. Deep expertise in routing and switching protocols, including OSPF, BGP, VRF, HSRP, and STP. Strong experience with Cisco Nexus (5K/7K/9K) and Catalyst series switching platforms. Hands‑on experience designing and managing Cisco ACI fabrics (EPGs, contracts, bridge domains). Experience with Cisco Meraki networking solutions (MX, MS, MR). Proven experience deploying and managing Cisco ISE and SDA, including fabric design, segmentation, and policy sets. Deep knowledge of AWS networking services including VPC, subnets, security groups, Transit Gateway, and Direct Connect. Understanding of cloud‑native services such as DNS, load balancing, proxies, and VPN solutions. Proficiency with Python, including building automation scripts and tools for networking use cases. Solid experience with infrastructure‑as‑code tools such as Ansible, Terraform, and Git. Strong understanding of Layer 2/3 protocols, network security controls, and performance tuning. Experience with monitoring and telemetry tools (e.g., NetFlow, SNMP, Syslog) and related platforms. Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence technical decisions and drive projects forward. Nice‑to‑Haves Professional‑level Cisco certifications such as CCNP or CCIE (Routing & Switching or Data Center). AWS networking certifications, such as AWS Certified Advanced Networking. Experience with SD‑WAN and SASE architectures. Exposure to cybersecurity architecture, IAM concepts, or Zero Trust Network Access. Experience leveraging automation APIs for ACI, Meraki, or AWS networking. Background in financial services, retail, or other highly regulated, customer‑facing industries. Education Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, Engineering, or a related technical field (or equivalent experience). Pay & Benefits Summary Competitive base salary with performance‑based incentives (exact range to be confirmed with the client). Comprehensive health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage. 401(k) plan with company matching contribution. Discretionary time off (DTO) or generous paid time off policy. Health savings account (HSA) with company contribution. College tuition reimbursement program for eligible STEM degrees. Unlimited access to online learning resources and professional development programs. Keyword | Principal Network Engineer | Cisco | Nexus | ACI | AWS Networking | Terraform | Ansible | Python Automation | SD-WAN | Meraki | ISE | Data Center | On-Prem | Cloud Hybrid #J-18808-Ljbffr Catapult Federal Services