Enterprise Network Lab Engineer

Job Title: Enterprise Network Lab Engineer
Function: IT Infrastructure / Enterprise Networking
Location: Santa Clara


About the Role


We are looking for a hands-on Enterprise Network Lab Engineer to own and operate our enterprise network validation lab. This role is the bridge between network architecture and production deployment - you will take use cases from concept through rigorous lab validation and deliver complete, production-ready designs backed by test evidence.


You will work closely with network architects, vendors, and engineering teams to validate new technologies, verify platform upgrades, and stress-test configurations before they touch the production network. You are equally comfortable racking gear and writing a Python script to automate test runs.

What You Will Do

• Lab Validation & Testing
  • Receive network use cases from architecture, engineering, or business stakeholders and translate them into structured lab test plans covering functional, performance, resiliency, and failure-scenario testing
  • Execute high-touch validation of enterprise networking technologies including switching, routing, wireless, SD-WAN, firewalling, and network automation platforms
  • Deliver complete validation packages including:
  • Logical and physical topology diagrams
  • Device configurations (sanitized and version-controlled)
  • Step-by-step test procedures and results
  • Pass/fail summaries with root cause analysis for failures
  • Go/No-Go recommendations with supporting evidence
  • Perform rack and stack of lab equipment when required - cable management, power sequencing, console access setup, and physical layer verification
• Design & Documentation
  • Produce clear, detailed lab reports that can be handed directly to production engineering teams for deployment
  • Maintain up-to-date physical and logical topology documentation for all active lab topologies
  • Document configurations using version control (Git) so all tested configs are traceable and reusable
  • Build and maintain a library of validated reference architectures and design patterns
• Vendor Collaboration
  • Partner with network vendors (Cisco, Arista, Juniper, Palo Alto, Aruba, etc.) to conduct joint proof-of-concept testing and feature validation
  • Drive vendor-supported test engagements including bug reproduction, feature requests, and interoperability testing
  • Evaluate new hardware and software releases against defined acceptance criteria before recommending adoption
  • Manage loaner equipment logistics and coordinate lab access for vendor engineers
• Automation & CI/CD
  • Write scripts (Python, Bash, Ansible) to automate repetitive lab tasks - device provisioning, configuration push, test execution, and results collection
  • Build or maintain CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions) for automated configuration validation and regression testing
  • Develop test automation frameworks using tools such as pyATS, Robot Framework, Batfish, or NAPALM
  • Integrate lab test results into reporting dashboards or ticketing systems to provide traceability from test run to design decision

What You Bring


Required

• 7+ years of handson enterprise network engineering experience
• Deep expertise in at least two of the following domains: campus switching, data center fabric, SDWAN, wireless LAN, network security, WAN/ISP connectivity
• Strong understanding of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), switching (VLAN, STP, LACP, VXLAN), and overlay technologies (EVPN, VxLAN, LISP)
• Proficiency with network operating systems across multiple vendors (Cisco IOS/NXOS, Arista EOS, Juniper Junos, or equivalent)
• Ability to read, write, and interpret network configurations at a detailed level
• Experience creating professionalgrade topology diagrams (draw.io, Visio, Lucidchart) and technical documentation
• Scripting capability in Python or equivalent - must be able to write working scripts independently, not just modify existing ones
• Familiarity with Gitbased workflows and versioncontrolled config management
• Physical lab skills: rack and stack, cable management, console cabling, power management, and hardware troubleshooting

Preferred

• Experience with network automation tooling: Ansible, Nornir, NAPALM, pyATS, Batfish, NetBox/Nautobot
• Exposure to CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Jenkins) applied to network configuration workflows
• Knowledge of infrastructureascode concepts as applied to networking
• Experience in a dedicated network validation or solutions engineering lab environment
• Certifications: CCNP / CCIE (Enterprise or Data Center), JNCIP, ACE, or equivalent professionallevel certification
• Familiarity with structured test methodology frameworks (RFC 2544, RFC 6349, IETF test standards)
• Experience working directly with vendor presales, SE, or TAC teams in a formal lab engagement

How You Work

• You are methodical and documentation driven - you do not consider a test complete until the results are written up and the configs are committed
• You can take a loosely defined use case and independently structure it into a formal test plan without handholding
• You hold yourself to a high bar for accuracy - a design that passes your lab should work in production
• You communicate clearly across technical and nontechnical audiences - your reports are read by architects, engineers, and managers alike
• You are comfortable pushing back on a vendor if test results do not meet acceptance criteria and can articulate the technical basis for your findings
• You manage your own lab workload, prioritize concurrent test engagements, and communicate schedule risks proactively

What Success Looks Like


In your first 90 days:

• You have stood up at least one endtoend lab topology independently and delivered a complete validation report
• You understand the existing lab inventory, active topologies, and inflight test engagements
• You have established working relationships with at least two vendor SE teams

At 6 months:

• Validation lab turnaround time is predictable and documented design deliverables are consistently productionready
• At least one test workflow is partially or fully automated via scripting or CI/CD pipeline
• Your lab reports are used as the primary evidence gate before production deployments go through change management