Network Engineer Senior

Network EngineerLocation: Mclean, VA/ Plano, TXDuration: 12 months (Contract to Hire/Conversion)Job Responsibilities:Design, deploy, and maintain the data center network infrastructure, ensuring high availability and performance.Implement and configure routing protocols (e.g., BGP, OSPF) and switching technologies (e.g., EVPN, VxLAN, Spine-Leaf topology, 802.1Q, VRF, L2) to support diverse applications and services.Experience with Access Control Lists (ACLs) and Network Address Translation (NAT).Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand networking requirements and provide effective solutions.Learn and develop automation scripts using Ansible and/or Python to streamline network provisioning, configuration, and monitoring tasks.Monitor network performance, troubleshoot issues, and perform root cause analysis to resolve incidents promptly.Participate in capacity planning, network security and disaster recovery strategies and document relevant SOPs / Visio for network repositories.Stay up to date with industry trends and best practices in data center networking and automation.Qualifications:Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (or equivalent experience)5-7 years of relevant experience in IT Network Engineering and/or Operations.Proven experience as a Network Engineer with a focus on data center routing and switching.Proficiency in configuring and troubleshooting networking equipment from major vendors (e.g., Arista and Cisco – Arista preferred).Strong understanding of routing protocols and switching protocols (BGP, VXLAN, EVPN, Spine-Leaf topology)Knowledge of network monitoring and management tools (e.g., SNMP, NetFlow, syslog)Knowledge of automation tools such as Ansible, and programming languages like Python.Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to work well under pressure and in a team environment.Effective communication skills to collaborate with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.Keys to success in this role:Work under minimum supervision.Strong written and verbal communication.Proactive in nature with customer satisfaction as primary goal.Innovative in providing solutions, likes to take on challenges with calculated risk.Quick learner of new technologies and tools.