Network Test Engineer

Job Title: Senior Network Test Engineer
Location: New York, NY.

Duration: 12 months

Experience:8-10 Years

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Network Test Engineer with 8+ years of experience in network engineering, testing, design, and code/feature certification. The ideal candidate will have strong expertise in LAN/WAN networking, Cisco/Arista platforms, routing and switching protocols, network hardware testing, Python, Ansible, Linux, and network automation.

This role will focus heavily on lab testing, network hardware certification, patch/SMU/code validation, interoperability testing, vulnerability-driven certification, and automation across enterprise network environments.

The position requires a senior-level engineer who can work independently, lead testing initiatives, collaborate with vendors and global engineering teams, and communicate findings effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Location / Work Model

• New York, NY
• Onsite 3 4 days per week
• Senior-level role requiring independent ownership and project leadership.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and document functional and performance testing for network hardware, including routers and switches.
• Perform network hardware code, feature, patch, SMU, and release certification.
• Conduct rapid certification activities driven by CVE, security, operational, and business risks.
• Test and validate network platforms before deployment into production environments.
• Identify automation opportunities and develop automated testing solutions.
• Develop and maintain test automation using Python, Ansible, APIs, and Infrastructure-as-Code techniques.
• Create and maintain Ansible playbooks and automation workflows.
• Test interoperability between network infrastructure and appliances such as:
  • F5
  • A10
  • Fortinet
  • Juniper SRX
• Perform troubleshooting using Wireshark, tcpdump, and protocol-level analysis.
• Conduct performance, compatibility, scalability, and reliability testing.
• Diagnose hardware, software, interoperability, and performance issues.
• Develop testing strategies across multiple network vendors and platforms.
• Create certification documents containing test results, engineering guidelines, and recommendations.
• Create and maintain engineering standards, configuration templates, and best-practice documentation.
• Track bugs, vulnerabilities, certification issues, and remediation activities.
• Collaborate with vendors to evaluate products, features, patches, and upcoming technologies.
• Support Proof of Concepts (PoCs) and vendor evaluations.
• Provide expert-level technical guidance to engineering and production teams.
• Present testing results, certification status, risks, and recommendations to technical and senior management.
• Lead projects and complex implementations with minimal supervision.
• Work collaboratively with global network engineering and testing teams.

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of network engineering experience.
• Extensive experience with LAN/WAN network design, engineering, testing, and certification.
• Strong experience with network hardware/software code and feature validation.
• CCIE-level expertise or minimum CCNP-level experience.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • BGP
  • OSPF
  • IGMP
  • PIM
  • Spanning Tree
  • Layer 2 / Layer 3 networking
  • IP routing and switching
• Strong Cisco networking experience, including:
  • Catalyst
  • Nexus
  • ISR4K
  • ASR1K
  • IOS/IOS-XE
  • NX-OS
  • Limited IOS-XR
• Experience with Arista platforms is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of network troubleshooting and protocol-level analysis.
• Strong Linux administration and networking fundamentals.
• Hands-on Python development/scripting experience.
• Hands-on Ansible experience.
• Experience with Git/GitHub.
• Experience with Wireshark and tcpdump.
• Experience testing/certifying network designs using IXIA and/or Spirent.
• Experience working in network lab environments.

Network Automation & Cloud-Native Skills

• Experience developing network automation using Python and Ansible.
• Understanding of APIs and Infrastructure-as-Code concepts.
• Experience with Robot Framework is highly desirable.
• Experience integrating Ansible with Robot Framework is a strong plus.
• Understanding of Kubernetes architecture and operations.
• Knowledge of container networking and CNI.
• Experience using kubectl and Kubernetes operational tools.
• Understanding of cloud-native networking concepts.
• Experience with eBPF-based networking/security is a major plus.
• Knowledge of Cilium, including:
  • Network/security policy enforcement
  • Observability
  • Service load balancing
  • BGP integration
  • eBPF maps
  • Kernel-level telemetry

Routing, Switching & Multicast

• Strong knowledge of BGP and OSPF.
• Strong understanding of Layer 2 switching and switching mechanisms.
• Knowledge of CEF and TCAM.
• Strong multicast networking experience:
  • IGMPv2/v3
  • PIM-SM
  • Static RP
  • Anycast RP
  • MSDP
• Knowledge of QoS and network security mechanisms is desirable.

Security & Risk

• Understanding of cybersecurity principles and network security.
• Experience with CVE analysis and vulnerability assessment.
• Ability to assess operational and business risk associated with network vulnerabilities.
• Experience with patch certification and security validation.
• Knowledge of:
  • MAB
  • Port Security
  • NAC
  • 802.1X
  • IPSec
  • QoS
  • Router hardening
  • DDoS mitigation
  • Routing protocol encryption
  • SSH
  • Out-of-band network design

Additional Desired Experience

• Arista platforms such as 7280, 7504, and 7060.
• F5/A10 load balancers.
• Fortinet and Juniper SRX firewalls.
• AWS or Azure networking/cloud experience.
• Data center networking and infrastructure.
• 10G/25G/40G/50G/100G connectivity.
• Virtualization and server technologies.
• Data center cabling, power, and cooling concepts.
• Experience with multiple network vendors and developing multi-vendor strategies.

Education / Certification

• CCNP minimum-level expertise required.
• CCIE certification or equivalent expertise strongly preferred.

Soft Skills / Other Requirements

• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent technical documentation and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical and non-technical senior stakeholders.
• Strong analytical and logical problem-solving skills.
• Excellent time management and prioritization skills.
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong vendor and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to work independently with minimal guidance.
• Strong ownership, accountability, and proactive mindset.
• Ability to quickly interpret technical data and make informed recommendations.
• Comfortable working within a global engineering/testing organization.