Cloud Network Architect

Cloud Network Architect

Middletown, NJ

Required Skills & Experience

10-12+ years of experience in network/platform engineering with significant responsibility for architecture and design in large-scale, multi-site environments.

Demonstrated experience designing highly available, resilient compute platform architectures serving network functions across geographically distributed data centers/POPs.

Strong background in management network design, secure remote access patterns (jump hosts), and redundant WAN connectivity.

Experience with high-speed data center networking (100G and above; 400G preferred) and designing for scale and throughput.

Hands-on experience with virtualization and hosting virtualized network functions (VNFs) and containerized network functions (CNFs) in cloud-enabled, NFV, or cloud-native environments.

Experience with Red Hat platforms and other virtualization software used to deploy, operate, and lifecycle-manage enterprise compute and network-function environments.

Experience with Kubernetes-based platforms and container orchestration patterns for CNF deployment, scaling, service discovery, and operational resiliency.

Experience with Redis or comparable in-memory data stores used for caching, state management, messaging, or high-performance application/service architectures.

Proven ability to produce architecture/design documentation and lead technical reviews with cross-functional stakeholders.

Nice to Have Skills & Experience

Experience with Red Hat-based infrastructure platforms and lifecycle engineering in enterprise environments.

Familiarity with SONiC-based switching/network operating systems and modern data center fabric designs.

Experience working in Equinix colocation environments and designing global POP deployment standards.

Knowledge of overlay networking concepts (e.g., VXLAN) and automation-driven provisioning/service chaining approaches.

Experience supporting regulated or accredited environments with formal hardening standards (e.g., ASPRR-aligned controls).

Knowledge of AI and GenAI infrastructure concepts, including model architectures, inference traffic patterns, AI provider ecosystems, GPU cluster design, and operational considerations for AI-enabled services.

Job Description

The Senior Platform Network Architect/Engineer is responsible for the end-to-end design, architecture, and engineering of the TAO platform-an industry-standard, multi-tenant, cloud-hosted ecosystem of virtualized network services with a global footprint. This role leads the technical definition and implementation of next-generation TAO capabilities, ensuring high availability, resiliency, security hardening, and scalable connectivity (including high-speed interfaces up to 400G) across globally distributed Equinix POPs and interconnected networks.

The engineer will drive parallel-build and migration interoperability requirements between current platform iterations 3.0 and 4.0 and the next-generation TAO platform, while maintaining strict tenant isolation and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities

Platform Architecture & Design

Own the architecture and detailed design of TAO platform infrastructure and networking, including dual rack/dual rail design, high-speed leaf/spine switch fabric backplane, and flexible resiliency (local HA, geo-redundancy, regional failover, etc.).)

Define and evolve this multi-tenant architecture ensuring data confidentiality/integrity and enforcing compute isolation requirements (e.g., no vCPU core thread sharing between customers).

Lead next-generation platform design enhancements incorporating Dell CPU-based servers, Red Hat OpenStack and OpenShift, and SONiC Enterprise networking while incorporating novel compute (GPUs, DPUs, etc.) and networking capabilities to grow the overall TAO platform repertoire.

Network Engineering, Connectivity & Resiliency

Design and engineer WAN/management network reachability to ensure continuity during single and multiple network failures.

Engineer redundant management access patterns (e.g., jump server connectivity) across TAO sites using diverse paths such as AVPN, Teridion IPsec tunnels, and back-to-back links via third-party carriers (e.g., Zayo, Windstream, Zenlayer).

Define and implement high-speed connectivity standards, including upstream/downstream connectivity up to 400G with support for sub-rate port speeds.

Maintain and enhance geo-redundant node designs and HA patterns (logical pairs, local and geo-redundancy) aligned to contracted customer designs.

Platform Build, Parallel Deployment & Migration Interoperability

Lead TAO platform rollout as a full parallel build to existing platforms with no shared functions, ensuring clean separation of environments.

Design and implement interoperability between platforms for migration purposes using cross-connects within each TAO POP site as required.

Support compute repurposing strategies for post-migration (e.g., repurposing eligible legacy compute into next-generation TAO compute).

Virtualized Network Functions (VNFs) & Service Enablement

Architect platform capabilities to host AT&T-endorsed/approved services (voice and data products such as AVPN, ADI, and other transport services).

Ensure the platform can support VNFs such as virtual routers, firewalls, SBCs, and related network functions at scale.

Contribute to simplified and scalable Layer 2/overlay designs (e.g., VXLAN-based approaches) and automation patterns that reduce manual configuration and improve consistency.

Security, Compliance & Hardening

Ensure platform engineering aligns with AT&T ASPRR accreditation expectations, including robust hardening policies and procedures for production devices and servers.

Partner with security stakeholders to ensure architecture supports confidentiality, integrity, and operational controls appropriate for a shared-hardware, multi-tenant cloud environment.

Operational Excellence & Documentation

Produce high-quality architecture artifacts (HLD/LLD), standards, implementation guides, and operational runbooks.

Provide technical leadership across engineering teams and vendors; drive design reviews, risk assessments, and implementation readiness.

Participate in incident/problem management as a Tier 4 escalation point for complex platform/network issues impacting availability or reachability.

- Contribute to select customer designs owned by dedicated AT&T teams (e.g.,. LCM, Consulting) requiring advanced networking, resiliency, and integration of partner ecosystem capabilities (e.g., Equinix Fabric).