Principal / Lead Network Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

Principal / Lead Network Engineer

Location: Philadelphia, PA
Job Type: Long-Term Contract
Work Setting: Onsite

Position Overview

We are supporting a large-scale airport technology environment that requires skilled IT professionals to help maintain, enhance, and support critical computer and information systems across multiple airport facilities. These long-term contract opportunities involve working within a complex, mission-critical infrastructure that supports airport operations, security, communications, and enterprise technology services. Successful candidates will play a key role in ensuring the reliability, performance, and continuous improvement of IT systems in a dynamic operational environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, configuration, and implementation of complex enterprise network architectures.

• Provide Tier 3 escalation support for advanced networking issues, including root-cause analysis and remediation.

• Review and approve network designs, engineering drawings, and technical specifications for infrastructure projects.

• Oversee day-to-day network operations, performance monitoring, optimization, and system reliability.

• Manage network lifecycle activities including hardware refresh planning, inventory management, and maintenance schedules.

• Develop and maintain network standards, configuration baselines, and operational documentation.

• Provide technical leadership, assign tasks, and mentor junior and mid-level network engineers.

• Coordinate with vendors, contractors, and internal teams to support deployments, upgrades, and troubleshooting efforts.

• Ensure network security best practices, segmentation strategies, and compliance with organizational policies.

• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance network performance, availability, and scalability.

• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Requirements

• 10+ years of progressive experience in enterprise network engineering, including senior or lead-level responsibilities.

• Expert-level knowledge of enterprise LAN, WAN, WLAN, routing and switching, firewalls, VPNs, and network security.

• Proven experience designing and implementing complex network architectures in large-scale or mission-critical environments.

• Strong ability to troubleshoot and resolve advanced networking issues and serve as the final escalation point.

• Experience reviewing engineering drawings, technical specifications, and infrastructure project documentation.

• Demonstrated leadership experience mentoring engineers and coordinating technical work assignments.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to technical and non-technical audiences.

• Relevant advanced certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, JNCIP, or PCNSE are highly preferred.

• Experience with Extreme Networks technologies is a plus.