Lead, Network Engineer - AI

The Lead, Network Engineer designs, analyzes, plans, and modifies network components supporting customer communication implementation activities. The role handles problems ranging from moderate to substantial complexity. Responsibilities Engineering & Design Lead end-to-end design of multi‑vendor SD‑WAN solutions (Cisco SD‑WAN/Viptela, Meraki, Fortinet, Aruba, Palo Alto, etc.) across global branch and remote office locations. Design and maintain secure, scalable data center solutions that terminate SD‑WAN overlays, VPNs, and remote‑site connectivity. Develop robust WAN, campus, and data center routing designs using BGP and OSPF, including route redistribution, policy‑based routing, and traffic engineering. Design resilient, standardized remote LAN solutions (access/distribution) including VLANs, spanning‑tree strategy, link aggregation, and QoS. Build and test enterprise wireless solutions for remote and campus locations, including SSID design, authentication/authorization policies, RF design standards, and guest access. Own the design and lifecycle of RADIUS and TACACS+ solutions for network device access control, 802.1X, and Wi‑Fi authentication, including high availability and redundancy. Collaborate with the Lead Network Architect and Principal Network Architect to ensure designs align with enterprise architecture principles, target‑state roadmaps, and security standards. Implementation & Operations Lead deployment and configuration of SD‑WAN overlays, routing policies, segmentation, and security policies across multiple platforms. Oversee implementation of switching, routing, and wireless solutions for new sites, data center expansions, and network refresh projects. Serve as the highest‑level escalation point for complex incidents involving SD‑WAN overlays, routing instability, LAN/WLAN issues, and AAA (RADIUS/TACACS+) failures. Define and maintain network configuration standards, templates, and golden configurations for SD‑WAN, LAN, WLAN, and routing. Collaborate closely with security, platform, and applications teams to ensure network designs meet security, performance, and availability requirements. Governance, Peer Review & Documentation Participate in structured technical solution peer reviews with the Lead Network Architect and Principal Network Architect, presenting low‑level designs, implementation approaches, and migration plans for feedback and approval. Review and provide feedback on designs produced by other engineers to ensure consistency with standard guidelines and operational best practices. Develop and maintain detailed network diagrams, design documents, and runbooks for SD‑WAN, LAN/WLAN, data center, and AAA infrastructure. Contribute to or lead network automation efforts (Ansible, Python, APIs) to streamline configuration, compliance checks, and deployments across SD‑WAN and LAN. Define monitoring and observability standards (NetFlow/sFlow, SNMP, syslog, telemetry) for all network domains; work with NOC/operations on alerting and dashboards. Assist in capacity planning, performance analysis, and continual service improvement for WAN, LAN/WLAN, and data center connectivity. Leadership & Collaboration Provide technical leadership and mentorship to network engineers and operations staff; review designs and changes for quality and consistency. Work in close partnership with the Lead Network Architect and Principal Network Architect to translate high‑level architecture into implementable, supportable solutions. Participate in and sometimes lead cross‑functional solution reviews and present to the change advisory board (CAB). Engage with vendors and service providers for solution evaluation, design improvements, and problem escalation. Contribute to network strategy and roadmap planning, identifying opportunities for modernization, consolidation, and cost optimization. Translate business requirements into scalable, supportable network designs. Maintain strong documentation, communication, and presentation skills; comfortable discussing designs with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders. Demonstrate a leadership mindset with the ability to guide, mentor, and influence other engineers. Show high ownership, initiative, and accountability in a fast‑moving environment. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or equivalent experience. Ability to pass a background investigation to obtain an ADP II Security Clearance. 7+ years of hands‑on experience in enterprise network engineering, with at least 3 years in a senior or lead role. Proven experience designing, deploying, and supporting more than one enterprise‑scale SD‑WAN platform (Cisco SD‑WAN/Viptela, Meraki SD‑WAN, Fortinet Secure SD‑WAN, Aruba EdgeConnect, etc.). Strong expertise in dynamic routing protocols: BGP (eBGP/iBGP design, route filtering, communities, path manipulation, and troubleshooting); OSPF (multi‑area design, route summarization, LSA types, convergence tuning). Solid experience with enterprise switching: VLANs, 802.1Q trunking, STP/RSTP/MST, EtherChannel/LACP, and QoS. Experience with enterprise wireless networking: centralized controllers or cloud‑managed Wi‑Fi, RF fundamentals, roaming, guest and secure SSIDs, and 802.1X‑based authentication. Hands‑on experience in designing, deploying, and supporting RADIUS and TACACS+ solutions (e.g., Cisco ISE, Forescout, ClearPass) for device admin and network access control. Experience working with Infoblox (DDI) and remote site IP addressing design. Strong troubleshooting skills across SD‑WAN overlay/underlay, routing, and AAA‑related issues using tools such as packet captures, flow data, and detailed logs. Experience working in mission‑critical, highly available network environments. Experience working with data center colocation facilities and virtual network fabric provided by vendors such as Equinix and Mega‑Port. 2+ years of project leadership experience. Preferred Qualifications Relevant certifications such as Cisco CCNP Enterprise, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, or equivalent level of expertise; other vendors: NSE (Fortinet), Aruba/HP networking, or equivalent. Practical experience leveraging AI tools in a network engineering context (e.g., Claude, Gemini, GitHub Copilot) for design assistance, documentation generation, troubleshooting guides, and code review of network automation scripts. Experience with agentic AI and automation patterns, including designing and working with AI agents, orchestration frameworks, or MCP‑style gateways to interact with network APIs, monitoring platforms, and ticketing systems. Experience building or maintaining infrastructure‑as‑code (IaC) for network configurations using tools like Terraform, Ansible, or similar; integrating network automation and validation into CI/CD pipelines (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, Azure DevOps). Familiarity with zero‑trust networking concepts, segmentation, and integration with firewalls and security services (Zscaler ZIA, ZPA). Experience in hybrid cloud connectivity (AWS/Azure/GCP) and integrating SD‑WAN with cloud on‑ramps. Background in strict change control operations and change management processes. Additional Information Perform post‑implementation validation/verification and performance testing; document results and provide to Humana. Participate in on‑call rotation and after‑hours solutions implementation as needed. Support other teams as needed, after‑hours. Work‑At‑Home Requirements Must have a high‑speed DSL or cable modem for a home office; associates or contractors in California will receive payment for internet expense. Minimum standard speed of 25 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload is required. Satellite and wireless internet service is NOT allowed. Dedicated space free of interruptions to protect member PHI/HIPAA information. Scheduled Weekly Hours 40 hours per week. Pay Range $117,600 – $161,700 per year. Compensation may vary based on location, skills, and experience. This role is eligible for a bonus incentive plan based on company and/or individual performance. Description Of Benefits Humana offers comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, 401(k), paid time off, family and parental leave, short‑term and long‑term disability, life insurance, and more. About Us Humana Inc. (NYSE: HUM) is a leading U.S. healthcare company providing insurance and CenterWell healthcare services to millions of people, including those with Medicare, Medicaid, and other coverage. Equal Opportunity Employer Humana does not discriminate against employees or applicants based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Humana employs affirmative action in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and VEVRAA, basing all employment decisions on valid job requirements. #J-18808-Ljbffr Humana