Principal Network Engineer

Principal Network Engineer

Fleet Data Centers designs, builds and operates mega-scale data center campuses. Fleet provides its customers flexibility and predictability to meet their upside demand forecasts, addressing a key need in the market as traditional leased models are struggling to keep pace with the demand for new Cloud and AI infrastructure.

Fleet is led by a team of industry veterans that have already made a lasting imprint on the evolution of global digital infrastructure and are committed and uniquely capable of upleveling data center development scale and operations in the face of rising demand. Fleet is well positioned to bring in-house design, engineering, and operational capabilities to collaborate with customers on tailored solutions for campuses of 500MW+. This unique model enables Fleet to provide the world's largest and most sophisticated customers a seamless extension of their own data center fleets with constant access to design innovation.

Fleet is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with satellite offices in Seattle, WA and Alexandria, VA.

Position Overview

Fleet is seeking a Principal Network Engineer to lead the architecture, design, and technical strategy for network infrastructure across our hyperscale campuses.

This role serves as Fleet's technical authority for fiber infrastructure, structured cabling, carrier connectivity, and Operational Technology (OT) networks including IoT, BMS, and EPMS. Working across Product, Design, Construction, Operations, customers, and external partners, you'll establish engineering standards, guide infrastructure decisions, and support projects from concept through commissioning and operations.

This is a highly technical, hands-on engineering role focused on building secure, resilient, and scalable network infrastructure for mission-critical data center environments.

What You'll Do

• Design scalable network architectures supporting hyperscale campus operations
• Develop standards for fiber infrastructure, structured cabling, OT networks, and carrier connectivity
• Design inside-plant (ISP) and outside-plant (OSP) fiber systems with redundancy and future capacity in mind
• Serve as Fleet's technical SME for network and fiber infrastructure
• Establish engineering standards, documentation, and best practices across the organization
• Review engineering packages, vendor designs, and construction documents
• Support commissioning, testing, troubleshooting, and operational readiness
• Partner with customers to translate connectivity requirements into scalable design standards
• Evaluate emerging technologies and recommend improvements to reliability, performance, and scalability
• Lead technical evaluations, RFPs, vendor selection, and carrier relationships
• Support budgeting, lifecycle cost analysis, procurement, and project execution

What We're Looking For

Experience:

• 10+ years in network engineering, telecommunications, fiber infrastructure, or mission-critical environments
• Experience designing and deploying large-scale network infrastructure
• Expertise in fiber infrastructure, structured cabling, and carrier connectivity
• Experience supporting projects through design, construction, commissioning, and operations
• Background serving as a Principal Engineer, Technical Lead, or Subject Matter Expert
• Data center, cloud, or other critical infrastructure experience strongly preferred

Technical Expertise:

• Fiber optic systems, structured cabling, and network architecture
• DWDM, CWDM, optical transport technologies
• Routing, switching, and carrier networking
• OT networks including IoT, BMS, and EPMS
• AutoCAD, Visio, GIS, and infrastructure design tools
• Network testing, validation, troubleshooting, and commissioning
• Industry standards including ANSI/TIA, IEEE, ITU-T, ISO/IEC, BICSI, NEC, and NFPA

Travel:

• Up to 25% travel to Fleet campuses and project sites

Expected Salary range: $120,000–$150,000 + discretionary bonus

Fleet Data Centers Employment

Fleet Data Centers employees enjoy competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits, including 100% employer-covered medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401K program, standard paid holidays, and unlimited PTO.

Fleet Data Centers is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants are considered for employment regardless of age, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.