Principal Network Engineer

Principal Network EngineerArctiq is a global, intelligence-driven technology services company delivering professional and managed services across Hybrid Cloud Infrastructure, Networking & Connected Experiences, Cybersecurity, Data & AI, Autonomous Operations & Intelligence, and Enterprise Service Management. We help organizations operate, secure, and modernize complex environments by unifying infrastructure, networking, data, security, automation, and observability under a single, integrated operating model. Our work focuses on helping customers reduce operational friction, improve resilience, and make better, faster decisions as their environments evolve. Arctiq builds on decades of industry expertise and a customer-centric ethos to deliver exceptional value to clients across diverse industries.This is a contract-to-hire opportunity with one of Arctiq's clients. It is a requirement to be onsite in their Charlotte, NC office 5 days/week.Position OverviewWe are seeking a Principal Network Engineer for our client. This role serves as the senior-most technical authority for enterprise networking, network security, connectivity, and perimeter infrastructure across the organization, responsible for the architecture, engineering, implementation, and lifecycle management of highly available, secure, and scalable network solutions supporting branch locations, data centers, cloud services, contact centers, and digital banking platforms.This position requires deep expertise in Fortinet and Palo Alto technologies and provides strategic and technical leadership for the client's network infrastructure. The candidate will partner closely with Information Security, Infrastructure Engineering, Application Support, Cloud Operations, and business stakeholders to ensure network performance, operational resiliency, regulatory compliance, and cybersecurity protection. This role also acts as a technical mentor and escalation point for network engineers and operational support teams while driving modernization initiatives aligned with business objectives and regulatory expectations.ResponsibilitiesDesign, implement, and maintain enterprise-class network architectures supporting branch, campus, data center, cloud, and remote workforce connectivityDevelop strategic network roadmaps aligned with organizational growth, digital transformation, and cybersecurity initiativesArchitect highly available and redundant routing, switching, wireless, SD-WAN, VPN, and perimeter security solutionsLead technology evaluations, proof-of-concepts, and infrastructure modernization effortsDevelop network standards, reference architectures, engineering guidelines, and operational proceduresServe as the subject matter expert for Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet security platforms, designing and managing next-generation firewall architecturesImplement and maintain Zero Trust network principles and design network segmentation strategies supporting PCI-DSS, FFIEC, NCUA, and NIST frameworksSupport security assessments, audits, penetration testing, and vulnerability remediation activitiesDesign and support secure connectivity solutions for Microsoft Azure, Microsoft 365, SaaS platforms, and third-party financial service providersArchitect VPN, ExpressRoute, SD-WAN, and secure cloud interconnect solutions, ensuring optimized performance and security across hybrid environmentsFunction as the highest-level escalation point for network-related incidents and complex problem resolutionLead root cause analysis and corrective action planning for major incidentsEstablish performance baselines and proactive monitoring strategies to ensure network capacity planning, uptime, resiliency, and availability targetsParticipate in disaster recovery and business continuity planning, testing, and validation activitiesEnsure network infrastructure complies with NCUA, FFIEC, GLBA, PCI-DSS, NIST, and CIS Control requirementsSupport internal and external audits and maintain documentation required for regulatory examinationsIdentify and mitigate infrastructure risks through proactive engineering and governance practicesMentor network engineers and infrastructure team members, establishing engineering standards and providing technical governanceParticipate in strategic planning and technology budgeting effortsLead major infrastructure projects and vendor engagementsCollaborate with Information Security leadership on enterprise cybersecurity initiativesQualifications10+ years of progressive enterprise network engineering experience5+ years designing and supporting large-scale Cisco, Fortinet, or Palo Alto environmentsAdvanced knowledge of enterprise routing and switching, including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, VLANs, VRFs, QoS, and MulticastDeep expertise in Palo Alto technologies including NGFW, Panorama, GlobalProtect, WildFire, Threat Prevention, DNS Security, and SD-WANDeep expertise in Fortinet technologies including FortiGate, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, FortiWeb, FortiSwitch, FortiAP, and FortiAuthenticatorStrong background in network security including microsegmentation, NAC, IDS/IPS, ZTNA, SSL inspection, and MFA integrationExperience with cloud networking including Microsoft Azure, ExpressRoute, hybrid cloud connectivity, and Microsoft 365 networkingExperience with enterprise wireless technologies, wireless security, and guest access designExperience supporting highly regulated financial services organizations preferredExperience supporting multiple branch locations and geographically distributed networksExperience designing highly available and fault-tolerant network architecturesBachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or equivalent combination of education and experiencePreferred experience with Cisco Nexus and Catalyst platforms, F5 load balancers, DNS/DHCP/IPAM, SIEM integrations, SASE architectures, and automation/Infrastructure-as-CodeArctiq is an equal opportunity employer. If you need any accommodations or adjustments throughout the interview process and beyond, please let us know. We celebrate our inclusive work environment and welcome members of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply.We thank you for your interest in joining the Arctiq team! While we welcome all applicants, only those who are selected for an interview will be contacted.