Network Engineer

Job Details Job Title: Network Engineer Duration: 6-12 months Location: Onsite/Hybrid - Santa Clara, CA Work Type: Rate: Pay range offered to a successful candidate will be based on several factors, including the candidate's education, work experience, work location, specific job duties, certifications, etc. Skills : Experience with network automation tooling: Ansible, Nornir, NAPALM, pyATS, Batfish, NetBox/Nautobot Exposure to CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Jenkins) applied to network configuration workflows Knowledge of infrastructureascode concepts as applied to networking Experience in a dedicated network validation or solutions engineering lab environment Certifications: CCNP / CCIE (Enterprise or Data Center), JNCIP, ACE, or equivalent professional level certification will help. Responsibilities Lab Validation & Testing Receive network use cases from architecture, engineering, or business stakeholders and translate them into structured lab test plans covering functional, performance, resiliency, and failure-scenario testing Execute high-touch validation of enterprise networking technologies including switching, routing, wireless, SD-WAN, firewalling, and network automation platforms Deliver complete validation packages including: logical and physical topology diagrams; device configurations (sanitized and version-controlled); step-by-step test procedures and results; pass/fail summaries with root cause analysis for failures; go/no-go recommendations with supporting evidence Perform rack and stack of lab equipment when required - cable management, power sequencing, console access setup, and physical layer verification Design & Documentation Produce clear, detailed lab reports that can be handed directly to production engineering teams for deployment Maintain up-to-date physical and logical topology documentation for all active lab topologies Document configurations using version control (Git) so all tested configs are traceable and reusable Build and maintain a library of validated reference architectures and design patterns Vendor Collaboration Partner with network vendors (Cisco, Arista, Juniper, Palo Alto, Aruba, etc.) to conduct joint proof-of-concept testing and feature validation Drive vendor-supported test engagements including bug reproduction, feature requests, and interoperability testing Evaluate new hardware and software releases against defined acceptance criteria before recommending adoption Manage loaner equipment logistics and coordinate lab access for vendor engineers Automation & CI/CD Write scripts (Python, Bash, Ansible) to automate repetitive lab tasks - device provisioning, configuration push, test execution, and results collection Build or maintain CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions) for automated configuration validation and regression testing Develop test automation frameworks using tools such as pyATS, Robot Framework, Batfish, or NAPALM Integrate lab test results into reporting dashboards or ticketing systems to provide traceability from test run to design decision About Ztek Website: Ztek Consulting Inc is a minority- and woman-owned business enterprise that leverages a unique blend of human talent, machine learning algorithms, and artificial intelligence to provide customized talent management solutions for clients. Ztek's diversity-focused hiring models have proven successful, particularly in hiring veterans. The company's veteran-focused hiring and deployment program, Z-V.E.T, matches skilled veterans with clients' needs in various areas. Disclaimer Ztek is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits any kind of unlawful discrimination and harassment. Ztek is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees and to providing employees with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, national origin, citizenship, social or ethnic origin, sex, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, or any other status protected by the statutes, rules, and regulations in the locations where it operates. If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please contact us at View email address on click.appcast.io. Please indicate the specifics of the assistance needed. Ztek encourages all interested and qualified candidates to apply for employment opportunities. Ztek does not discriminate against applicants based on citizenship status, immigration status, or national origin, in accordance with 8 U.S.C. 1324b. #J-18808-Ljbffr Ztek Consulting INC