Network Deployment Engineer

Network Deployment EngineerLocation: Santa Clara, CA & Ashburn, VA (Onsite)Role is to support upcoming deployments, specifically in production-grade NPI / Production Lab environments. This role owns end-to-end execution for bringing up, expanding, and operating NPI infrastructure in Ashburn and Santa Clara, partnering closely with hardware, software, operations, and capacity planning teams to deliver reliable, production-parity lab environments.NPI / Prod Lab Execution (Core):Execute onsite build and expansion of Production NPI environments (rack/stack readiness coordination, bring-up, validation, handoff)Physical requirements: ability to lift 40–50 lbs, standing for extended periods, and working on ladders.Drive deployment plans, cutovers, and upgrades with clear documentation, checklists, MOP writing, peer review, change approval processes, risk management, and rollback planning.Coordinate with cross-functional partners and vendors to manage dependencies and resolve blockers quickly.Data Center Network (DCN) / Fabric Engineering (Core):Build, configure, and troubleshoot data center fabrics (e.g., spine-leaf / Clos) and understand server + switch architecture.Operate L2/L3 networks using protocols such as BGP/MP-BGP, EVPN/VXLAN, and an IGP (e.g., OSPF where applicable).Perform migrations and hardware/software upgrades with minimal disruption.Optical Switching / Transport, Copper/DAC Cabling & Physical Layer (Core):Configure, deploy, and troubleshoot optical switching platforms such as Calient and/or Telescent (experience with either is valuable).Work with multi-vendor optics/cabling; apply best practices for fiber handling, inspection, cleaning, and troubleshooting.Use optical diagnostics and tools as needed (e.g., OTDR, power meters) and interpret transceiver diagnostics (DOM/DDM, BER, loss).Test, Validation & Commissioning:Execute lab and production acceptance testing for new deployments and upgrades.Use traffic generation / validation tooling (e.g., IXIA and/or Spirent TestCenter) to validate throughput, loss, latency, and failover behavior.Support regression and repeatability efforts by documenting test plans and results.Inventory and asset management: track hardware (switches, optics, patch panels, etc.), manage asset tracking, RMA processes, and inventory reconciliation.Observability / Monitoring / Alert Triage:Implement and use monitoring/telemetry to maintain reliability and speed up troubleshooting, using combinations of: gNMI-based telemetry (preferred) IPFIX/NetFlow/sFlow, syslog, SNMP Active probes (ICMP, RPM/IP SLA style)Triage monitoring alerts during deployments and participate in break/fix activities, escalation paths, and incident triage during and after bring-up.Support deployment and cutover activities during maintenance windows, which may include evenings and weekends as required.Required Qualifications:Hands-on experience delivering and troubleshooting network infrastructure in lab and/or production environments.Minimum few years of relevant experience in network engineering or infrastructure deployment.Experience with data center switching/routing concepts and operational troubleshooting.Familiarity with a subset of the following (depth can vary based on focus area): DCN fabric concepts (spine-leaf/Clos), routing/switching fundamentals BGP (and related routing concepts), EVPN/VXLAN, OSPF (where applicable) Telemetry/monitoring and incident-style troubleshooting Strong cross-functional coordination skills and clear written/verbal communication. Willingness to work onsite in Ashburn and/or Santa Clara as required by build and deployment schedules. Hands-on experience of IPv6, DHCPv6 and SLAAC Experience with different transceivers (sfp+,qsfp, osfp etc) and cables (DAC, AES, Fibre etc)Preferred Qualifications (Nice to Have):Hands-on with Calient and/or Telescent optical switching platforms.Experience with IXIA / Spirent TestCenter or other traffic generation tools.Strong optical fundamentals: fiber standards, inspection/cleaning, OTDR/power testing, DOM/DDM, BER analysis.Familiarity with technologies including flow telemetry (IPFIX, sflow), Precision Time ProtocolExperience with gNMI telemetry and modern monitoring stacks.Experience with version control (e.g., Git), configuration management, or automation frameworks (helpful, but not required).Scripting/automation experience (Python/Go/Bash) for improving repeatability and reducing manual operational load.