Enterprise Network Lab Engineer

About the Role

We are looking for a hands-on Enterprise Network Lab Engineer to own and operate our client'senterprise network validation lab. This role is the bridge between network architecture and production deployment — you will take use cases from concept through rigorous lab validation and deliver complete, production-ready designs backed by test evidence.

You will work closely with network architects, vendors, and engineering teams to validate new technologies, verify platform upgrades, and stress-test configurations before they touch the production network. You are equally comfortable racking gear and writing a Python script to automate test runs.

What You Will Do

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

• Able to leverage AI agents / tools to automate some tasks, testing and analysis

  Required Skills

•  5+ years of handson enterprise network engineering experience

•  Deep expertise in at least two of the following domains: campus switching, data center fabric, SDWAN, wireless LAN, network security, WAN/ISP connectivity

• Strong understanding of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), switching (VLAN, STP, LACP, VXLAN), and overlay technologies (EVPN, VxLAN, LISP)

• Proficiency with network operating systems across multiple vendors (Cisco IOS/NXOS, Arista EOS, Juniper Junos, or equivalent)

• Ability to read, write, and interpret network configurations at a detailed level

• Experience creating professional grade topology diagrams (draw.io, Visio, Lucidchart) and technical documentation

• Scripting capability in Python or equivalent — must be able to write working scripts independently, not just modify existing ones

• Familiarity with Git based workflows and version-controlled config management

• Demonstrated ability to utilize AI agents/tools for the automation of tasks, testing, and analysis.

• Physical lab skills: rack and stack, cable management, console cabling, power management, and hardware troubleshooting 

Preferred

• 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 infrastructure-as-code 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

• Familiarity with structured test methodology frameworks (RFC 2544, RFC 6349, IETF test standards)

• Experience working directly with vendor presales, SE, or TAC teams in a formal lab engagement

How You Work

• You are methodical and documentation driven — you do not consider a test complete until the results are written up and the configs are committed

•  You can take a loosely defined use case and independently structure it into a formal test plan without handholding

•  You hold yourself to a high bar for accuracy — a design that passes your lab should work in production

•  You communicate clearly across technical and nontechnical audiences — your reports are read by architects, engineers, and managers alike

•  You are comfortable pushing back on a vendor if test results do not meet acceptance criteria and can articulate the technical basis for your findings

•  You manage your own lab workload, prioritize concurrent test engagements, and communicate schedule risks proactively

What Success Looks Like

 In your first 90 days:

• You have stood up at least one end-to-end lab topology independently and delivered a complete validation report

• You understand the existing lab inventory, active topologies, and inflight test engagements

• You have established working relationships with at least two vendor SE teams

  At 6 months:

• Validation lab turnaround time is predictable and documented design deliverables are consistently productionready

• At least one test workflow is partially or fully automated via scripting or CI/CD pipeline

• Your lab reports are used as the primary evidence gate before production deployments go through change management

Salary Range

• Please note that the salary information provided herein is base pay only (gross); it does not include other forms of compensation which may or may not apply to this specific position, namely, performance-based bonuses, benefits-related payments, or other general incentives - none of which are guaranteed, may be subject to specific eligibility requirements, and are wholly within the discretion of Astreya to remit.
• Further, the salary information noted above is a range that consists of a minimum and maximum rate of pay for this specific position. Where an applicant or employee is placed on this range will depend and be contingent on objective, documented work-related considerations like education, experience, certifications, licenses, preferred qualifications, among other factors.

Astreya offers comprehensive benefits to all Regular, Full-Time Employees, including:

• Medical provided through UHC (PPO, HSA, Surest options) / Medical provided through Kaiser (HMO option only) for California employees only

• Dental provided through UHC

• Nationwide Vision provided by UHC

• Flexible Spending Account for Health & Dependent Care

• Pre-Tax Account for Commuter Benefit/Parking & Transit (location-specific)

• Continuing Education and Professional Development via various integrated platforms, e.g. Udemy and Coursera

• Corporate Wellness Program provided by Goomi Group

• Employee Assistance Program

• Wellness Days

  401k Plan

• Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance

• Short Term & Long Term Disability

• Critical Illness, Critical Hospital, and Voluntary Accident Insurance

• Tuition Reimbursement (available 6 months after start date, capped)

• Paid Time Off (accrued and prorated, maximum of 120 hours annually)

• Paid Holidays

• Any other statutory leaves, paid time, or other ancillary benefits required under state and federal law