Job Summary:
The Lead Network Engineer serves as the technical leader for network infrastructure and connectivity services across the enterprise. This role combines advanced network architecture and engineering responsibilities with team leadership, mentoring, and technical governance. The Lead Network Engineer partners closely with management to develop engineering talent, establish standards, drive modernization initiatives, and ensure the reliability, scalability, and security of the organization's network environment.
Leadership Duties and Responsibilities:
Provide coaching, mentoring, performance feedback, and professional development guidance to network engineers through regular one-on-one meetings and structured development plans.
Perform annual performance reviews in partnership with management.
Serve as the technical leader for the network engineering function, providing architectural oversight and technical direction.
Partner with management to improve operational processes, prioritize work, refine backlogs, and align resource assignments with business needs and team capabilities.
Evaluate networking technologies, vendors, and service providers, providing technical recommendations and contributing to lifecycle and investment planning.
Technical Duties and Responsibilities:
Lead the end-to-end design of complex enterprise and hybrid cloud network architectures, including on-prem data centers, cloud interconnects, and global WAN topologies.
Architect, implement, and optimize advanced routing solutions using MPLS, MP‑BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, and EVPN concepts.
Oversee the operational health, support strategy, and lifecycle planning for Cisco switching, Meraki wireless, and Versa SD-WAN platforms.
Engineer and maintain Palo Alto firewall architectures, including segmentation, global security policies, and threat prevention.
Design, implement, and support segmented Operational Technology (OT) networks, ensuring secure connectivity between manufacturing systems and enterprise environments.
Design and support Azure hybrid connectivity, including ExpressRoute, VNET architectures, NSGs, and cloud DNS; AWS/GCP exposure a plus.
Establish, maintain, and enforce network engineering standards, design patterns, and operational best practices across the enterprise.
Partner with operations teams to ensure network availability, resiliency, monitoring, capacity planning, and incident response processes are effective and continuously improved.
Develop and enhance secure network access and connectivity strategies using Cisco ISE, segmentation, and zero-trust principles while partnering with cloud, security, systems, and application teams.
Support network integration, separation, and expansion activities associated with acquisitions, divestitures, and new facility deployments.
Analyze and improve network performance across LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, wireless, and cloud environments.
Develop network roadmaps and long-term architectural strategies that align technology investments with business objectives.
Lead complex root‑cause analyses and drive long-term corrective actions.
Lead the adoption of network automation and infrastructure-as-code practices using technologies such as Python, Ansible, Terraform, and API-driven integrations.
Drive major network initiatives including modernization, cloud migrations, refresh programs, and architectural redesigns.
Maintain high-quality documentation, architecture diagrams, and technical standards.
Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in information technology, or related field.
5+ years of network engineering experience, including experience leading complex architectural initiatives and mentoring engineers.
Proficiency in MPLS, BGP/MP‑BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, EVPN, and large-scale routing architectures.
Strong knowledge of network security principles and technologies, including Palo Alto firewalls, segmentation, VPNs, Cisco ISE, zero-trust, and SASE architectures.
Experience designing and supporting OT environments and familiarity with automation technologies such as Python, Ansible, or Terraform is strongly preferred.
Experience with Cisco Catalyst, Cisco/Meraki wireless, and Versa SD‑WAN platforms.
Experience designing and supporting Azure network connectivity (ExpressRoute, VNETs, NSGs, DNS).
The Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in information technology or related field.
- 5+ years of network engineering experience, including leading complex architectural initiatives and mentoring engineers.
- Proficiency in MPLS, MP-BGP/BGP, OSPF, VXLAN, EVPN, and large-scale routing architectures.
- Experience with Cisco Catalyst switching, Cisco/Meraki wireless, and Versa SD-WAN platforms.
- Proficiency with Palo Alto firewalls, segmentation, global security policies, and threat prevention.
- Strong knowledge of network security technologies including VPNs, Cisco ISE, zero-trust, and SASE architectures.
- Experience designing and supporting Azure hybrid connectivity (ExpressRoute, VNETs, NSGs, DNS).
- Experience leading network architecture, modernization initiatives, cloud migrations, and documentation standards.
- Experience designing and supporting Operational Technology (OT) networks.
- Familiarity with automation and infrastructure-as-code tools such as Python, Ansible, and Terraform.
- Exposure to AWS or GCP cloud networking (a plus).
UFP Industries Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about UFP Industries and has not been reviewed or approved by UFP Industries.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage includes medical, dental, and vision, an HSA with a company contribution, company-paid life and disability, an EAP, and a health concierge service. The package is framed as a premium set of benefits supporting employees and their families.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Employees can buy company stock through an Employee Stock Purchase Program at a discount. Additional ownership perks such as stock gifts tied to service milestones are highlighted in parts of the materials.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) plan with a company match is available, including pre-tax and Roth options with various investments. Eligibility commonly begins within the first months of employment, encouraging earlier participation.
UFP Industries Insights
What We Do
UFP Industries is a holding company whose operating subsidiaries – UFP Packaging, UFP Construction and UFP Retail Solutions – manufacture, distribute and sell a wide variety of products used in residential and commercial construction, packaging and industrial applications. Founded in 1955, the company has operations in North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
