Senior Network Engineer

Graphcore is one of the world’s leading innovators in Artificial Intelligence compute.  

It is developing hardware, software and systems infrastructure that will unlock the next generation of AI breakthroughs and power the widespread adoption of AI solutions across every industry.  

As part of the SoftBank Group, Graphcore is a member of an elite family of companies responsible for some of the world’s most transformative technologies. Together, they share a bold vision: to enable Artificial Super Intelligence and ensure its benefits are accessible to everyone.   

Graphcore’s teams are drawn from diverse backgrounds and bring a broad range of skills and perspectives. A melting pot of AI research specialists, silicon designers, software engineers and systems architects, Graphcore enjoys a culture of continuous learning and constant innovation.  

We are seeking an experienced Network Engineer to join our growing IT infrastructure team. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in designing, implementing, and maintaining large Layer 2 (L2) and Layer 3 (L3) networks. This role requires hands-on experience with dynamic routing protocols, firewall management, and network automation at scale. The successful candidate will have a proven ability to lead transformative projects, implement best practices for networking, and maintain detailed documentation of all network activities. This role also requires ad-hoc travel to remote data centers and offices for on-site audits and support.

You’ll be joining a multi-disciplinary team with strong technical skills and a very supportive culture. We work closely together, regularly share knowledge, and your skills will make a direct impact on our business. It’s an exciting and pivotal moment for us right now, with plenty of new projects ahead. If you're looking to solve interesting problems and see your work deliver real-world results, this is the team for you.

• Network Design and Implementation:
  • Design, implement, and support large-scale L2/L3 networks, ensuring scalability, reliability, and performance, using one or more of the major networking vendors.
  • Implement and manage centrally controlled Wi-Fi solutions such as Cisco Meraki or other enterprise-grade wireless platforms.
  • Implement/configure and troubleshoot dynamic routing protocols like BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) and OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) to ensure optimal network performance and redundancy.
• Firewall Management and Security:
  • Configure and maintain firewall rulesets to ensure network security across multiple sites and cloud environments.
  • Regularly review firewall policies to ensure consistent and optimized rule enforcement across the network.
  • Work with security teams to mitigate threats and ensure the overall integrity of the network infrastructure.
• Automation and Configuration Management:
  • Confidently design and implement network automation solutions using tools such as Ansible or Python to manage large-scale configurations and reduce operational overhead.
  • Implement automated workflows for network provisioning, configuration changes, and incident detection to improve efficiency and minimize downtime.
• Network Monitoring and Performance Management:
  • Utilize network monitoring tools to measure performance, spot potential issues, and troubleshoot bottlenecks in real time.
  • Regularly audit and analyse network traffic to ensure optimal throughput, latency, and availability.
  • Develop and implement network performance metrics and dashboards for proactive monitoring.
• Project Leadership and Transformation:
  • Lead end-to-end network transformation projects, including gathering business requirements, evaluating market solutions, selecting vendors, and delivering on-time implementation.
  • Collaborate with cross-functional teams to assess network needs and deliver solutions that align with organizational goals.
  • Provide technical expertise during network upgrades, migrations, and large-scale deployments.
• Hands-On Engineering and Troubleshooting:
  • Be actively involved in the day-to-day operations of the network, including hardware installations, cabling, and configuration tasks.
  • Take a proactive, hands-on approach to diagnosing and troubleshooting complex network issues, ensuring fast resolution.
  • Be willing and capable of getting directly involved in any hands-on tasks as needed to ensure network uptime and quality.
• Documentation and Asset Management:
  • Maintain comprehensive network documentation, including topologies, configurations, and asset inventories.
  • Ensure that all network changes, additions, and updates are meticulously recorded for future reference and audits.
  • Implement and maintain robust asset management systems to track all networking equipment, including routers, switches, firewalls, and cabling.
• Travel and Remote Support:
  • Be available for occasional travel to remote data centres and office locations for network audits, troubleshooting, and hands-on support when required.
  • Provide remote support and participate in network activities across globally distributed teams and offices.
• Troubleshooting and Problem Solving:
  • Employ strong diagnostic and analytical skills to quickly identify and resolve network issues.
  • Work cross-functionally with other IT teams (systems, security, operations) to ensure seamless integration and troubleshooting across the infrastructure stack.

Essential: 

• Experience: hands-on experience in network engineering, including design, implementation, and troubleshooting.
• Certifications: Certified in one or more major networking platforms, such as Cisco (CCNP/CCIE), Arista, or Juniper Networks.
• Deep understanding of dynamic routing protocols such as BGP and OSPF.
• Proven experience designing and managing large-scale L2/L3 networks, including VLANs, trunking, and inter-VLAN routing.
• Experience managing centrally controlled Wi-Fi platforms, such as Cisco Meraki or Aruba.
• Proficiency in centralised firewall configuration and management (Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco ASA, etc.).
• Familiarity with open-source firewall products (like pfSense)
• Hands-on experience with network automation and configuration management tools like Ansible, Python, or other scripting languages.
• Expertise in network monitoring and troubleshooting using platforms such as SolarWinds, Nagios, or similar.

• Other Skills:

• Strong project management, with experience leading large-scale network initiatives from concept to implementation.
• Adept at maintaining thorough and accurate documentation.
• Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.

Desirable: 

• Knowledge of Ethernet Virtual Private Networks (EVPN) for scalable Layer 2 networks.
• Familiarity with Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) routing to distribute traffic across multiple paths.
• Experience scaling non-blocking networks to ensure high availability and performance in large environments.
• Understanding of novel network topologies (e.g., Torus, Hypercube, Dragonfly) for high-performance computing or specialized network designs.
• Experience with network congestion management techniques, including traffic shaping, QoS, and load balancing.

In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working, a generous annual leave policy, private medical insurance and health cash plan, a dental plan, pension (matched up to 5%), life assurance and income protection. We have a generous parental leave policy and an employee assistance programme (which includes health, mental wellbeing, and bereavement support). We offer a range of healthy food and snacks at our central Bristol office and have our own barista bar! We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we’re committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments.

Applicants for this position must hold the right to work in the UK. Unfortunately at this time, we are unable to provide visa sponsorship or support for visa applications