Sr. Principal Engineer

The Senior Principal Network Engineer plays a vital role in the management and maintenance of the enterprise network infrastructure. This position requires significant expertise in network support, as well as advanced skills in management and project coordination. The Senior Network Engineer is responsible for overseeing all aspects of network functionality, delegating tasks, resolving complex technical issues, and driving new initiatives and projects to completion. Additionally, the position involves mentoring junior staff and handling advanced support cases to ensure the continued reliability and security of the organization's network systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Collaborate with network architects to design and implement robust and functional company networks that meet organizational needs.
• Install and configure networking hardware, ensuring that all components are tailored to support business requirements.
• Develop and implement comprehensive network security measures to safeguard infrastructure against threats.
• Maintain clear and effective communication with project team members and customers throughout all stages of network projects.
• Make architectural decisions based on industry best practices and feedback from vendors and the Bloom IT department, including the creation of network infrastructure diagrams.
• Plan, install, configure, support, and troubleshoot network hardware, systems, and software, with a primary focus on Cisco technologies.
• Configure and provide ongoing support for Cisco Adaptive Security Appliances (ASAs).
• Work collaboratively with Bloom’s production team to ensure IT equipment is properly configured, tested, and prepared for deployment.
• Perform network engineering tasks on existing WAN, LAN, and WiFi networks to assess and improve topology and performance.
• Ensure the security of LAN and WAN networks, including direct interactions with external customers as needed.
• Triage service requests received via phone, email, or walk-up to provide timely support.
• Manage the return merchandise authorization (RMA) process with vendors to meet staff requirements.
• Remotely install standard software as required by organizational needs.
• Create and maintain user account information, including managing access rights and group memberships.
• Support organizational security standards related to anti-virus protection, anti-spam measures, firewalls, system patching, and network access controls.
• Initiate and monitor service requests with third-party vendors to resolve network issues.
• Deploy and maintain critical network and telecommunications infrastructure.
• Participate in and provide support for network architecture and design reviews, ensuring alignment with strategic goals.
• Offer off-hour escalation support when required to maintain business continuity.
• Create and update technical documentation to support network operations and troubleshooting.
• Install critical security updates to ensure ongoing protection of the network infrastructure.
• Manage mobile devices and oversee their security within the network environment.
• Travel to site locations as necessary to fulfill job responsibilities.
• Design network solutions that emphasize scalability, high availability, and optimal performance.

• Minimum of 15 years of professional experience in network support.
• Extensive knowledge of TCP/IP networking, including addressing, subnetting, design, troubleshooting, and routing, as well as familiarity with the OSI model.
• Proven experience with internet firewalls and DMZ environments, including their design, configuration, and troubleshooting.
• Proficiency in VPN and SDWAN technologies.
• Familiarity with scripting languages such as Python and Ansible.
• Exceptional communication skills and the ability to work independently with management and clients.
• Demonstrated experience in managing and tracking support incidents.
• Strong customer service orientation, analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and a collaborative approach to teamwork.
• Ability to communicate effectively across multiple organizational levels.
• Initiative in developing solutions and making technical recommendations independently.
• Capacity to quickly absorb and understand new information from a variety of learning experiences.
• Objective attitude towards change, viewing new situations as opportunities for growth and learning.

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