Lead Network Engineer

Lead Network Engineer
Salt Lake City, Utah
6-month contract-to-hire
$65 to $68 per hour contract with a conversion salary of $135k to $140K annually

Summary
We're looking for a Lead Network Engineer who can define the technical direction of a large-scale enterprise network while guiding a team of engineers through complex architecture, design, and modernization initiatives. This role is perfect for someone who combines deep networking expertise, strong leadership, and the ability to influence technological decisions across the business. The ideal candidate excels in Cisco/Meraki environments, understands modern networking trends (SD-WAN, cloud connectivity, automation), and can drive both strategy and execution.

Responsibilities

• Architect and design enterprise network solutions spanning data centers, offices, and remote sites.
• Lead and mentor network engineers, fostering collaboration, skill development, and high-quality delivery.
• Oversee deployment and configuration of Cisco Nexus and Meraki technologies, ensuring adherence to design standards.
• Build long-term network strategies and roadmaps aligned with organizational goals and modernization efforts.
• Develop standards for monitoring, capacity planning, and performance optimization.
• Strengthen network security by implementing policies, hardening practices, and compliance frameworks.
• Partner with application, cloud, and infrastructure teams to deliver integrated networking solutions.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and automation tools to enhance scalability, performance, and efficiency.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex network issues, leading incident response and root cause analysis.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation, playbooks, and operational standards.

• Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field.
• CCNA required; CCNP or CCIE strongly preferred.
• 7 years in network engineering with experience in design, architecture, and technical leadership.
• Hands-on expertise with Cisco Nexus and Meraki networking technologies.
• Strong background in routing, switching, security architectures, and firewall technologies.
• Experience supporting large, distributed enterprise environments.

• Experience with SD-WAN solutions.
• Familiarity with cloud networking (AWS, Azure, etc.).
• Knowledge of network automation tools and scripting.
• Background in manufacturing or multi-site operational environments.

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