What are the responsibilities and job description for the Network Field Engineer position at Sharp Brains?
About the Company
We are seeking experienced Smart Hands / Network Field Engineers to support a large-scale Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) deployment project across multiple customer sites. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with Cisco infrastructure deployments, rack and stack activities, structured cabling, and physical network installations.
About the Role
This role requires working closely with remote engineering teams during deployment windows while independently performing on-site installation, verification, troubleshooting, and documentation activities. The project includes weekday deployments for standard sites and weekend implementation windows for larger locations.
Responsibilities
- Equipment Staging & Preparation
- Stage Cisco equipment prior to scheduled deployment and cutover activities.
- Verify hardware inventory against deployment documentation.
- Prepare installation materials, cables, SFPs, and mounting accessories.
- Ensure all required tools and software are available before arriving on-site.
- Installation & Rack Integration
- Install and rack two Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless LAN Controllers (WLCs) at each site.
- Perform rack and stack activities following customer standards.
- Mount equipment securely using appropriate rack hardware.
- Organize rack layout while maintaining proper airflow and cable management.
- Install required power supplies and verify power redundancy where applicable.
- Cabling & Connectivity
- Install and terminate Ethernet and fiber patch cables.
- Install and connect SFP modules.
- Complete power and network cross-connects.
- Verify switch port availability and physical connectivity.
- Ensure accurate cable labeling and proper cable routing.
- Perform physical layer troubleshooting when connectivity issues arise.
- Cutover Support
- Coordinate with remote implementation and network engineering teams during scheduled maintenance windows.
- Provide console access to Cisco devices using PuTTY or equivalent terminal software.
- Assist remote engineers during migration and configuration activities.
- Support network implementation tasks according to approved deployment plans.
- Validation & Testing
- Verify successful installation of all hardware.
- Confirm physical and network connectivity.
- Validate controller uplinks and switch connections.
- Report installation status and any issues encountered.
- Assist in post-deployment testing and troubleshooting until site acceptance.
- Legacy Equipment Decommissioning (Approximately 40–50% of Sites)
- Remove existing Wireless LAN Controllers.
- Disconnect and safely package legacy hardware.
- Label all equipment according to customer requirements.
- Document serial numbers and asset information.
- Prepare hardware for return shipment following logistics procedures.
Qualifications
- Proven Smart Hands or Network Field Engineering experience.
- Hands-on experience with Cisco infrastructure deployments.
- Experience installing Cisco Catalyst 9800 Wireless LAN Controllers.
- Strong rack and stack installation experience.
- Knowledge of structured cabling standards.
- Experience working with fiber optic and Ethernet cabling.
- Ability to install and verify SFP modules and network connectivity.
- Experience using console connections for Cisco devices.
- Familiarity with network implementation procedures.
- Strong troubleshooting skills at the physical and Layer 1 network level.
- Experience supporting remote engineering teams during implementation windows.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
- Excellent documentation and communication skills.
Candidates must have access to the following:
- Standard installation toolkit
- Laptop with PuTTY installed
- USB-A to USB-B console cable
- Minimum four Ethernet LAN cables
- Cross-over cable
- USB thumb drive containing required Cisco IOS/software files
- TFTP server software configured on laptop
- Wi-Fi dongle or mobile broadband for backup connectivity
- Label maker
- Rack screws, cage nuts, mounting accessories, and cable management tools