Principal Network Engineer

Optomi, in partnership with our telecom client, are seeking an experienced Principal Network SRE/Engineer. This role is in Denver, CO. Relocation assistance provided.

Are you passionate about building scalable, automated networks? We’re looking for a Principal Network Development Engineer to lead the design and development of resilient, code-driven infrastructure that powers mission-critical services used by millions.

This role is ideal for a seasoned engineer who thrives at the intersection of networking and automation. You'll shape the technical strategy, collaborate across teams, mentor others, and solve challenging problems before they impact users.

What You’ll Do:

Design and maintain highly available, scalable network infrastructure across production and development environments

Define and drive the network architecture roadmap, aligned with business goals and industry best practices

Automate deployment and management of network infrastructure using tools like Python, Ansible, and Terraform

Collaborate with software engineering to ensure seamless integration between platforms and network services

Troubleshoot and proactively resolve network issues, ensuring high performance and availability

Partner with security teams to ensure compliance and robust infrastructure protection

Lead by example, mentoring junior engineers and supporting their growth

Participate in on-call rotation and provide expert-level support for network incidents

Work with firewalls and load balancers, with preference for experience in virtualized environments

What You Bring:

7+ years of experience in network engineering, system administration, automation, or container services

Strong grasp of core protocols (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs) and enterprise network architecture

Hands-on experience designing and implementing large-scale, resilient networks

Proficiency in network automation and IaC tools (Python, Ansible, Terraform)

Experience with cloud networking (AWS, private cloud, VPCs, load balancers, firewalls)

Familiarity with Kubernetes and container networking

Excellent troubleshooting skills and clear, concise communication

A collaborative, mentoring mindset and leadership-level accountability

Bonus Skills:

Certifications from Cisco, Juniper, or similar vendors

Experience with Cisco ACI in enterprise environments

Knowledge of multi-tenant load balancing using F5, A10, NGINX, or similar platforms