Lead Network Engineer – Data Center & Security

Role Type: Full-time • Level: Lead Engineer (Delivery & Execution)
Location: Bangalore • Reports to: Network Infrastructure Manager
Teams interfaced: Architecture, Business Units, Security, PMO, Service Desk, Vendors

Role Summary

We are seeking a Lead Network Engineer with strong hands-on expertise in data center networking and security technologies to deliver and operate critical infrastructure. This role follows the “You deploy, you run” model—meaning you will implement solutions and also support them in production. Responsibilities include preparing Low-Level Designs (LLDs) from High-Level Designs (HLDs), executing deployments, managing incidents, and ensuring operational stability. You will also work closely with business and technical teams to communicate progress, risks, and outcomes throughout the project lifecycle and BAU operations.

Key Responsibilities

Project Lifecycle & Delivery

• Participate in project initiation by reviewing HLDs and understanding scope, timelines, and dependencies.
• Prepare LLDs, configuration templates, and implementation plans based on approved HLDs.
• Execute build, configuration, and deployment activities for network and security components.
• Conduct testing and validation (UAT, failover, performance) before production cutover.
• Support go-live activities, including risk mitigation and rollback planning.
• Track and report project progress, risks, and issues to stakeholders and PMO.

Operations & Service Delivery

• Own the deployed solutions in production—monitor, maintain, and optimize performance.
• Act as L3 escalation point for critical incidents and complex changes.
• Drive root cause analysis and implement permanent fixes.
• Maintain accurate change records and adhere to ITIL processes.
• Ensure compliance with security and audit requirements.

Stakeholder Communication

• Provide clear updates on incident status, project progress, and risks to business and technical teams.
• Collaborate with architecture, security, and application teams to align on requirements and timelines.

Operational Excellence

• Maintain network diagrams, LLDs, and configuration repositories.
• Support audits and compliance requirements for security and infrastructure.
• Identify opportunities for automation and process improvement.

Core Technology Scope

• Networking: BGP, OSPF, EVPN/VXLAN, MPLS, QoS
• Data Center Platforms: Cisco Nexus / ACI
• Security:
  • Firewalls: Palo Alto, Check Point (policy, NAT, VPN)
  • VPN (F5), NAC (Cisco ISE/ClearPass)
• SD-WAN: Managed service as part of SASE model (candidate will interface, not configure end-to-end)
• Secure Web Gateway: Zscaler (basic awareness; not primary responsibility)
• Load Balancing: F5 BIG-IP, Citrix Netscaler
• Automation: Ansible, Python, Git (preferred)
• Tooling: ThousandEyes, NetFlow tools