Enterprise Network Lab Engineer

Enterprise Network Lab Engineer

About the Role

We are looking for a hands-on Enterprise Network Lab Engineer to own and operate our enterprise network validation lab. This role is the bridge between network architecture and production deployment — you will take use cases from concept through rigorous lab validation and deliver complete, production-ready designs backed by test evidence.

You will work closely with network architects, vendors, and engineering teams to validate new technologies, verify platform upgrades, and stress-test configurations before they touch the production network. You are equally comfortable racking gear and writing a Python script to automate test runs.

What You Will Do

Lab Validation & Testing

• Receive network use cases from architecture, engineering, or business stakeholders and translate them into structured lab test plans covering functional, performance, resiliency, and failure-scenario testing
• Execute high-touch validation of enterprise networking technologies including switching, routing, wireless, SD-WAN, firewalling, and network automation platforms
• Deliver complete validation packages including:
• Logical and physical topology diagrams
• Device configurations (sanitized and version-controlled)
• Step-by-step test procedures and results
• Pass/fail summaries with root cause analysis for failures
• Go/No-Go recommendations with supporting evidence
• Perform rack and stack of lab equipment when required — cable management, power sequencing, console access setup, and physical layer verification

Design & Documentation

• Produce clear, detailed lab reports that can be handed directly to production engineering teams for deployment
• Maintain up-to-date physical and logical topology documentation for all active lab topologies
• Document configurations using version control (Git) so all tested configs are traceable and reusable
• Build and maintain a library of validated reference architectures and design patterns

Vendor Collaboration

• Partner with network vendors (Cisco, Arista, Juniper, Palo Alto, Aruba, etc.) to conduct joint proof-of-concept testing and feature validation
• Drive vendor-supported test engagements including bug reproduction, feature requests, and interoperability testing
• Evaluate new hardware and software releases against defined acceptance criteria before recommending adoption
• Manage loaner equipment logistics and coordinate lab access for vendor engineers

Automation & CI/CD

• Write scripts (Python, Bash, Ansible) to automate repetitive lab tasks — device provisioning, configuration push, test execution, and results collection
• Build or maintain CI/CD pipelines (Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions) for automated configuration validation and regression testing
• Develop test automation frameworks using tools such as pyATS, Robot Framework, Batfish, or NAPALM
• Integrate lab test results into reporting dashboards or ticketing systems to provide traceability from test run to design decision
• Able to leverage AI agents / tools to automate some tasks, testing and analysis

Required Qualification

• 5+ years of hands on enterprise network engineering experience
• Deep expertise in at least two of the following domains: campus switching, data center fabric, SDWAN, wireless LAN, network security, WAN/ISP connectivity
• Strong understanding of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), switching (VLAN, STP, LACP, VXLAN), and overlay technologies (EVPN, VxLAN, LISP)
• Proficiency with network operating systems across multiple vendors (Cisco IOS/NXOS, Arista EOS, Juniper Junos, or equivalent)
• Ability to read, write, and interpret network configurations at a detailed level
• Experience creating professional grade topology diagrams (draw.io, Visio, Lucidchart) and technical documentation
• Scripting capability in Python or equivalent — must be able to write working scripts independently, not just modify existing ones
• Familiarity with Git based workflows and version-controlled config management
• Demonstrated ability to utilize AI agents/tools for the automation of tasks, testing, and analysis.
• Physical lab skills: rack and stack, cable management, console cabling, power management, and hardware troubleshooting

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with network automation tooling: Ansible, Nornir, NAPALM, pyATS, Batfish, NetBox/Nautobot
• Exposure to CI/CD pipelines (GitLab CI, GitHub Actions, Jenkins) applied to network configuration workflows
• Knowledge of infrastructure-as-code concepts as applied to networking
• Experience in a dedicated network validation or solutions engineering lab environment
• Certifications: CCNP / CCIE (Enterprise or Data Center), JNCIP, ACE, or equivalent professional level certification
• Familiarity with structured test methodology frameworks (RFC 2544, RFC 6349, IETF test standards)
• Experience working directly with vendor presales, SE, or TAC teams in a formal lab engagement

How You Work

• You are methodical and documentation driven — you do not consider a test complete until the results are written up and the configs are committed
• You can take a loosely defined use case and independently structure it into a formal test plan without handholding
• You hold yourself to a high bar for accuracy — a design that passes your lab should work in production
• You communicate clearly across technical and nontechnical audiences — your reports are read by architects, engineers, and managers alike
• You are comfortable pushing back on a vendor if test results do not meet acceptance criteria and can articulate the technical basis for your findings
• You manage your own lab workload, prioritize concurrent test engagements, and communicate schedule risks proactively

What Success Looks Like

In your first 90 days

• You have stood up at least one end-to-end lab topology independently and delivered a complete validation report
• You understand the existing lab inventory, active topologies, and inflight test engagements
• You have established working relationships with at least two vendor SE teams

At 6 months

• Validation lab turnaround time is predictable and documented design deliverables are consistently production ready
• At least one test workflow is partially or fully automated via scripting or CI/CD pipeline
• Your lab reports are used as the primary evidence gate before production deployments go through change management