Senior Lead Network Engineer

The Role
SR LEAD NETWORK ENGINEER

Join Lumen's IP/VPN Network Engineering organization responsible for the design, certification, automation, and strategic evolution of one of the world's largest global IP backbones. This role provides technical leadership for complex network engineering initiatives involving routing, MPLS transport, automation, architecture development, hardware certification, and operational standards.

The successful candidate will be recognized as a technical expert and thought leader in service provider networking technologies and network automation. This role requires deep expertise in large-scale IP/MPLS network design, routing protocols, engineering standards, automation frameworks, and emerging network technologies. The Engineer will lead complex projects that impact multiple network domains and partner closely with Architecture, Operations, Product, and Vendor teams to deliver scalable and reliable network solutions.

The Main Responsibilities
Lead the design, engineering, certification, and deployment of IP/MPLS backbone network technologies and services.
Develop and maintain network architecture standards, engineering guidelines, and low-level design documentation.
Serve as the technical lead for strategic network initiatives involving routing, transport, automation, security, and platform evolution.
Design and troubleshoot large-scale routing environments utilizing:
BGP (iBGP, eBGP, Route Reflection, Add-Paths)
IS-IS
OSPF
MPLS
RSVP-TE
LDP
Segment Routing (preferred)
Develop automation solutions using Python and Ansible to improve network deployment, validation, compliance, and operational efficiency.
Build and maintain network automation frameworks, tooling, APIs, and testing platforms supporting engineering and operations workflows.
Perform network certifications, proof-of-concepts, interoperability testing, and vendor evaluations for emerging hardware and software platforms.
Partner with operations teams to investigate and resolve complex routing, convergence, service delivery, and network stability issues.
Define engineering requirements and evaluate alternative technical solutions to ensure alignment with network strategy and architecture roadmaps.
Develop and maintain technical standards for Juniper, Nokia, Cisco, and other service provider network platforms.
Lead technology scouting, innovation efforts, and laboratory testing to evaluate next-generation networking solutions.
Provide technical mentorship and guidance to engineering teams and act as a subject matter expert for routing, transport, and automation technologies.
Collaborate with cross-functional organizations including Network Operations, Product, Architecture, Security, and Service Delivery to successfully implement network initiatives.
Drive continuous improvement in engineering processes, automation, testing, documentation, and operational readiness.
Support network modernization initiatives including automation, cloud integration, telemetry, observability, and infrastructure-as-code methodologies.

What We Look For in a Candidate
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Technology, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
10+ years of experience in network engineering, IP routing, telecommunications, or service provider environments.
8+ years with Master's degree.
Expert knowledge of:
BGP
IS-IS
OSPF
MPLS
RSVP
LDP
IPv4/IPv6
Routing policy and traffic engineering
Strong experience with service provider routing platforms including Juniper MX/PTX and Nokia 7750/7250 platforms preferred.
Experience developing automation solutions using Python.
Experience managing network infrastructure through Ansible and Infrastructure-as-Code methodologies.
Experience with network APIs, data modeling, telemetry, and automation frameworks.
Experience with Linux environments, Git/GitHub, CI/CD pipelines, and modern software development practices.
Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills within complex large-scale network environments.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to influence technical strategy and lead cross-functional initiatives.