Cisco Network Engineer
Work Locations: St. Petersburg, FL (Hybrid)
Work Arrangement: Hybrid, with at least three days per week in the office
Position Summary
S3 is seeking a Telecom Data Network Engineer to support the implementation, modernization, and lifecycle management of critical network infrastructure across the Midwest region. This role provides hands-on experience with Cisco enterprise routing, switching, SD-WAN, wireless, and network security technologies supporting substations, corporate offices, and other business-critical locations.
The successful candidate will implement, test, troubleshoot, and document reliable network solutions in a large, process-driven environment. The ideal candidate has a strong Cisco networking foundation, practical troubleshooting skills, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively within an Agile engineering team.
Responsibilities and Duties
- Configure, implement, test, and support Cisco routers, switches, wireless access points, and related network infrastructure using established architecture standards and templates.
- Deploy and support Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN solutions, including WAN edge routers, transport connectivity, segmentation, centralized policies, and application-aware routing.
- Support WAN modernization across SD-WAN, MPLS, private Ethernet, internet, cellular, and other public or private WAN services.
- Troubleshoot routing, switching, SD-WAN, wireless, WAN connectivity, firewall policy, and Layer 2/Layer 3 communication issues.
- Implement and validate network resiliency, segmentation, failover, quality of service, and high-availability capabilities.
- Prepare engineering job packages with equipment lists, installation instructions, implementation and test plans, rollback procedures, and supporting documentation.
- Create and maintain physical and logical network drawings, rack elevations, wiring diagrams, layouts, and power drawings using Microsoft Visio.
- Ensure monitoring, alarming, logging, asset records, and operational documentation are complete before solutions are placed into service.
- Coordinate, activate, test, and troubleshoot private and public WAN circuits.
- Monitor implementation work for compliance with engineering standards, cybersecurity requirements, applicable regulations, and approved procedures.
- Support network automation using Python, Ansible, REST APIs, Git, or similar scripting and orchestration technologies.
- Collaborate with engineering, operations, cybersecurity, field resources, telecommunications carriers, vendors, and business partners.
- Follow formal change management practices, including impact analysis, peer review, approvals, validation, rollback planning, and documentation.
- Participate in planned implementations, maintenance, and troubleshooting outside normal business hours when required.
- Work within an Agile engineering environment on team-based projects and assignments.
Required Qualifications
- High school diploma or GED.
- Ability to successfully complete required background screening.
- Demonstrated experience configuring, implementing, or supporting Cisco routers and switches.
- Solid understanding of IPv4, subnetting, TCP/IP, VLANs, IEEE 802.1Q trunks, Spanning Tree Protocol, and link aggregation.
- Working knowledge of OSPF, BGP, enterprise WAN concepts, and route selection.
- Ability to troubleshoot Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity issues using a structured approach.
- General understanding of wireless, firewall, access control, and network segmentation technologies.
- Working knowledge of copper and fiber cabling standards and connector types.
- Ability to create and maintain accurate technical documentation and network diagrams.
- Strong attention to detail and ability to follow engineering, cybersecurity, and change management processes.
- Effective written, verbal, interpersonal, and teamwork skills.
- Ability to work productively with limited direct supervision.
- Willingness and ability to support scheduled work outside normal business hours when required.
Desired Qualifications
- Cisco CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, or comparable demonstrated experience.
- Experience with Cisco Catalyst platforms and Cisco IOS or IOS-XE.
- Experience deploying, migrating, supporting, or troubleshooting Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN, formerly Cisco Viptela.
- Advanced knowledge of OSPF and BGP, including path selection, filtering, summarization, and redistribution.
- Experience with VRFs, MPLS Layer 3 VPNs, DMVPN, IPsec, quality of service, route maps, prefix lists, access control lists, and BGP communities.
- Experience with Cisco Catalyst Center, Cisco ISE, Cisco ACI, or controller-based wireless technologies.
- Experience with Palo Alto Networks firewalls or Cisco Secure Firewall.
- Experience using Python, Ansible, REST APIs, Git, PowerShell, Bash, or similar technologies for network automation.
- Experience with SolarWinds, BlueCat IPAM, Opengear terminal servers, SNMP, syslog, NetFlow, or packet analysis tools.
- Experience preparing engineering job packages, implementation plans, test plans, rollback plans, equipment lists, and network diagrams.
- Experience coordinating telecommunications circuits and working with carriers or vendors.
- Experience with SCADA communications, operational technology networks, substations, control centers, regulated utilities, or other critical infrastructure.
- Experience with Jira, Agile methodologies, and formal change management processes.
- Self-directed, organized, collaborative, and willing to learn new technologies.