Network Engineer

About The Role
In this role, you will help automate deployments and design the next generation of the physical network stack for a US-based database company, while supporting its migration from AWS into a private cloud (data center). Working within SoftServe on a product that runs on bare-metal infrastructure, you will own key parts of the switch automation, base network configuration, and firewall and console network remediation, collaborating closely with the client’s engineering and DevOps teams.
Responsibilities
Support the migration from AWS into a private cloud data center, ensuring network connectivity, reliability, and a smooth transition, including AWS networking (VPC, Direct Connect)
Design the next generation of the physical network stack and automate network deployments, moving configuration from ad-hoc to code-driven and coordinating with DevOps on switch provisioning (ZTP or similar), the SONiC build pipeline, and monitoring integration
Design, document, and demonstrate programmatic, iterative configuration of SONiC switches (gNMI/YANG, SWSS), covering CRUD/CRD operations for physical and sub-interfaces, VXLAN/VNI, VRF, and ACLs, with correctly functioning examples for the client team to implement in Golang
Build and maintain the base switch configuration for the inband network: L2, MCLAG, LAG/port-channel, BGP, BFD, and anycast addresses for the metadata service IP and SAG
Implement a bifurcated spine-leaf topology, including MCLAG’d spine pairs, LAG links between spines and ToRs, private AS per side of the aisle, and breakout connections for compute nodes
Set up and improve the out-of-band spine-leaf network, including DHCP, BMC and PDU management access, and switch management port reachability
Remediate Palo Alto firewall configuration, fixing multipath and rules engine behavior that causes erroneous packet drops, and ensuring upstream egress/ingress A/P works correctly
Verify Direct Connect multipath, resolve latency and session issues caused by overly aggressive security features, disable unlicensed features, configure public IP NAT, and design a mature tiered interzone traffic policy
Work with the colocation vendor’s network team on IP transit issues, including on-site coordination where needed
Set up the console network built on OpenGear OM2224 and IM7248 devices, including FRR-based routing, direct-to-device serial console access via SSH, standardized firmware versions and credentials, and a simple systemd-based cellular fallback with multipath heartbeats
Coordinate with the colocation vendor and the client on cellular plan requirements and antenna installation to ensure reliable emergency access
Where possible, contribute to the virtual networking control plane implementation (for example, a Golang library for CRUD functionality) to free up the client team to focus on storage
Requirements
Hands-on experience with AWS networking, including VPC and Direct Connect (MUST)
Hands-on experience with SONiC programmatic iterative configuration (gNMI/YANG, SWSS) in datacenter environments; experience with other datacenter network platforms such as Cisco or Juniper may be considered (MUST)
Experience with Palo Alto firewalls (MUST)
Strong experience with firewall configuration, troubleshooting, and security policy design (MUST)
Experience with Python or Go for scripting and automation (MUST)
Linux administration skills: Bash, systemd units, and general system navigation
Experience with OpenGear devices (nice to have)
Experience with SONiC base configuration: L2, MCLAG, LAG/port-channel, BGP, BFD, and similar
Experience with FRR
Familiarity with virtual networking (VXLAN)
Light systems programming experience in a language such as C, C++, or Rust (stronger experience is a plus)
Working proficiency in English for ongoing business communication with a US-based client
SoftServe is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, ancestry, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, citizenship, disability, health condition, marital or family status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Work arrangement
Yes