Network Architect - Telco Service Delivery

The Network Architect is the senior technical resource on the Telco Service Delivery team, responsible for the low-level designs and implementation planning behind every Meriplex Telco and SDWAN deployment. The Architect functions in a delivery capacity - turning sold solutions into implementable designs - with core competencies in SDWAN, advanced routing, and telecommunications services. The role also supports pre-sales solution validation, owns product engineering and the development of implementation standards, and mentors network engineers across the team. This is a customer-facing role, working directly with customers and other Meriplex resources on designs and implementations., * Own the low-level design (LLD) and implementation plan for every assigned Telco and SDWAN project, from design through activation.

• Quickly review existing customer network environments and design how Meriplex Telco and SDWAN products integrate into them.
• Act as the technical lead on projects and implementations, working alongside Project Managers and Provisioning Coordinators.
• Serve as the senior technical escalation point for delivery, support, and activations.
• Assist pre-sales with solution validation and design input so what is sold can be delivered.
• Own product engineering and develop the implementation standards the Telco delivery organization runs on.
• Mentor network engineers - raising the technical bar of the team through design reviews and knowledge transfer.

Essential Duties

• Produce low-level designs and implementation plans for Telco and SDWAN deployments, including IP addressing, routing, failover, and cutover planning.
• Rapidly assess existing customer networks - topology, routing, carrier services, and equipment - and design the integration path for Meriplex Telco and SDWAN products.
• Provide pre-sales support: validate proposed solutions, contribute design input to quotes and proposals, and join customer technical conversations as needed.
• Support activations, working with the Provisioning and Support & Activations teams to execute designs cleanly.
• Act as the escalation point for complex issues raised by Support and the NOC.
• Plan and execute Telco upgrades and maintenance for existing customer environments.
• Drive product engineering: operational readiness for new products and develop and maintain the implementation standards and reusable templates used across Telco delivery.
• Mentor network engineers and junior architects through design reviews, implementation coaching, and knowledge transfer.
• Work directly with customers - presenting designs, walking through implementations, and representing Meriplex as the technical face of Telco delivery.
• Produce and maintain customer network documentation and drawings as part of proactive customer value.
• Work with Project Managers and Provisioning Coordinators as the technical lead for projects and implementations - owning the technical decisions from kickoff through closeout.
• Collaborate across the Telco organization - Network Support & Activations, the NOC, Provisioning & Carrier Services, and the PMO.

• 7+ years of network engineering or network architecture experience.
• Extensive SDWAN experience - design, deployment, and troubleshooting.
• Expert-level knowledge of high-level routing protocols (BGP, OSPF) and complex routing designs, including failover and traffic engineering.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly understand an unfamiliar customer network and produce an accurate, implementable design.
• Working knowledge of carrier and telco services - dedicated internet, broadband, LTE, and voice circuits.
• Strong documentation skills, including network diagrams (Visio or equivalent) and low-level design documents.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication; comfortable in a customer-facing role, presenting designs and implementations to customers and internal teams.
• Experience mentoring or technically leading network engineers.
• Strong independent analytical and troubleshooting skills, with the ability to work in a team as well as self-directed.

Desired Skills

• Experience with UCaaS and CCaaS services (e.g., Zoom) is a plus.
• Experience with ZTNA (Zero Trust Network Access) products is a plus.
• Certification(s) in areas of expertise: CCNP or higher, vendor SDWAN certifications, or equivalent.
• Prior experience in an MSP, carrier, or telecommunications service delivery environment.

Desired Education or Equivalent Experience

• A Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline is preferred, accompanied by relevant certifications.
• Equivalent hands-on experience will be considered.
• Candidates should have a desire to continue building technical depth through advanced certifications or similar achievements.

Work Schedule/Travel

• Standard Meriplex business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with flexibility for scheduled activation and maintenance windows, which may occur after hours.
• This role participates in an on-call rotation.
• Ability to travel up to 15% may be required based on project requirements; mostly within the Houston metro area as well as nationally.

Physical Demands:

• Medium Work - Exerts up to 40 pounds of force occasionally, up to 20 pounds of force frequently, and/or up to 20 pounds of force constantly having to move objects.