Network Engineer

This position may be based San Mateo, CA, the surrounding San Francisco region, or Seattle, WA. Shield AI is seeking a highly skilled Senior Network Engineer to help advance and secure our mission-critical global infrastructure. You will design, deploy, and maintain resilient network systems that power Shield AI’s enterprise and development environments-spanning data centers, on-premises sites, and public cloud networks. You’ll partner with cross-functional teams to innovate, automate, and optimize network performance, availability, and security for operations supporting both classified and unclassified workloads. Limited travel to Shield AI sites may be required., * Experience with public cloud networking in Azure and AWS, including secure connectivity models (e.g., ExpressRoute, Transit Gateway, Cloud WAN / vWAN).

• Design, architect, and implement routing, switching, WLAN, and firewall infrastructure across data centers and remote offices.
• Deploy and manage WAN and VPN connectivity, ensuring secure and reliable access for enterprise and mission environments.
• Develop and apply network automation to streamline provisioning, monitoring, and configuration management.
• Cloud, Platform, Security, and Infrastructure engineering teams to develop standardized network architectures supporting self-service platforms and engineering automation.
• Recommend and implement scalable, automated approaches to operational tasks and vulnerability remediation.
• Contribute to Agile delivery cycles and engineering principles while managing assigned network projects and deliverables.
• Conduct network capacity planning and provide recommendations for growth and optimization.

Operations and Support

• Plan and execute network and firewall changes in accordance with change-management and security governance processes.
• Continuously monitor, analyze, and improve network performance, resiliency, and security posture.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting for network-related hardware, software, and application issues.
• Configure and maintain secure connectivity services (e.g., VPN/ZTNA, HTTPS, SFTP).
• Create and maintain clear operational and configuration documentation; mentor operational teams on processes and procedures.
• Engage vendors and strategic partners for escalated troubleshooting, lifecycle planning, and technology evaluations.

• Participate in on-call rotation and scheduled maintenance activities. Maintenance

• Lead or assist with network upgrades and patching within defined maintenance windows.
• Maintain network device software and license compliance.
• Ensure security vulnerabilities are identified and remediated in coordination with IT security teams.

• 6+ years of experience supporting and administering complex network systems in production environments.
• Expertise in network routing, switching, and security architectures.
• Proficiency in at least one Network Operating System (e.g., NX-OS, JunOS, Arista EOS).
• Proficiency in at least one Network Security OS (e.g., PAN-OS, FortiOS).
• Experience with network automation and infrastructure-as-code practices (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, Python).
• Strong understanding of firewall management, segmentation, and VPN technologies.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and troubleshooting skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication across technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to work independently and deliver in a structured, process-driven environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline or 6+ years of relevant experience with a professional certification (e.g., CCNP, JNCIS, VCP-NV, or equivalent).
• Experience building and managing scalable hybrid infrastructure connectivity solutions linking on-premises systems with cloud networks., * Familiarity with Juniper and Palo Alto network solutions and centralized management platform (Panorama preferred).
• Familiarity with WLAN technologies and wireless authentication (e.g., 802.1x, RADIUS).
• Experience with NAC solutions and network access policy enforcement.
• Experience with ZTNA / SASE solutions (Prisma, Zscaler, or Cato)
• Working knowledge of virtualization or operating system administration (VMware, Windows, or Linux).
• Demonstrated project management and leadership skills.
• Team-oriented, collaborative mindset with the ability to coach peers and present to non-technical stakeholders.
• Solution-driven, adaptable approach in a fast-paced, change-controlled environment.

Full-time regular employee offer package: Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity Temporary employee offer package: Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment) Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.