> Markdown version of [/jobs/ext/2860272-staff-level-engineer](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/jobs/ext/2860272-staff-level-engineer). Every page supports `.md` or `Accept: text/markdown`. Links point to the HTML versions so they work for humans too. Agent guide: [/agents.md](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/agents.md). --- # staff-level engineer - **Company:** Titel - **Location:** Karlsruhe, Germany - **Experience:** Expert - **Contract:** Permanent contract - **Skills:** Artificial Intelligence, Bash Shell, Border Gateway Protocol, Continuous Integration, Data Centers, Linux, Python (Programming Language), Network Layer, Network Virtualization, Open Shortest Path First (OSPF), Operational Databases, Ansible, Tcpdump, Computer Network Operations, Large Language Models, Reliability of Systems, Juniper, Gitlab, Git, Data Center Networking, Iptables, Open Network Automation Platform, Cisco - **Published:** September 12, 2026 - **Apply:** https://www.arbeitsagentur.de/jobsuche/jobdetail/10001-1003679722-S ## About the Role Extensive hands-on experience operating large-scale production data center networks (5+ years for Senior, longer for Staff). - Deep Layer 2 and Layer 3 knowledge: routing (BGP, OSPF) and VXLAN with BGP/EVPN. - Multi-vendor operations across Juniper and Cisco; SONiC and Netbox familiarity is a plus. - Strong Linux fundamentals and the toolkit that goes with them (bash, tcpdump, iptables, git). - Network automation you have built, using Python with Ansible and CI/CD on GitLab. - A reliability-engineering mindset: SLOs, observability, incident command, postmortems, designing out toil. - Fluent, critical use of AI in daily engineering, plus a track record or credible ideas for applying AI to network operations. - Fluent English for international teams; German is a plus. Ownership and a calm approach when things break. ## Description NRE Operations runs the data center networks for the entire IONOS group: the physical fabric and underlay, the SDN overlay, and the virtual network functions on top, across dozens of data centers. We are looking for a senior or staff-level engineer who operates large production networks with a reliability mindset. You define what "healthy" means, catch problems before customers do, lead the hardest incidents, and partner with NRE Automation to push routine operations toward zero manual steps. AI is central to how we work, both to make the network smarter and to make each engineer faster. We expect every engineer here to be fluent with AI, and we mean it in two concrete ways. First, applying AI to the network itself: anomaly detection, automated diagnosis and root-cause analysis, config generation and validation, smarter alerting, and runbook or agent-driven automation. Second, using AI to raise your own output: coding assistants and LLM tooling for scripting, troubleshooting, research, and documentation. Reliability work punishes blind trust, so the skill that matters most is judgment. You need to know when an AI-generated config or diagnosis is trustworthy and when it is not. ### Tasks - Own reliability of the physical fabric, SDN overlay, and virtual network functions across all IONOS data centers. Set service level objectives and drive down unplanned downtime. - Lead incident response on major network incidents and run postmortems that produce lasting fixes. - Remove toil through automation, working with NRE Automation on pipelines and tooling for lifecycle, patching, and service configuration. - Apply AI to operations: anomaly detection, automated diagnosis, config generation and validation, and automated remediation, with the judgment to know when AI output is trustworthy. - Strengthen observability so problems surface before they reach customers, and shape lifecycle, upgrade, change-management, and capacity practices. - Collaborate with NRE Provisioning on clean handovers. - Share the on-call rotation covering the above. ## Related Videos - [How Cisco embraced a DevOps culture within its network engineering team](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/99-how-cisco-embraced-a-devops-culture-within-its-network-engineering-team) - [Docker network without Docker](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1418-docker-network-without-docker) - [How a Small Team Shrank a Microsoft Monorepo by 94%](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1236-how-a-small-team-shrank-a-microsoft-monorepo-by-94) - [Shipping Faster with Less: Render on Cloud Hosting, AI Workloads, and the Future of DevOps](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1894-shipping-faster-with-less-render-on-cloud-hosting-ai-workloads-and-the-future-of-devops) - [Your Infrastructure Is Not a Playground: AI Agents for Infra Done Right](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/2084-your-infrastructure-is-not-a-playground-ai-agents-for-infra-done-right) - [Docker exec without Docker](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/videos/1094-docker-exec-without-docker) ## Related Articles - [The Most Popular IT Jobs on the Market](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/376-the-most-popular-it-jobs-on-the-market) - [How We Built a Worry-Free System That Runs for 10+ Years – And What We’d Do Again](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/751-how-we-built-a-worry-free-system-that-runs-for-10-years-and-what-we-d-do-again) - [System change: restart as developer?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/39-system-change-restart-as-developer) - [IT Salaries in Germany](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/287-it-salaries-in-germany) - [What’s the Difference between a Junior, Mid, and Senior Developer?](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/238-what-s-the-difference-between-a-junior-mid-and-senior-developer) - [Top-Paying Tech Jobs (with Salaries)](https://www.wearedevelopers.com/magazine/372-top-paying-tech-jobs-with-salaries)