Senior Network Engineer

Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, and Aechelon simulation and synthetic reality technologies.

With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

What you'll do

Network Engineering

* 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.

Required Qualifications

* 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.

Preferred Qualifications

* 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.