Senior Network Engineer
The Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) is seeking a key role of Senior Network Engineer to support the deployment and operation of our advanced statewide fiber optic network and IP packet network.
Organization
Alabama Fiber Network received a grant from the State of Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to create a middle mile broadband infrastructure to increase the availability of robust, scalable, and affordable broadband service throughout Alabama. Eight Electric Cooperatives and Alabama Power Company provide IRU agreements for existing fiber cables to support a large portion of the network. New optical cable segments link the network together to cover the entire state. AFN has dozens of designated facilities to house advanced optical and packet equipment supporting interconnection points located throughout the state. AFN is designed to provide the most widespread, resilient, and accessible high-speed fiber optic transport network in the state.
Position Summary
The ideal candidate is a seasoned Senior Network Engineer with extensive knowledge of broadband fiber optic and packet networks, network operations & technologies, and must be an effective communicator. The candidate should be highly skilled in one or more of the following: DWDM transport optics, switching & routing, network design & operation, service overlays (SD-WAN, E-VPN, VPLS, L3VPN, etc.). They must be highly motivated and function autonomously to proactively manage and operate our advanced network. The combination of education and experience should be significant.
The Senior Network Engineer provides comprehensive hands-on support for implementation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of fiber optic transport technologies, packet IP technologies, and multi-gigabit services.
Key Duties and Responsibilities
- Serve as the operational leader for technology implementation and maintenance of the AFN including network designs & solutions, network management tool administration, and management of assets & components.
- Support network monitoring & curation, performance analysis & optimization, and regular tracking & reporting activities.
- Support network testing & provisioning for all service offerings including MPLS, IP transport, DIA, Optical Wavelengths, DDOS, etc.
- Hands-on support for network troubleshooting and outage remediation steps.
- Function as a Subject Matter Expert on the AFN infrastructure, technology, protocols, and services.
- Prepare proposal recommendations and supporting details to guide decision-making for network augmentations, growth, and special projects.
- Interact with internal and external teams to understand network requirements and coordinate network changes for implementation.
- Regularly interact with telecom providers, equipment suppliers, and third-party network vendors to engage their technical resources to perform tasks.
- Create test plans, Methods of Procedures (MOP), documentation, and service configurations to maintain & optimize the network to exceed Service Level Agreement (SLA) requirements and provide maximum reliability & uptime.
- Standardize, configure, and validate network devices such as DWDM optical transport systems, routers, Layer 2/Layer 3 switches, servers, and other related network devices.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering with 5 years of experience or 7+ years equivalent related Engineering/Technical experience
- Experience required with coordination and implementation of technology projects.
- If coming from an IP background: Experience with IP protocols, experience with Internet ecosystems, including open exchanges, cloud/peering, colocation, routing/switching and transport infrastructure, etc.
- If coming from an optical background: Experience with DWDM transmission systems, long-haul fiber facilities, experience with physical connectivity at all layers, including DC cabling, power distribution, cross-connects, etc.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with Ciena Transport Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) networks
- Experience with Cisco and/or Arista Routing and Switching platforms
- CCNP, CCIE, ACE-4 or greater certification
Work Environment and Location
The Senior Network Engineer is hybrid position requiring both remote and onsite work objectives. The AFN services area spans the entire state and the exact work location within the State, as well as remote work/work from home options, are open for discussion. The position requires periodic travel in and around the State of Alabama, with travel costs covered by FUN. The position requires occasional work during overnight maintenance windows and after-hours support. The Senior Network Engineer report directly to the Chief Technical Officer.
This role description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees are expected to perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by management.
