Network Operations Engineer (Data Center – Cisco ACI)

Network Operations Engineer (Data Center – Cisco ACI)

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Network Operations Engineer with a strong background in enterprise networking and hands-on expertise in Data Center environments using Cisco ACI. The role covers day-to-day operations, optimization, and troubleshooting across data center, firewall, campus, and cloud networking environments, with a focus on operational stability, automation-driven efficiency, and observability.

The ideal candidate will also leverage Ansible to automate operational tasks, support hybrid cloud connectivity across AWS and Azure, and maintain high visibility into network performance through observability and monitoring tools.

Key Responsibilities

Data Center Networking

• Provide operational and technical support for data center networks, with deep focus on Cisco ACI environments.

• Maintain, optimize, and troubleshoot data center network configurations and services.

• Ensure data center network designs and implementations align with security standards and operational best practices.

Firewall Platform Operations

• Administer firewall platforms, including configuration management, monitoring, and issue resolution.

• Enforce and maintain security policies across firewall environments.

• Partner with security teams to review, update, and validate firewall rules and controls.

Campus Network Operations

• Support campus networking environments using Cisco Catalyst solutions for both wired and wireless infrastructure.

• Implement, manage, and optimize campus network services to ensure reliable connectivity and performance.

• Troubleshoot and resolve campus network issues in a timely manner.

Network Automation (Ansible)

• Design and implement Ansible-based automation to reduce operational toil and repetitive manual tasks.

• Develop and maintain Ansible playbooks, roles, and modules for network operations.

• Integrate automation workflows with CI/CD pipelines to support controlled and repeatable deployments.

Cloud Networking

• Provide operational support for networking within AWS and Azure environments.

• Manage cloud network configurations and connectivity.

• Ensure seamless integration between on-premises infrastructure and cloud platforms.

Network Observability & Monitoring

• Implement and maintain network observability solutions to monitor performance, availability, and health.

• Utilize tools such as Datadog, Grafana, Prometheus, and other monitoring platforms to proactively identify issues.

• Build dashboards and reports to visualize network metrics, trends, and operational insights.

Operations & Troubleshooting

• Troubleshoot complex network incidents across data center, campus, firewall, and cloud environments.

• Apply automation where possible to improve incident response speed and accuracy.

• Manage operational issues to maintain network stability and service performance.

• Collaborate with network engineering teams to address recurring operational challenges.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify and adopt tools or techniques to enhance network operations and reliability.

• Improve existing operational processes to support scalability and efficiency.

• Stay current with industry developments in networking, automation, and operations.

Collaboration & Knowledge Sharing

• Work closely with DevOps, Security, and Application teams to ensure smooth network service delivery.

• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to junior network engineers.

• Coordinate with external vendors and service providers when supporting network operations.

Documentation & Compliance

• Maintain accurate and up-to-date documentation for network configurations, procedures, and operational workflows.

• Ensure compliance with internal policies, regulatory requirements, and industry standards.

Experience & Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in network operations covering data center networking, firewall platforms, campus networks, and cloud networking.

• Strong hands-on experience with Cisco ACI and Cisco Catalyst (wired and wireless) solutions.

• Experience managing firewall platforms in enterprise environments.

• Practical experience using Ansible for network automation.

• Familiarity with AWS and Azure networking.

• Strong troubleshooting skills with experience handling operational incidents.

• Background in network observability and monitoring solutions.

Technical Skills

• Solid understanding of networking protocols and technologies including TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VPN, and DNS.

• Hands-on experience developing and maintaining Ansible playbooks, roles, and modules.

• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and tools such as Jenkins and Git.

• Strong knowledge of network security principles and best practices.

• Experience with monitoring and observability tools including Grafana and Prometheus.

Certifications

• Networking certifications such as CCNA or CCNP are highly desirable.

• Automation-related certifications, including Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation, are an advantage.

• Cloud certifications such as AWS Certified Solutions Architect or Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect are a plus.