Position SummaryThe Network Engineer II is a senior engineering professional who assumes full ownership of project-level and client architecture responsibilities. Engineers at this level independently manage Level 1 escalations, lead project engineering engagements, and design client architecture solutions. The Network Engineer II is also eligible - with managerial approval - to assume Level 2 escalation ownership, contribute to internal automation and policy development, participate in research and development initiatives, and support the sales engineering function.
This is a highly technical, client-impacting role requiring advanced Fortinet expertise and the professional maturity to operate with significant autonomy across complex, multi-site client environments. The Senior Network Engineer II designation is available after two years in role.
Key ResponsibilitiesProject Engineering and Client Architecture- Independently lead project engineering engagements including solution deployment, integration, and post-implementation validation
- Design and deliver client architecture solutions across Fortinet and hardware-agnostic environments aligned to client business objectives
- Serve as a core contributor to client's managed service delivery function, participating in service design and operational standards
Escalation Management and On-Call- Own and resolve Level 1 escalations with full accountability; manage escalation bridge communications with clients and leadership
- Participate in the on-call rotation and provide senior-level guidance to on-call staff during complex incidents
- With managerial approval, assume Level 2 escalation ownership for critical and complex client incidents
MACD and Advanced Initiatives (With Approval)- Execute MACD changes with independent authority and serve as a technical approver for junior team changes
- With managerial approval, contribute to internal automation initiatives to improve operational efficiency
- With managerial approval, develop and refine internal policies, standards, and engineering runbooks
- With managerial approval, participate in applied research and development efforts including new technology evaluation
Sales Engineering (With Managerial Approval)- With managerial approval, support sales engineering by contributing to technical proposal development and client-facing solution presentations
What This Role Is Accountable For- Independent ownership of Level 1 escalations, project engineering engagements, and client architecture design
- MACD execution with technical approval authority for junior engineer changes
- On-call leadership and availability as a senior escalation resource
- High-quality engineering documentation, architecture records, and change management compliance
What This Role Is Not- Not a frontline support role: direct support, connectivity support, and SilverSky MxDR onboarding are outside the scope of this role
- Not a unilateral engineering approval authority or team lead: engineering approval and formal team lead responsibilities reside at Network Engineer III
- Not an independent L2 or automation resource: Level 2 escalations, automation, and policy development require managerial approval
What This Role OwnsThe Network Engineer II owns independently:- Level 1 escalations, project engineering, client architecture, client's core responsibilities, MACD changes, and on-call coverage
- Level 2 escalations, internal automation, policy development, R&D, and sales engineering when explicitly authorized
What This Role Does Not OwnThe Network Engineer II does not own:- Engineering approval authority or formal team lead responsibility - these reside at Network Engineer III
- Independent Level 2 escalation authority, automation, or policy development without prior managerial approval
- Frontline support, connectivity support, or SilverSky MxDR functions
Position BoundariesTo be successful, this role must operate with clear boundaries:- This role operates with significant autonomy - precision, documentation quality, and technical accountability are non-negotiable
- Level 2 escalations, automation, and policy work require approval - these are never assumed independently
- Network Engineer III is the escalation and approval authority above this level - complex decisions beyond defined scope route upward
Required Qualifications- 10+ years of progressive experience in network engineering, with demonstrated depth in managed security and enterprise networking
- Fortinet NSE 7 certification in Secure Networking or Security Operations required (or the equivalent legacy FCSS - Solution Specialist credential); NSE 7 in an additional track, relevant NSE 5/6 product certifications (e.g., FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, SD-WAN).
- Expert-level proficiency with Fortinet Security Fabric including FortiGate, FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, FortiSwitch, FortiAP, and FortiEDR
- Deep knowledge of enterprise routing (BGP, OSPF, MPLS), SD-WAN, Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), and network segmentation
- Proven experience in client architecture design including requirements gathering, solution design, and documentation
- Demonstrated ability to manage complex, concurrent project engagements with multiple stakeholders
- Excellent communication skills; able to present complex technical concepts to executive and non-technical audiences
Preferred Qualifications- Fortinet NSE 8 certification or active enrollment
- Experience with automation scripting (Python, Ansible, REST API) for network operations
- Demonstrated leadership in engineering standards development or policy authorship
Core Competencies- Advanced technical expertise
- Client architecture
- Project leadership
- Escalation ownership
- Fortinet Security Fabric mastery
- Technical documentation
- Independent judgment
- Mentorship and knowledge transfer
Success in This Role Looks Like- Level 1 escalations are owned fully, resolved within SLA, and communicated professionally throughout
- Project engineering engagements are delivered on time, on scope, and with thorough post-implementation documentation
- Client architecture designs are technically sound, well-documented, and aligned to client business goals
- MACD changes are executed without errors and junior engineer changes are reviewed with rigor
- This role is viewed as a senior technical authority and a trusted escalation resource within the engineering organization
