The
Sr. Network Engineer & Connectivity Architect serves as the principal architect of the organization's enterprise connectivity platform ("The Backbone"), with a primary focus on Microsoft Azure networking, Cisco Meraki infrastructure, and identity-driven access (Active Directory & Entra ID).
This role is responsible for designing and operating a secure, highly resilient, and cloud-aligned network architecture, where access decisions are governed by user identity, device posture, and real-time risk signals, rather than traditional network boundaries.
Leveraging Infrastructure as Code (IaC), AIOps, and Zero Trust principles, this position ensures seamless, secure connectivity across Azure, on-prem environments, branch networks (Meraki), and SaaS platforms such as Microsoft 365, while enabling a scalable, automated, and self-healing infrastructure.
Key ResponsibilitiesIdentity-Driven Network Architecture (CORE) Design and implement a network architecture where identity is the primary control plane. Integrate Active Directory (on-prem), Entra ID, and identity providers (Okta) with network enforcement points to enable real-time, identity-based access decisions.
Active Directory & Hybrid Identity Ownership - Architect and support enterprise-scale hybrid identity environments, including:
- Active Directory design (sites, replication, GPO strategy)
- Entra Connect (Azure AD Connect) synchronization
- Authentication protocols (Kerberos, NTLM, modern authentication)
- Secure integration with cloud and network services
Entra ID & Conditional Access Engineering - Design, implement, and optimize Conditional Access policies, including:
- MFA enforcement strategies
- Device compliance (Intune integration)
- Risk-based and session-based access controls
- Location-aware and Zero Trust access models
Zero Trust & Identity Enforcement - Lead the implementation of a Zero Trust architecture by aligning:
- Identity (Entra ID / Active Directory / Okta)
- Network (Azure, Meraki)
- Endpoint (Intune / device posture)
- Ensure consistent enforcement of least privilege access across all environments
Microsoft 365 Identity & Access Optimization - Ensure secure, high-performance access to Microsoft 365 by:
- Aligning identity policies with network routing and access controls
- Supporting modern authentication flows and token-based access
- Optimizing Teams, Exchange, and SharePoint connectivity
Azure-Centric Network Architecture - Design and implement scalable Azure networking solutions, including:
- Virtual Networks (VNet) and Hub-and-Spoke architectures
- Private Endpoints and Private Link
- Azure Firewall, NSGs, and routing strategies
- DNS architecture and name resolution
Meraki Network Design & Operations - Lead the design, deployment, and optimization of Cisco Meraki environments, including:
- MX (SD-WAN & security appliances)
- MS (switching)
- MR (wireless)
- Auto VPN and centralized cloud-based management
Hybrid Connectivity & Interconnects - Architect and manage secure connectivity between environments using:
- ExpressRoute
- VPN Gateways
- Meraki SD-WAN (Auto VPN)
- Ensure low latency, high availability, and seamless failover.
Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Automation - Manage network and cloud configurations as code using:
- Terraform, Bicep, or ARM templates
- CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions)
- Ensure all deployments are standardized, repeatable, and auditable.
AI Ops & Observability - Implement monitoring and telemetry across Azure and Meraki using:
- Azure Monitor & Log Analytics
- Meraki Dashboard
- Observability tools (Dynatrace, Splunk, etc.)
- Enable proactive detection, anomaly identification, and automated remediation.
Resiliency & Buiness Continuity Engineering (CRITICAL) - Design and maintain a highly resilient network architecture across Azure, Meraki, on-prem, and SaaS environments:
- Eliminate single points of failure
- Implement redundancy across WAN, LAN, wireless, and cloud
- Design for automated failover and rapid recovery
- Ensure identity-dependent services remain available during outages
Governance & Policy Enforcement - Establish and enforce governance using:
- Azure Policy and tagging standards
- Policy-as-Code frameworks
- Identity governance (access reviews, RBAC, least privilege)
- Ensure compliance with security, regulatory, and enterprise standards.
Technical Expertise Category Requirements Identity & Access (PRIMARY) Deep expertise in Active Directory (architecture, GPOs, replication), Entra ID, Conditional Access, MFA, federation (SAML, OAuth, OIDC), hybrid identity Zero Trust Architecture Experience implementing identity-driven access integrating network, endpoint, and SaaS Azure Networking (PRIMARY) VNets, ExpressRoute, VPN Gateway, Azure Firewall, Private Link, DNS, Hub-Spoke design Meraki (PRIMARY) MX (SD-WAN), MS (switching), MR (wireless), Auto VPN, Meraki Dashboard Automation & IaC Terraform, Bicep, ARM templates, CI/CD pipelines M365 Integration Identity and network dependency across Exchange, Teams, SharePoint Endpoint Integration Intune/device compliance integration with access policies Observability Azure Monitor, Log Analytics, Meraki Dashboard, Dynatrace, Splunk Scripting & DevOps PowerShell, Python, or similar scripting experience Education and Experience- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical field; Master's degree in Information Systems Management preferred.
- In lieu of a degree, 12+ years of enterprise-level infrastructure experience with a proven track record of delivering automation-first networking projects.
Required Experience- 8-10+ years of enterprise networking experience
- 5+ years of Active Directory experience (enterprise scale)
- 3+ years of Entra ID (Azure AD), Conditional Access, and MFA
- 3+ years of Azure networking experience
- 3+ years of Cisco Meraki experience (SD-WAN, switching, wireless)
- Experience designing hybrid connectivity (ExpressRoute, VPN, SD-WAN)
- Experience implementing IaC (Terraform, Bicep, ARM)
- Experience integrating identity with network and Zero Trust frameworks
- Proven experience leading a transition from legacy "box-by-box" management to a centralized, API-driven orchestration model.
Preferred Experience - Microsoft 365 performance and connectivity optimization
Certifications (Preferred)- Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700)
- Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator (SC-300)
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
- Cisco Meraki Solutions Specialist (CMSS)
- Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) or CCNP Enterprise
- Cisco Certified DevNet Professional
- Hashi Corp Certified: Terraform Associate
- Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)
