Sr. Network Engineer & Connectivity Architect

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 Responsibilities

Identity-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)