Position Summary:

The Staff Network Engineer is the senior individual contributor within Network Engineering responsible for advanced design, integration and escalation support across on-premises and multi-cloud network environments. This role bridges tactical solution engineering and broader architectural direction: it leads complex cross-domain implementations (data center, campus, cloud connectivity, security services, automation) and assures scalable, secure, high-performance network services for employees, partners and customers in a 24x7 mission-critical environment. The Staff Network Engineer executes and optimizes approved architectural patterns and drives multi-cloud integration, advanced automation and cross-technology troubleshooting.

Geo-Salary Information

An in-person interview may be required during the hiring process

State specific pay scales for this role are as follows:

$101,167 to $204,439 (CA, NJ, NY, WA, HI, AK, MD, CT, RI, MA)

$91,970 to $185,853 (NV, OR, AZ, CO, WY, TX, ND, MN, MO, IL, WI, FL, GA, MI, OH, VA, PA, DE, VT, NH, ME)

$82,773 to $167,268 (UT, ID, MT, NM, SD, NE, KS, OK, IA, AR, LA, MS, AL, TN, KY, IN, SC, NC, WV)

In CA: Typical hiring range is $137,523 to $191,004

The expected base salary for this position will vary depending on a number of factors, including relevant experience, skills and location.

Responsibilities

Deliver High Quality Solutions

• Engineer and optimize complex hybrid (on-prem / multi-cloud) network topologies (VPC/VNet design, transit / hub architectures, SD-WAN overlays, segmentation) for performance, resiliency and cost efficiency.
• Develop and refine reusable network automation playbooks and infrastructure-as-code templates (e.g., Terraform, Ansible, GitHub Actions workflows) to standardize provisioning and reduce manual changes.
• Lead advanced troubleshooting and post-incident engineering reviews for high severity, multi-layer issues (routing, security policies, load balancing, cloud gateways).
• Evaluate emerging networking features (cloud edge services, private connectivity options, observability enhancements) and pilot solutions under established architectural guidance.

Deliver IT Initiatives

• Serve as technical lead for medium to large network and cloud connectivity projects (migrations, expansions, modernization) ensuring delivery on scope, schedule, budget and quality standards.
• Produce and maintain detailed engineering artifacts (high / low-level designs, diagrams, test plans, implementation & rollback procedures, automation scripts).
• Coordinate interdependencies with Security, Platform, Storage, Application and Telecom teams to ensure cohesive solution delivery.
• Provide technical input to lifecycle refresh planning and capacity modeling aligned with approved roadmaps.

Manage Network Services Resources and Expenses

• Provide senior technical mentoring to Network Engineers, guiding design reviews, configuration validations and knowledge transfer on cloud and automation patterns.
• Supply detailed utilization and efficiency metrics (bandwidth, session counts, policy objects, cloud egress costs) to support optimization and budgeting.
• Help enforce standards for configuration baselines, documentation quality, inventory accuracy and license utilization.

Provide Excellent User Experience

• Engineer solutions emphasizing reliability, low latency, predictable performance and simplified operational support.
• Ensure knowledge base / run-book content and self-service artifacts (automation triggers, standardized change templates) are current and consumable.
• Contribute to high severity incident communications, translating technical status into clear business impact and action steps.
• Partner with stakeholders to validate new services (pilot testing, user acceptance, performance benchmarks) and incorporate feedback.

Qualifications

Education

Minimum:

• BS Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering or related field, or equivalent work experience.

Preferred:

• One or more advanced professional certifications in core networking / cloud platforms (Cisco CCNP/CCIE, AWS Advanced Networking Specialty, Azure Network Engineer Associate, Palo Alto Networks PCNSE, Arista ACE). Ongoing progress toward additional certifications expected.

Experience

Minimum:

• 8+ years progressive network engineering experience in medium-large enterprise environments.
• 3+ years designing and operating cloud provider networks (AWS VPC, Azure, hybrid connectivity, private endpoints, cloud firewalls, etc).
• Demonstrated leadership of complex multi-site / multi-cloud implementation or migration efforts.
• Hands-on automation experience (infrastructure-as-code, configuration management, scripting, GitHub Actions workflow orchestration) driving operational efficiency.
• Advanced troubleshooting across routing, switching, network security, load balancing, DNS, and connectivity to cloud / SaaS services.

Preferred:

• 5 or more years of expertise with Load balancing technologies such as F5
• 5 or more years of expertise with Firewalls such as Palo Alto Networks
• 5 or more years of expertise with datacenter switching fabric such as Arista Networks
• Exposure to leveraging AI for programming, automation, and troubleshooting

Skills & Abilities

• Expert knowledge of Layer 2/3 protocols (spanning tree variants, HSRP/VRRP, OSPF, EIGRP, BGP) and advanced routing policies (traffic engineering, communities, route filtering).
• Strong proficiency with network security technologies (next-gen firewalls, IPS/IDS, segmentation, VPN, zero trust access) and encryption / certificate management basics.
• Deep familiarity with cloud networking constructs (transit gateways, virtual network peering, private link / endpoints, cloud load balancers, DNS, firewall policies) and hybrid integration patterns.
• Skilled in network automation (Terraform modules, Ansible playbooks, GitHub Actions workflows, Python scripting for API / telemetry integration) with version control discipline.
• Advanced use of telemetry, flow analytics, packet capture, synthetic monitoring and observability platforms to drive data-informed decisions.
• Ability to perform detailed capacity and performance modeling (bandwidth forecasts, connection limits, latency baselines) and translate findings to planning actions.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills; able to tailor technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Proven mentorship, collaborative and leadership behaviors without formal people management authority.
• Ability to prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment and make sound decisions in emergency situations.
• Highly self-motivated and directed with keen attention to detail; able to manage multiple complex workloads.
• Ability to work on demand to provide 24x7 mission critical support.
• Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Commitment to Mercury's Leadership and Core Values of People, Service Excellence, Trustworthiness, Process Simplicity and Product Value.

Perks and Benefits

We offer many great benefits, including:

• Competitive compensation
• Flexibility to work from anywhere in the United States for most positions
• Paid time off (vacation time, sick time, 9 paid Company holidays, volunteer hours)
• Incentive bonus programs (potential for holiday bonus, referral bonus, and performance-based bonus)
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and pet insurance
• 401 (k) retirement savings plan with company match
• Engaging work environment
• Promotional opportunities
• Education assistance
• Professional and personal development opportunities
• Company recognition program
• Health and wellbeing resources, including free mental wellbeing therapy/coaching sessions, child and eldercare resources, and more

Pay Range

USD $101,167.00 - USD $204,439.00 /Yr.