Position:
The Alabama Fiber Network (AFN) is seeking a key role of Senior Network Engineer to support the deployment and operation of our advanced statewide fiber optic network and IP packet network.
Organization:
Alabama Fiber Network received grants from the State of Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs to create a middle mile broadband infrastructure to increase the availability of robust, scalable, and affordable broadband service throughout Alabama. Eight Electric Cooperatives and Alabama Power Company provide IRU agreements for existing fiber cables to support a large portion of the network. New optical cable segments link the network together to cover the entire state. AFN has dozens of designated facilities to house advanced optical and packet equipment supporting interconnection points located throughout the state. AFN is designed to provide the most widespread, resilient, and accessible high-speed fiber optic transport network in the state.
Position Summary:
The ideal candidate is a seasoned Senior Network Engineer with extensive knowledge of broadband fiber optic and packet networks, network operations & technologies, and must be an effective communicator. The candidate should be highly skilled in one or more of the following: DWDM transport optics, switching & routing, network design & operation, service overlays (EVPN, BGP, VPLS, L3VPN, etc.), service underlays (MPLS-SR, IS-IS, OSPF, etc.), and Network Development Operations (NetDevOps) workflows (GitHub, YAML, Python, Ansible, etc.). They must be highly motivated and function autonomously to proactively manage and operate our advanced network. The combination of education and experience should be significant.
The Senior Network Engineer provides comprehensive hands-on support for implementation, maintenance, and troubleshooting of fiber optic transport technologies, packet IP technologies, and multi-gigabit services.
Key Duties and Responsibilities:
- Serve as operational leader for technology implementation and maintenance of the AFN including network designs & solutions, network management tool administration, and management of assets & components.
- Support network monitoring & curation, performance analysis & optimization, and regular tracking & reporting activities.
- Support network testing & provisioning for all service offerings including MPLS, IP transport, DIA, Optical Wavelengths, DDOS, etc.
- Hands-on support for network troubleshooting and outage remediation steps.
- Function as a Subject Matter Expert on the AFN infrastructure, technology, protocols, and services.
- Prepare proposal recommendations and supporting details to guide decision making for network augmentations, growth, and special projects.
- Interact with internal and external teams to understand network requirements and coordinate network changes for implementation.
- Regularly interact with telecom providers, equipment suppliers, and third-party network vendors to engage their technical resources to perform tasks.
- Create test plans, Methods of Procedures (MOP), documentation, and service configurations to maintain & optimize the network to exceed Service Level Agreement (SLA) requirements and provide maximum reliability & uptime.
- Standardize, configure, and validate network devices such as DWDM optical transport system, routers, Layer 2/Layer 3 switches & routers, servers, and other related network devices.
Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Electrical Engineering with 5 years of experience or 7+ years equivalent related Engineering/Technical experience
- Experience required with coordination and implementation of technology projects.
- If coming from an IP background: Experience with IP protocols, experience with Internet ecosystems, including open exchanges, cloud/peering, colocation, routing/switching and transport infrastructure, etc.
- If coming from an optical background: Experience with DWDM transmission systems, long-haul fiber facilities, experience with physical connectivity at all layers, including DC cabling, power distribution, cross-connects, etc.
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with Ciena Transport Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) networks based on the Ciena RLS platform
- Experience with Arista Routing and Switching platforms
- CCNP, CCIE, ACE-4 or comparable vendor certifications
Work Environment and Location:
The Senior Network Engineer is a hybrid position requiring remote work and occasional work objectives at sites that span the entire state. The AFN service area covers all of Alabama and some surrounding states. The position requires periodic travel in and around Alabama, with travel costs covered by AFN. The position requires occasional work providing after-hours support during maintenance windows. The Senior Network Engineer reports directly to the Vice President of Engineering.
This role description is not intended to be all-inclusive. Employees are expected to perform other reasonably related job responsibilities as assigned by management.
Apply:
If interested in this position, please submit your resume/outline of applicable experience and three professional references to: CSkelton@AlabamaFiberNetwork.com. A background check will be required before a final offer is made.
The Alabama Fiber Network is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin.
