Network Automation Specialist

The Network Automation Specialist – L2 is primarily responsible for planning, engineering, integration, and deployments of automation, scripting, telemetry, and analytics solutions pertaining to Network and Firewall Appliances. They will participate in network operations activities with primary emphasis on Dev Net Ops  tasks and will work closely with all members of the IT Operations team to continuously design, evolve, build, and ensure the integration, manageability, and security of highly available systems and applications.

Working closely with other units, they will ensure that the design of Global Relay’s IT Networks integrate with other technologies such as storage, virtualization, containerization, and all systems and services.

• Design, deploy, and support automation and scripting solutions to drive new capabilities, visibility, and efficiency, for Network and Firewall Appliances
• Build Ansible code for configuring, monitoring, and analyzing Network and Firewall appliances using but not limited to REST APIs
• Write and maintain python scripts using automation frameworks (e.g., Netmiko, Paramiko).
• Develop troubleshooting and debugging code to identify problems.
• Explore different network operations activities and identify use-cases for automation.
• Create meaningful reports and graphs from collected netflow, sflow, J-flow, flowd or IPFIX records.
• Participate in strategic planning initiatives as well as selection, installation, operationalizing, and ongoing support of infrastructure enhancements
• Participate and support change management activities
• Provide support to business users and key stakeholders as needed
• Participate in the creation of documentation including:
  Runbooks, how-to user guides&technical how-to support guides, and Method of Procedures (MoP)
• Provide support for all Systems Administration, escalated incidents or problem related items
• Utilize ‘Systems Thinking’ to understand interdependencies both within the IT Network and Infrastructure, and throughout Global Relay’s interests
• Work closely with Operations and Development teams to identify, troubleshoot, diagnose, and correct system related issues as they arise

• Minimum of 5+ years’ experience in a Network Engineer capacity with Dev Net Ops  emphasis.
• Experience in automation, coding and scripting for network and firewall appliance configuration, monitoring, and reporting.
• Hands‑on experience with using source control (Git-based).
• Experience with testing APIs and proficiency in the use of API testing tools (e.g., Postman).
• Experience in utilizing Powershell and Bash
• Experience with complex enterprise network architecture planning, design, and implementation
• Experience with troubleshooting&resolving complex technical problems, management reporting, and documentation (how-to, processes and procedures, MoP)
• Proven ability to self‑manage and balance assigned work meeting deliverables as scheduled
• Solid knowledge and experience in deploying and managing Linux
• Experience in configuration of Aruba, Juniper, HPE, Arista, Cisco and Fortinet would be considered an asset
• Experience provisioning, maintaining, and supporting enterprise networks, firewalls, and related dependencies
• Experience with Open Source software and/or service management tools and applications (Open Stack, Open Shift, Zabbix, JIRA, Confluence, Jenkins, etc.)
• Solid knowledge of network protocols including TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP, FTP, ARP, ICMP, etc
• Demonstrated ability to work both collaboratively in a team environment as well as independently in an effective and organized manner in a complex and challenging environment
• Adaptability to work with multiple teams on projects with varying degrees of flexibility/rigidity at different points in the development cycle
• Solid experience working in an environment with formally structured IT Operational processes, such as work request ticket management, incident management, change management, problem management, etc.
• Ability to take on internal operational initiatives as the owner and coordinator for projects or large scale items
• ITSM Framework certifications such as ITIL, Sigma, SIAM or Methodology certifications such as Agile, Scrum, Dev Net Ops  are considered a definite asset

• Must be available after hours and / or weekends for emergency related work, service impacting incident resolution, or maintenance that is required during maintenance windows (outside of regular business hours).