Senior Network Engineer

Job Title: Senior Network Engineer – Arista & Automation (Low-Latency DC Focus)

Location: United Kingdom (Remote, with occasional site visits if needed)

Day Rate: £420 – £430 (Inside IR35)

Contract Type: Long-term rolling contract

We are seeking an experienced Senior Network Engineer with a proven background in Arista-based data centre networks and a strong focus on network automation. The successful candidate will join a highly technical environment supporting the design, deployment, and ongoing optimisation of low-latency, high-availability infrastructure across global data centres.

You’ll work with a modern network stack (Arista EOS, CloudVision, Python, Nornir, Ansible) and interface closely with architecture, security, and DevOps teams to drive automation and resiliency in a performance-critical environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the design, deployment, and optimisation of Arista-based data centre networks, with a focus on low-latency and high resilience.
• Configure and troubleshoot BGP, EVPN (VXLAN), and Multicast (PIM, IGMP) in complex enterprise environments.
• Use Arista CloudVision for orchestration, telemetry, and automated configuration management across global environments.
• Build and maintain network automation scripts using Python, Nornir, and Ansible, ensuring repeatability and alignment with infrastructure-as-code practices.
• Support large-scale hardware refreshes and migrations from Cisco to Arista, ensuring minimal downtime in production environments.
• Collaborate with global teams to align network delivery with broader CI/CD pipelines, and implement proactive monitoring and remediation frameworks.
• Provide senior-level L3 support, mentor junior engineers, and drive best practices in operational excellence.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong hands-on experience with Arista EOS in complex enterprise or global data centre environments.
• Deep knowledge of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EVPN) and Multicast technologies.
• Demonstrated experience working with Arista CloudVision in both greenfield and brownfield deployments.
• Background in low-latency networks – ideally within financial services or other performance-critical environments.
• Proficiency in network automation using Python, Ansible, Nornir, and version control tools (Git).
• Solid grounding in Layer 2/3 principles, troubleshooting, and production change management.
• Excellent documentation and communication skills; able to work collaboratively across global teams.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with Cisco Nexus platforms (2k–9k) and migrations to Arista.
• Exposure to network security platforms (Palo Alto, Fortinet, F5).
• Familiarity with CI/CD pipelines and infrastructure-as-code principles.
• Experience with monitoring tools (SolarWinds, PRTG, Logic Monitor) and SNOW for incident/change management.
• Relevant certifications (CCNP R&S, CCNP DC, PCNSA, ACI Specialist, or CCIE in progress) are a strong plus.