Sr Principal Engineer, Enterprise Networking Architecture

Equinix is seeking a world‑class Sr Principal Engineer to serve as the preeminent technical authority for Enterprise Networking Architecture within the Digital Infrastructure Organization (DIO). This individual‑contributor role carries ultimate accountability for defining, governing, and evolving the global networking architecture and long‑term strategy across the enterprise. The leader will own the end‑to‑end enterprise networking architecture—spanning campus, datacenter, cloud interconnection, carrier services, and secure access—while setting a bold, forward‑looking vision for modern, secure, AI‑augmented networking.

Responsibilities

• Act as the Final Technical Authority, serving as the primary interface to DIO leadership and executive stakeholders and the ultimate escalation point for complex, cross‑domain architectural decisions.
• Own the Global Networking Architecture, defining and governing the holistic enterprise networking architecture across LAN, WAN, datacenter fabrics, cloud connectivity, wireless, edge/access, firewalls, secure remote access, and carrier interconnects.
• Set and enforce standards, establishing reference architectures, design patterns, and best practices to ensure consistency, resilience, and security across all regions.
• Drive global alignment by partnering with cloud, security, infrastructure, application, and edge architecture teams to resolve conflicts and accelerate enterprise‑wide modernization.
• Lead long‑term strategy, author and maintain a 5‑year global networking roadmap with technology evaluations, risk assessments, and executive‑ready recommendations.
• Architect at scale, designing high‑performance, secure, and resilient connectivity solutions across a broad technology landscape, including:

• Enterprise and datacenter networking (Cisco, Juniper, Arista, whitebox)
• Next‑generation security platforms (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco)
• Wireless platforms (Mist AI, Meraki)
• Out‑of‑band and terminal access (ZPE, Opengear)
• Carrier and managed connectivity (MPLS, VPLS, P2P, Metro Ethernet, SD‑WAN, emerging alternatives)

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in enterprise‑scale networking and security architecture in senior, principal, or distinguished IC roles owning global, multi‑site environments.
• Prior experience as a Distinguished Engineer, Senior Principal Engineer, Fellow, or equivalent executive IC role at a Fortune 50 or hyperscale technology company.
• Demonstrated external technical impact including patents, open‑source contributions, published research, standards participation, or high‑profile industry speaking.
• Deep, hands‑on expertise across enterprise networking domains, including:

• Datacenter and enterprise networking (BGP/EVPN, VXLAN, leaf‑spine, SD‑WAN, 400G+ fabrics)
• Security architectures (zero trust, SASE/SSE, microsegmentation, next‑gen firewalls)
• Wireless networking (Mist AI, Meraki)
• Out‑of‑band and resiliency engineering
• Carrier interconnects and managed connectivity
• Edge, hybrid/multi‑cloud integration, automation, and performance optimization

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• Active participation in industry bodies or technical communities (IETF, ONUG, CNCF networking SIGs).
• Experience operating in regulated or mission‑critical environments (finance, healthcare, critical infrastructure).
• Proficiency with automation and IaC (Python, Ansible, Terraform) and GitOps‑based operational models.

Pay Range

United States – Dallas Infomart Office (DAI): 177,000 – 265,000 USD per year.

Benefits

• Employee Assistance Program available to all employees.
• Health, life, disability, and voluntary insurance plans.
• Retirement plan contributions.
• Accrued paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays.
• Paid benefits may vary and are subject to plan changes.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Equinix is committed to ensuring that its employment process is open to all individuals, including those with a disability. Equinix is an Equal Employment Opportunity and, in the U.S., an affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful considerations of race, color, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy, related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, age, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, political or organizational affiliation, status as a victim or family member of a victim of crime or abuse, or any other status protected by applicable law.

AI in Hiring

Equinix uses artificial intelligence in its hiring process.

Position Status

This posting is for a backfill position, meaning it is to fill an existing vacancy within the organization.