Senior Network Engineer

Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With nine offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI's technology actively supports operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and YouTube.

Job Description:

Shield AI is seeking a highly skilled Senior Network Engineer to help advance and secure our mission-critical global infrastructure. You will design, deploy, and maintain resilient network systems that power Shield AI's enterprise and development environments-spanning data centers, on-premises sites, and public cloud networks.

You'll partner with cross-functional teams to innovate, automate, and optimize network performance, availability, and security for operations supporting both classified and unclassified workloads. Limited travel to Shield AI sites may be required.

What you'll do:

• • Network Engineering:
  • -Design, architect, and implement routing, switching, WLAN, and firewall infrastructure across data centers and remote offices.
  • -Deploy and manage WAN and VPN connectivity, ensuring secure and reliable access for enterprise and mission environments.
  • -Execute network and firewall change requests in alignment with corporate security policies and change-control processes.
  • -Monitor network performance and security posture; troubleshoot complex networking issues and drive continuous improvement.
  • -Develop and apply network automation to streamline provisioning, monitoring, and configuration management.
  • -Recommend and implement scalable, automated approaches to operational tasks and vulnerability remediation.
  • -Contribute to Agile delivery cycles and engineering principles while managing assigned network projects and deliverables.
  • -Conduct network capacity planning and provide recommendations for growth and optimization.
  • Operations and Support:
  • -Perform daily system monitoring to ensure network and firewall availability, configuration integrity, and performance.
  • -Provide advanced troubleshooting for network-related hardware, software, and application issues.
  • -Configure and maintain secure connectivity services (e.g., VPN/ZTNA, HTTPS, SFTP).
  • -Create and maintain clear operational and configuration documentation; mentor operational teams on processes and procedures.
  • -Coordinate with vendors for technical support, procurement, and consulting engagements.
  • -Participate in on-call rotation and scheduled maintenance activities.
  • Maintenance:
  • -Lead or assist with network upgrades and patching within defined maintenance windows.
  • -Maintain network device software and license compliance.
  • -Ensure security vulnerabilities are identified and remediated in coordination with IT security teams.

Required qualifications:

• • 6+ years of experience supporting and administering complex network systems in production environments.
  • Expertise in network routing, switching, and security architectures.
  • Proficiency in at least one Network Operating System (e.g., NX-OS, JunOS, Arista EOS).
  • Proficiency in at least one Network Security OS (e.g., PAN-OS, FortiOS).
  • Experience with network automation or scripting tools (e.g., Ansible, Python, Bash).
  • Strong understanding of firewall management, segmentation, and VPN technologies.
  • Excellent analytical, organizational, and troubleshooting skills.
  • Effective written and verbal communication across technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Proven ability to work independently and deliver in a structured, process-driven environment.
  • Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline or 6+ years of relevant experience with a professional certification (e.g., CCNP, JNCIS, VCP-NV, or equivalent).

Preferred qualifications:

• • Familiarity with Juniper and Fortinet network solutions and centralized management platforms.
  • Experience with Palo Alto Networks firewall design and policy optimization (Panorama preferred).
  • Familiarity with WLAN technologies and wireless authentication (e.g., 802.1x, RADIUS).
  • Experience with public cloud networking in Azure and AWS, including secure connectivity models (e.g., ExpressRoute, Transit Gateway).
  • Working knowledge of virtualization or operating system administration (VMware, Windows, or Linux).
  • Experience with NAC solutions and network access policy enforcement.
  • Demonstrated project management and leadership skills.
  • Team-oriented, collaborative mindset with the ability to coach peers and present to non-technical stakeholders.
  • Solution-driven, adaptable approach in a fast-paced, change-controlled environment.
  • Local to San Diego, CA or Dallas, TX preferred; flexible remote options available

$110,000 - $170,000 a year

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Full-time regular employee offer package:

Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity

Temporary employee offer package:

Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)

Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.

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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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