Principal Network Engineer, Global

Benefits

Additional Information

About Vantage Data Centers Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects and connects the technology of the world's well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across North America, EMEA and Asia Pacific, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands. About Vantage Data Centers Vantage Data Centers powers, cools, protects, and connects the technology of the world's well-known hyperscalers, cloud providers and large enterprises. Developing and operating across 19 markets in North America, EMEA and APAC, Vantage has evolved data center design in innovative ways to deliver dramatic gains in reliability, efficiency and sustainability in flexible environments that can scale as quickly as the market demands. Vantage's business is growing exponentially, through a combination of greenfield market expansion and acquisitions. Technology & Systems Department The Technology & Systems department drives technological innovation for the company and advances the technology strategy to support global growth. This includes IT, Software Development, OT / Automation Systems, and business process improvement. At Vantage, we are very hands on. In most cases, we specify, purchase, configure and maintain all networking and server hardware. We also work closely with partner VARs to learn about the latest technology changes so we can make informed purchase decisions. The Technology & Systems department participates in designing each of our new data center building's networking infrastructure, including but not limited to diverse pathways connecting to carriers, meet-me room (MMR) hosting (rack, cabs, ladders, cross connect panels...), wireless AP coverage, etc. Position Overview This position will be based on-site at our office in Sterling, VA in alignment with our flexible work policy. (3 days on site required, 2 days flexible). The Principal IT Network Engineer serves a pivotal role within the IT Infrastructure department, typically reporting to the IT Infrastructure Director. In this capacity, they lead engineering teams, offering technical direction and ensuring the successful delivery of projects. The role involves coordinating engineering projects and providing technical guidance, showcasing proficiency in addressing intricate technical challenges. This professional works closely with cross-functional teams to lead the technical aspects of project implementation, demonstrating expertise in network design, configuration, and troubleshooting. They take a lead role in engineering projects, providing technical expertise and guidance to the team. Responsibilities include designing and implementing network solutions, optimizing network performance, conducting system upgrades, and ensuring the security and integrity of the network infrastructure. The Lead IT Network Engineer collaborates with stakeholders to gather requirements, assesses network needs, and develops scalable solutions. Additionally, they stay abreast of industry trends, evaluate emerging technologies, and recommend enhancements to maintain a robust and efficient network environment. Essential Job Functions Program Strategy & Execution Develop and own the multi-year roadmap for network capacity planning, disaster recovery (DR), and incident response (IR) across NA, EMEA, and APAC Build detailed program plans (scope, milestones, dependencies, KPIs) and drive cross‑functional delivery to schedule and budget Establish and chair governance cadences, decision forums, and program communications to maintain global alignment Track outcomes via clear KPIs/OKRs (e.g., utilization, headroom, MTTD/MTTR, change success rate, RTO/RPO attainment) Capacity Planning & Architecture Lead comprehensive capacity planning strategies that align with data center architecture and long‑term business objectives Develop forecasting models and "what‑if" scenarios to guide investments, resiliency, and growth (campus, core, cloud, edge) Partner with Engineering and Operations to codify network reference architectures and standards for scalability and performance Mentor engineers on complex capacity trade‑offs, cost/risk optimization, and design patterns Disaster Recovery & Organizational Resilience Architect organization‑wide DR strategies and playbooks-defining RTO/RPO targets, tiering, dependencies, and failover patterns Lead cross‑functional DR exercises and simulations; ensure lessons learned drive continuous improvement and budgeted remediation Align DR with business continuity planning (BCP), vendor strategies, and regulatory/compliance needs across regions Incident Response & Operations Excellence Oversee incident response strategy, including readiness, runbooks, tabletops, and post‑incident reviews with actionable RCA Integrate IR with monitoring, SIEM/SOAR, change, problem, an