Staff Network Engineer

About the Role

This position sits within the Data Center & Core Network Engineering group, which builds and sustains network foundations for data centers and DCI optical connectivity. The team focuses on secure, dependable, and high-performing networking across campus environments and global data center infrastructure, while also creating automation and tooling to support rapid growth.

Based in Mountain View, CA, this role follows a hybrid work model, with work split between home and a LinkedIn office on selected days depending on team business needs.

As a Staff Network Engineer, you will act as a senior technical contributor and role model for the team. The role calls for someone who can shape and support networking solutions that align with both business priorities and technical needs, stay current with modern networking research, partner effectively across functions, and manage shifting priorities. Strong capability in both networking and automation engineering is essential.

Key Responsibilities

• Assess network architectures, designs, and automation workflows, then suggest practical improvements in performance, scale, reliability, observability, and capacity planning.
• Build, deploy, and run a large-scale data center and backbone network spanning multiple regions, working closely with cross-functional partners to support business goals.
• Carry out maintenance activities and network upgrades.
• Find automation gaps and create solutions that streamline deployments and automatically correct network issues where possible.
• Support network security and compliance efforts.
• Join the on-call rotation, help restore service during outages, and contribute to post-incident reviews and remediation plans.
• Assess emerging platforms to solve scaling problems and work with OEMs and ODMs to define requirements for the technology stack.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree in a technical discipline, or equivalent hands-on experience.
• At least 5 years of professional experience in network and data center engineering within hyperscale environments.
• At least 5 years of experience programming with Python, Go, or similar scripting languages.
• Hands-on knowledge of networking technologies such as TCP/IP, BGP, MPLS, RDMA, overlay networking, and network QoS.
• Understanding of Kubernetes, host networking, host TCP tuning, and HPC networking.
• Experience with congestion-control approaches including QoS, DCTCP/ECN, and eBPF.
• Familiarity with network management and provisioning tools such as Ansible, REST/gRPC, NETCONF, Jenkins, Puppet, YANG, and OpenConfig.
• A master’s degree in a technical field is preferred.
• Experience evaluating and introducing new hardware and software platforms to address data center growth and operational needs is preferred.
• Experience designing and deploying networking for HPC workloads is preferred.
• Experience using IXIA or similar platforms for hardware and software testing is preferred.
• Experience building AI/ML networking infrastructure, including Infiniband and RoCEv2, is preferred.
• Experience with optical networking technologies such as DWDM, ZR, optical transceivers, and optical fiber interconnects is preferred.

Compensation and Benefits

The pay range for this role is between $152,000 and $248,000 annually. Final compensation depends on factors such as skills, years and depth of experience, certifications, and office location, and may vary in other locations based on labor-cost considerations.

The overall package may also include an annual performance bonus, stock, benefits, and/or other incentive compensation plans.

The company also highlights generous health and wellness programs, along with time away benefits for employees at all levels.

Additional Information

The employer follows equal opportunity hiring practices and evaluates candidates without regard to protected characteristics such as race, color, religion, creed, gender, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sex, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, or other legally protected status.

An accessible hiring experience is available for applicants with disabilities. Candidates may request reasonable accommodations for searching for roles, applying, or taking part in interviews. Examples include alternate-format documents, accessible interview locations, service animals, and sign language interpretation. Accommodation requests are typically answered within three business days, while non-disability-related requests may not receive a response.

Employees and applicants are protected from retaliation or discrimination related to pay discussions, subject to applicable legal exceptions.

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered in line with the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

The employer also follows pay-transparency and non-discrimination requirements as a federal contractor.

Job candidates can review notices about personal data handling, E-Verify participation, and right-to-work posters through the candidate portal referenced by the employer.