Principal Architect, Technology – IP Core & Metro

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in Washington.

📋 Description

• Take ownership of the IP core architecture, encompassing BGP topology, iBGP/eBGP policy, MPLS/SR-MPLS label distribution, and backbone traffic engineering.

• Establish core routing policies, which include BGP communities, path selection, route filtering, and prefix management.

• Design the Segment Routing strategy, focusing on SID allocation, TE policy design, and transitioning from legacy LDP/RSVP-TE.

• Manage upstream peering and transit strategies, Internet Exchange presence, provider diversity, and route optimization.

• Create designs for metro Ethernet and aggregation ring architecture, redundancy models, and handoff standards.

• Specify OLT/DSLAM handoff to the IP core, covering aggregation, VLAN tagging, QinQ, and QoS policies.

• Architect EVPN and L2VPN services across the metro fabric.

• Define the metro ring protection and fast-reroute strategy, including BFD tuning, FRR timers, and convergence targets.

• Oversee core-to-metro capacity engineering, traffic modeling, utilization thresholds, and upgrade triggers.

• Set and maintain standards for IP addressing, BGP AS, and route summarization.

• Lead the architecture for NetFlow/IPFIX telemetry and its integration with capacity planning and security tools.

• Collaborate with Transport and Subscriber Edge architects on optical-layer integration and BNG-to-core QoS.

• Develop architecture decision records, reference designs, routing standards, implementation patterns, operational runbooks, and governance processes.

• Mentor engineers, influence technical direction, and drive cross-functional architectural decisions without direct people-management responsibilities.

• Perform additional duties as necessary to support the business and its evolving needs.

⛳️ Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and directly relevant IP network architecture experience.

• Over 10 years of IP network engineering experience within a service provider, ISP, or large carrier environment.

• Experience as a senior independent contributor in establishing IP architecture standards, influencing technical direction, mentoring engineers, and driving cross-functional decisions.

• Expert-level knowledge of BGP, including large-scale iBGP/eBGP design, route policy, community strategy, BGP-LS, path selection, and peering/transit architecture.

• Strong proficiency in MPLS, covering LDP, RSVP-TE, SR-MPLS, traffic engineering, and migration from legacy MPLS to SR.

• Experience in metro Ethernet and carrier aggregation, including EVPN, QinQ, ring-based aggregation, fast-reroute, and redundancy.

• Background in designing and operating high-availability core networks, including failure-domain analysis, RTO/RPO targets, and convergence benchmarks.

• Strong skills in capacity planning, including traffic matrix modeling, NetFlow/IPFIX analysis, and upgrade planning.

• Familiarity with Nokia, Juniper, and/or Cisco router platforms in carrier-grade production settings.

• Experience in creating architecture decision records, reference designs, routing standards, implementation patterns, operational runbooks, and governance processes.

• Ability to work independently, demonstrate sound judgment, multitask effectively, collaborate, meet critical deadlines, and adapt to shifting priorities.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills, attention to detail, and organizational abilities.

• Senior technical leadership, analytical skills, systems-thinking, and executive communication capabilities.

• Must be authorized to work in the US for any employer; sponsorship is not available.

• Physical requirements include the occasional lifting/moving of up to 25 pounds and necessary visual abilities.

• Must successfully pass a pre-employment background check; pre-employment drug screening may also be required.

• Ziply Fiber must be the primary employer; any outside employment or self-employment requires written approval.

• Preferred qualifications: SRv6, EVPN-VXLAN, NETCONF/YANG, gNMI, OpenConfig, Ansible, Internet Exchange/public peering, JNCIE-SP/CCIE-SP or equivalent, routing security, and experience with executive-level presentations.

🏝️ Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• 401(k).

• Flexible spending account.

• Paid sick leave.

• Paid time off.

• Parental leave.

• Quarterly performance bonus.

• Training opportunities.

• Career growth programs.

• Education reimbursement programs.