Principal Network Service Engineer

Who are we?Equinix is the world's digital infrastructure company®, shortening the path to connectivity to enable the innovations that enrich our work, life and planet.A place where tech thinkers and future builders turn bold ideas into breakthrough experiences, we welcome your unique perspective.Help us challenge assumptions, uncover bias, and remove barriers-because progress starts with fresh ideas. You'll find belonging, purpose, and a team that welcomes you-because when you feel valued, you're empowered to do your best work.Job SummaryThe Principal Network Engineer is a senior technical leader within the Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) organization, responsible for designing, scaling, and maintaining highly reliable, self-healing network platforms. This role integrates AI driven operations, predictive analytics, observability, and advanced automation to ensure the network meets strict availability, performance, and resiliency standards. The engineer translates business and technical requirements into scalable network capabilities, defines SLOs/SLIs for mission critical services, and delivers engineering artifacts for implementation teams. This role mentors engineers, supports architectural decisions, and drives continuous improvement.ResponsibilitiesDefine, maintain, and own network SLIs, SLOs, and error budgets across critical servicesLead major incident response efforts with AI assisted diagnostics and blameless postmortemsMaintain network observability frameworks including telemetry pipelines, distributed tracing, and ML-based anomaly detectionReduce operational delays through automation, AI copilots, LLM generated playbooks, and self-healing workflowsAI-Driven Network EngineeringIntegrate AIOps platforms for predictive detection, anomaly correlation, and automated remediationImplement generative AI workflows for script creation, documentation, and troubleshootingDevelop ML based analytics pipelines for traffic modeling, baselining, and forecastingDeployment & Engineering LeadershipTranslate requirements into scalable network capacity and capability designs.Deliver engineering artifacts and guide implementation teamsLead live deployments of multi-vendor network solutions and large-scale migrationsMaintain guidelines, templates, and automation for SRE and Ops teamsBuild repeatable workflows that support automation-first operationsTrain and mentor engineering teams through workshops and technical boot campsProduct Lifecycle EngagementsProvide feedback across Product, Development, and QA based on operational insightsParticipate in design reviews, functional specs, and cross-functional architecture discussionsSupport POCs, device testing, API validation, etc.Provide deployment feedback, validate automation logic, and assess system readinessService Delivery & FulfillmentDeliver fulfillment for network and datacenter services using automated workflowsEnsure high-quality provisioning and seamless end-to-end service operationsCollaborate with escalation teams, order fulfillment, and professional servicesAnalyze fulfillment KPIs and drive improvements in efficiency and reliabilityIdentify and resolve root causes impacting customer experienceInnovation & Continuous ImprovementLead innovation initiatives across products, processes, and engineering teamsDeploy features and automation frameworks that improve reliability and customer satisfactionPresent at industry events and train internal teams in new developmentsProvide cross-industry insights to keep engineering practices aligned with modern trendsMentorship & Leadership of SRE EngineersMentor SRE engineers in networking, automation, observability, and reliability engineering best practicesCoach engineers in Service Level Objective (SLO) ownership, incident response, and resilience engineeringReview automation scripts and design proposals, elevating engineering qualityLead training in AI-assisted operations, AIOps tooling, and automated remediationDevelop skill progression plans and identify growth opportunitiesMentor during complex incidents and post-incident analysisFoster a culture of learning, excellence, and cross-team collaborationQualificationsRequired7+ years in large scale networking, SRE, Net/DevOps, or related engineering rolesExpertise in routing, switching, BGP, IGP, MPLS, EVPN, and datacenter architecturesProficiency in Python, automation frameworks, and other automation toolingStrong understanding of observability including metrics, logs, traces, and telemetryExperience troubleshooting distributed systemsPreferredExperience with AIOpsKnowledge of ML conceptsExperience with self-healing or event-driven automationExperience presenting or publishing work in SRE, automation, or networking This posting is for a backfill position, meaning it is to fill an existing vacancy within our organization.The targeted pay range for this position in the following location is / locations are:United States - Redwood City Office GHQ : 163,000 - 245,000 USD / AnnualUnited States - Dallas Infomart Office DAI : 136,000 - 204,000 USD / AnnualCanada - Toronto Office TRO : 131,000 - 181,000 CAD / AnnualOur pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum target for new hire pay for the full-time position determined by role, level, and location.The pay range shown is based on our compensation structure in place at the time of posting and may be updated periodically based on business needs. Individual pay is based on additional factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education and/or training.The targeted pay range listed reflects the base pay only and does not include bonus, equity, or benefits. Employees are eligible for bonus, and equity may be offered depending on the position.Equinix BenefitsAs an employee, you become important to Equinix's success. We ensure all your benefits are in line with our core values: competitive, inclusive, sustainable, connected and efficient. We keep them competitive within the current marketplace to ensure we're providing you with the best package possible. So, wherever you are in your career and life, you'll be able to enhance your experience and bring your whole self to work.Employee Assistance Program: An Employee Assistance program is available to all employees.US Benefits: - Insurance: You may enroll in health, life, disability and voluntary plans that are designed for you and your eligible family members. - Retirement: You and Equinix may contribute to a retirement plan to help you plan for your financial future. - Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays: You will receive an accrued amount of PTO each pay period along with various paid holidays for you to rest and recharge. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific plan or program terms.Canada Core Benefits: - Insurance: You may enroll in healthcare coverage that is designed to complement the provincial healthcare system, along with life, disability and optional benefit plans that are designed for you and your eligible family members. - Retirement: You may also enroll in Equinix-sponsored retirement or savings plans: Defined Contribution Pension Plan (DCPP), Group Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and Tax-Free Savings Plan (TSFA). - Vacation and Paid Holidays: Equinix offers both vacation and personal time, along with various paid holidays for you to rest and recharge. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits. Benefits are subject to specific plan or program terms, and to change at Equinix discretion.Equinix is committed to ensuring that our employment process is open to all individuals, including those with a disability. If you are a qualified candidate and need assistance or an accommodation, please let us know by completing this form.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 consideration of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy / childbirth or 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 / organizational affiliation, status as a victim or family member of a victim of crime or abuse, or any other status protected by applicable law.We use artificial intelligence in our hiring process. Learn more here.