Principal Network Engineer

Permanent | £70,000 – £100,000 | Bristol (Hybrid)

We are seeking a Principal Network Engineer to join an advanced engineering team building secure and resilient communications systems. You will design distributed network architectures, develop secure connectivity solutions, and provide technical leadership across complex networking projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement scalable network architectures
• Develop secure overlay and software-defined networking solutions
• Own routing, traffic engineering, and network performance
• Build network observability and monitoring capabilities
• Produce architecture documentation and provide technical leadership
• Collaborate with stakeholders to deliver robust networking solutions

Skills & Experience

• Strong networking fundamentals including routing and L2/L3 technologies
• Experience with overlay networking and VPN technologies
• Strong Linux networking knowledge
• Experience with automation and infrastructure-as-code
• Familiarity with secure network architectures and PKI
• Ability to lead technically while remaining hands-on
• Must be eligible for SC clearance

Desirable

• Experience with wireless or distributed networking environments
• Background in telecommunications, defence, or critical infrastructure
• Knowledge of network telemetry and observability platforms