We are seeking a Lead Network Engineer – SD-WAN & AIOps Specialist to drive Cisco SD-WAN platform integration, telemetry, observability, and automation initiatives across enterprise and cloud environments. Responsibilities Design and implement end-to-end management of Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN architecture, including core control plane components: Cisco SD-WAN Manager (vManage), Controller (vSmart), Validator (vBond), and Edge routers (cEdge/vEdge) Drive Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) and Plug-and-Play (PnP) templates to scale deployments across campuses, branches, and colocation facilities Configure Cisco Cloud OnRamp for SaaS and IaaS to deliver optimized application path selection and multi-cloud connectivity Maintain service uptime guidelines by managing control component certificates, on-demand snapshots, and automated software upgrades Integrate AI/ML capability frameworks within Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center) and Cisco ThousandEyes to establish deep visibility and predictive problem mitigation Automate Day-0 to Day-N configuration tasks using Python, Ansible, and Terraform via Cisco SDKs and REST APIs Leverage telemetry data, NetFlow, and streaming logs to build predictive baselines, optimize bandwidth usage, and forecast capacity Embed Security-by-Design principles using application-aware routing, micro-segmentation, zones, and centralized SASE structures Configure and troubleshoot complex Layer 2 and Layer 3 policies, including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, BFD, QoS, and IPsec/GRE encapsulation Requirements 8–12 years of total experience, including 5+ years of hands-on Cisco SD-WAN engineering and 3+ years of automation and observability experience Knowledge of Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela) architecture and operations, vManage APIs, and the Overlay Management Protocol (OMP) Skills in Python scripting, REST API integration, and automation tools such as Ansible and Terraform Expertise in AIOps, event correlation, telemetry, and observability tools including ThousandEyes, Grafana, and Dynatrace Proficiency in utilizing Linux, Docker/KVM hypervisors, and programming environments to interact with system APIs Familiarity with packet capture analysis (Wireshark) and core services such as DHCP, DNS, PKI, and AAA/RADIUS security Background in managing enterprise-grade Cisco routing/switching environments, with at least 2–3 years focused on Cisco SD-WAN solutions and network automation Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field Nice to have Cisco Certified Specialist - Enterprise SD-WAN Implementation (ENSDWI) Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP Enterprise) Cisco Certified DevNet Associate / Professional