Job description

Overview We are looking for a Cloud Network Engineer to join a fast-paced team responsible for designing, building, automating, and operating mission-critical network infrastructure that enables secure data transmission across isolated cloud environments. Our team supports a diverse set of technologies and challenges spanning network architecture, Layer 2/Layer 3 operations, automation, fiber infrastructure, service reliability, and large-scale distributed systems. In this role, you will help design and automate network services that enable Azure workloads to operate in highly secure and regulated environments. You will work across the full service lifecycle, including architecture, deployment, operations, incident response, and continuous improvement. The systems you support are designed to meet rigorous security, compliance, and availability requirements for both public and private sector customers. This role offers the opportunity to solve complex networking challenges involving routing, switching, segmentation, automation, and operational excellence while working alongside engineers responsible for some of Microsoft's most critical environments. We are seeking engineers who are passionate about customer impact, technical leadership, and building highly reliable infrastructure at scale. At Microsoft, our mission—to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more—guides how we partner with customers to deliver trusted, impactful solutions. With a growth mindset culture, we innovate responsibly and measure success by shared progress— people, teams, and customers. Join us to do meaningful work that changes the world and helps shape what’s next for everyone. Responsibilities • Help design and implement proactive, scalable infrastructure solutions that improve reliability, optimize performance, and reduce operational complexity through automation and simplified architectures. • Troubleshoot complex live-site and production network issues using deep expertise in network protocols, telemetry, tools, and APIs. Drive sustainable remediation through automation and engineering improvements while minimizing customer impact. Participate in on-call rotations and mentor other engineers. • Contribute to incident response efforts across engineering teams, ensuring timely mitigation, thorough root cause analysis, and high-quality postmortems. Analyze historical operational data to identify recurring issues and prioritize long-term improvements. • Leverage operational and performance data to assess business impact, identify trends, and drive engineering decisions that improve service reliability, network performance, and customer experience. • Help design, deploy, and operate Layer 2 and Layer 3 networking technologies, including switching, routing, BGP, VXLAN/EVPN, VRFs, network segmentation, 802.1X/IBNS, and highly available out-of-band (OOB) management networks. • Collaborate with partner teams to develop scalable, resilient, and high-performance network architectures. Independently create technical designs, implementation plans, validation strategies, and deployment procedures. • Help develop and maintain automation solutions for network deployment, validation, monitoring, and operational workflows to reduce manual effort, improve service availability, and enforce engineering standards within secure environments. • Drive operational excellence through documentation, knowledge sharing, process improvement, and continuous learning. • Embody our culture and values . Qualifications Required/Minimum Qualifications • Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 2+ years technical experience in network design, development, and automation • OR Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field AND 1+ year(s) technical experience in network design, development, and automation • OR equivalent experience. Other Requirements Security Clearance Requirements: Candidates must be able to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required for this role. These requirements include, but are not limited to the following specialized security screenings: • The successful candidate must have an active U.S. Government Top Secret Clearance with access to Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) based on a Single Scope Background Investigation (SSBI) with Polygraph. Ability to meet Microsoft, customer and/or government security screening requirements are required pre-offer and post-hire for this role. Failure to maintain or obtain the appropriate U.S. Government clearance and/or customer screening requirements may result in employment action up to and including termination. • Clearance Verification: This position requires successful verification of the stated security clearance to meet federal government customer requirements. You will be asked to provide clearance verification information prior to an offer of employment. • Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter. • Citizenship & Citizenship Verification: This position requires verification of U.S. citizenship due to citizenship-based legal restrictions. Specifically, this position supports United States federal, state, and/or local United States government agency customer and is subject to certain citizenship-based restrictions where required or permitted by applicable law. To meet this legal requirement, citizenship will be verified via a valid passport, or other approved documents, or verified US government Clearance Preferred/Additional Qualifications • Hands-on experience designing, deploying, and operating enterprise or campus wired networks (switching and routing). • Experience with Layer 2 / Layer 3 networking fundamentals: VLANs, spanning tree, routing protocols (BGP), QoS, and network security. • Hands-on experience configuring and troubleshooting enterprise switching platforms (e.g., Arista, Cisco, Juniper, or equivalent) via CLI. • Experience supporting live-site / production network operations, including incident troubleshooting and root cause analysis. • Experience leading the architecture and delivery of large-scale enterprise or campus networks, including technical trade-offs, multi-site migrations, and production cutovers. • Ability to influence technical direction, communicate complex decisions, lead design reviews, and mentor engineers. • Advanced networking or cloud certifications, such as CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent, are a plus. Cloud Network Engineering IC3 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $102,100 - $202,200 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $133,800 - $219,200 per year. Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: careers.microsoft.com This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled. Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.

Requirements

Must-haves

Help design and implement proactive, scalable infrastructure solutions that improve reliability, optimize performance, and reduce operational complexity through automation and simplified architectures.
Leverage operational and performance data to assess business impact, identify trends, and drive engineering decisions that improve service reliability, network performance, and customer experience.
Collaborate with partner teams to develop scalable, resilient, and high-performance network architectures. Independently create technical designs, implementation plans, validation strategies, and deployment procedures.
Drive operational excellence through documentation, knowledge sharing, process improvement, and continuous learning.
Embody our culture and values .
Required/Minimum Qualifications
OR equivalent experience.
Other Requirements
Microsoft Cloud Background Check: This position will be required to pass the Microsoft Cloud background check upon hire/transfer and every two years thereafter.
Hands-on experience designing, deploying, and operating enterprise or campus wired networks (switching and routing).
Experience with Layer 2 / Layer 3 networking fundamentals: VLANs, spanning tree, routing protocols (BGP), QoS, and network security.
Hands-on experience configuring and troubleshooting enterprise switching platforms (e.g., Arista, Cisco, Juniper, or equivalent) via CLI.
Experience supporting live-site / production network operations, including incident troubleshooting and root cause analysis.
Experience leading the architecture and delivery of large-scale enterprise or campus networks, including technical trade-offs, multi-site migrations, and production cutovers.
Ability to influence technical direction, communicate complex decisions, lead design reviews, and mentor engineers.
Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here:
This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Nice-to-haves

Preferred/Additional Qualifications
Advanced networking or cloud certifications, such as CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent, are a plus.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Keywords to mirror

azure

Platform: eightfold
Effort: medium