Principal Network Architect

Position Summary 

The Principal Network Architect will play a key role in evolving and modernizing the F5 corporate network. Using a zero trust and advanced network segmentation approach this role will focus on  designing secure, scalable, efficient network solutions that span a hybrid on-premise and cloud ecosystem.. Design principles must span a diverse array of environments and use cases including manufacturing centers, global office locations, a global remote workforce, datacenters, and multiple IaaS providers. This role will also play a critical role in the F5 on F5 program, providing product feedback to F5 product teams and helping design and implement customer zero implementations of F5 products and appliances, centering designs on F5 products and services where applicable. The Network Architect role will ensure that the F5’s infrastructure adheres to the highest standards of security, reliability, and performance while incorporating advanced network security practices.  

The ideal candidate will have strong technical expertise in enterprise network architecture and design, extensive experience with zero trust principles, and a deep understanding of network segmentation using F5, Palo Alto, Cisco, and ZTNA technologies. They should have a deep knowledge of the network vendor market, understanding capabilities of a wide variety of tools to solve routing, security, and performance issues, as well as providing competitive analysis of F5’s product stack. Additionally, the candidate will be proficient in deploying and managing network security tools such as secure web gateways, Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) solutions, and other technologies for data loss protection and threat mitigation.  

This role will have hands-on aspects including building proof-of-concepts, assisting with reference implementations, and troubleshooting designs during implementation. 

Key Responsibilities 

Network Architecture and Design  

• Lead the design and implementation of a zero trust network architecture, integrating network segmentation strategies to minimize lateral movement and reduce security risks.  

• Evolve the corporate network by assessing existing infrastructure and recommending future-state network topologies that align with business and security objectives, and center designs around F5 products and services where appropriate. 

• Architect a hybrid network to seamlessly integrate on-premise environments with public cloud platforms (AWS and Azure), with a strong focus on security, scalability and resilience.  

• Optimize network performance through efficient routing, traffic optimization, and load balancing using F5 technologies and advanced network design practices.  

• Design and support the Digital Innovation Lab to allow for testing and feedback on the F5 product suite used for our in-house designs and capabilities. 

• Establish secure design principles for the network engineering team to leverage when executing on architecture 

• Establish and evangelize automation and infrastructure as code practices for managing network ecosystems. 

• Assist with the development of a solution library, showcasing how our network designs feature F5 products and services with reference architectures and functional reference implementations for customer and industry-facing distribution. 

Strategic Vision and Direction 

• Use extensive knowledge of F5 products to drive the product improvement lifecycle and help support the growth and success of the F5 on F5 program 

• Assess emerging technologies and vendor solutions to determine their potential impact and effectiveness in improving the organization’s network architecture.  

• Conduct capacity and growth planning to ensure the network meets current and future business needs.  

• Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation of network architecture, design standards, and operating procedures.  

• Continuously evaluate network performance and security postures, recommending improvements or upgrades as necessary to meet evolving business and threat landscapes. 

Technical Leadership and Collaboration  

• Serve as a technical advisor and subject matter expert for networking technologies, zero trust models, hybrid cloud integration, and security practices for stakeholders and leadership.  

• Provide input and guidance on wider IT initiatives to ensure that networking and security considerations are integrated into planning and deployment.  

• Act as a mentor and resource for the network engineering team to expand their knowledge of zero trust, segmentation, and advanced networking concepts. 

• Collaborate with cloud engineering teams to configure and optimize cloud-native network services and build robust hybrid connectivity options between on-premise and cloud ecosystems. 

• Collaborate with application teams as they migrate applications to cloud native infrastructure and ensure the use of secure and performant network patterns 

• Collaborate with product design teams to ensure F5 products meet the needs of enterprise focused customers 

• Collaborate closely with security teams to define security processes and ensure efficient implementation of routing rules and security practices.  

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including infrastructure, security operations, and application teams, to ensure the network design aligns with broader organizational goals and technical strategies. 

Technology Implementation and Administration  

• Work closely with F5 acquisitions and determines new product usage opportunities.  

• Leverage Palo Alto firewalls and technologies (e.g., PAN-OS, GlobalProtect, Prisma Access) to enforce security policies, segmentation, and threat prevention across the network.  

• Configure and manage F5 solutions such as BIG-IP, NGINX, and Distributed Cloud.  

• Drive implementation of network management and monitoring tools to gain complete visibility into network traffic and performance, proactively identifying and addressing potential issues. 

• Integrate cloud infrastructure (AWS and Azure) into the enterprise network using security-focused architectures, ensuring data protection and compliance across hybrid environments.  

Required Qualifications  

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field (or equivalent experience).  

• 10+ years of experience in enterprise network architecture and administration, with a successful track record of designing, implementing, and optimizing network solutions.  

• Expertise configuring and managing Palo Alto firewalls and security technologies, including Prisma Access and GlobalProtect.  

• Proficiency with F5 technologies, especially BIG-IP and Distributed Cloud.  

• In-depth experience with cloud networking services in AWS and Azure. 

• Proven experience designing and implementing zero trust network architectures and network segmentation strategies. 

• Strong knowledge of advanced network security solutions, such as secure web gateways, CASB, and DLP tools.  

• Expert understanding of network protocols, architectures, and technologies (e.g., SD-WAN, VPN, BGP, DNS, VLANs, IPsec).  

• Understanding of Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) tools and how they apply to diverse, hybrid environments. 

• Hands-on experience with Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) tools such as Terraform or Ansible, as well as scripting languages such as Python, to automate networking configurations and policies.  

Preferred Qualifications  

• Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE).  

• F5 Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) or equivalent certifications.  

• CISSP, CCNP Security, or related certifications demonstrating network security expertise. 

• Experience integrating Identity and Access Management (IAM) solutions with network security policies to implement secure access controls.  

• Knowledge of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) solutions to integrate network monitoring with overall security incident management.  

• Familiarity with compliance frameworks, such as NIST, FedRAMP, or CIS benchmarks, and their networking implications.