Network Automation Engineer

We are seeking an experienced and driven Mid-Level Automation Engineer to join our dynamic team. In this role, you will design, build, and maintain robust infrastructure and network automation solutions. The ideal candidate will have a strong foundation in networking, extensive experience with Infrastructure as Code (IaC) tools like Ansible and Terraform, and advanced scripting capabilities. You will play a critical role in scaling our operations, integrating disparate systems via REST APIs, and acting as a technical bridge between infrastructure and development teams.

Responsibilities:

• Automation & IaC: Design, develop, and maintain advanced automation workflows, playbooks, and modules using Ansible and Terraform to provision, configure, and manage infrastructure and networking devices.
• Scripting & Integration: Write clean, scalable scripts (primarily in Python) utilizing libraries like Paramiko for SSH-based network/server automation and interact seamlessly with RESTful APIs for third-party integrations.
• Network Automation: Apply a deep understanding of networking concepts (routing, switching, firewalls, load balancing) to automate network provisioning, state validation, and configuration management.
• System Architecture: Collaborate with cross-functional engineering and operations teams to architect automated, self-healing, and scalable infrastructure solutions.
• Tool Development: Build and maintain custom tooling, utilizing both frontend and backend development skills, to create self-service automation portals for internal teams.
• Troubleshooting & Optimization: Proactively identify performance bottlenecks, troubleshoot complex automation failures, and ensure the reliability of CI/CD pipelines.
• Mentorship & Best Practices: Champion code quality, perform code reviews, maintain comprehensive documentation, and help guide junior engineers in automation best practices.

*This position is designed to be flexible, with responsibilities evolving to meet business needs and enable individual growth.

Qualifications:

• Experience: 3-5 years of proven experience in IT automation, DevOps, Network Engineering, or a related field.
• Secret Clearance with Tier 5 investigation
• Configuration & IaC: Hands-on, production-level experience with Ansible (playbooks, roles, inventory management) and Terraform (state management, modules, providers).
• Networking: Solid understanding of core networking concepts (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPNs, BGP/OSPF) and experience automating network hardware or virtual appliances.
• Scripting & API: Strong proficiency in Python, including practical experience with Paramiko (or Netmiko) and consuming/building REST APIs.
• OS Administration: Strong background in Linux/Unix systems administration.
• Version Control: Proficiency with Git and collaborative workflows (e.g., branching, merging, pull requests).
• Problem Solving: Excellent analytical skills with the ability to troubleshoot complex, multi-tier system issues independently.

Preferred Skills:

• Full-Stack Development: Experience with backend development (e.g., Flask, FastAPI, Django, Node.js) and frontend development (e.g., React, Vue.js, or HTML/CSS/JS) to build custom internal automation dashboards.
• Certifications: Relevant industry certifications such as Red Hat Certified Specialist in Ansible Automation, HashiCorp Certified: Terraform Associate, or Cisco DevNet.
• Cloud Platforms: Experience provisioning resources in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform.
• Containers & CI/CD: Familiarity with Docker, Kubernetes, and pipeline orchestration tools (e.g., Jenkins, GitLab CI, GitHub Actions).
• Degree: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, or equivalent practical experience.

Why Work for Us?

Core4ce is a team of innovators, self-starters, and critical thinkers-driven by a shared mission to strengthen national security and advance warfighting outcomes.

We offer:

• 401(k) with 100% company match on the first 6% deferred, with immediate vesting
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage-employee portion paid 100% by Core4ce
• Unlimited access to training and certifications, with no pre-set cap on eligible professional development
• Tuition assistance for job-related degrees and courses
• Paid parental leave, PTO that grows with tenure, and generous holiday schedules
• Got a big idea? At Core4ce, The Forge gives every employee the chance to propose bold innovations and help bring them to life with internal backing.

Join us to build a career that matters-supported by a company that invests in you.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, disability, veteran status, age, genetic information, or other legally protected status