Job#: 3030578

Job Description:

Lead Network Architect – Data Center Architecture

Location: 100% Remote

Experience: 20+ years

Focus: Large‑scale Cisco‑oriented data center and inter‑DC network architecture

If interested, please email resume to [email protected]

Role Overview

We're seeking a Lead Network Architect to support and evolve a company’s core data center network architecture. This role sits within a small, highly senior architecture team responsible for the shared design ownership and architectural continuity of 27 data centers and the networks that interconnect them, supporting a mix of internal platforms and long‑standing customer resale services.

This position is intended to strengthen architectural depth, resiliency, and coverage across the team by adding an additional senior architect with broad infrastructure experience. The focus is on long‑term architecture ownership, standards, and stability, not short‑term project delivery or operational management.

This is a hands‑on architecture role operating as a senior peer within the team, contributing independently while collaborating closely with other architects, engineering, and operations stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a senior network architect responsible for owning and contributing to the end‑to‑end data center and inter‑data‑center network architecture across the companies footprint
• Share ownership of architectural standards, reference designs, and long‑term roadmaps for data center and inter‑DC networking, with accountability for architectural outcomes and authority to provide final technical direction on complex or high impact decisions.
• Act as a peer‑level architect within a small senior architecture group supporting 27 globally distributed data centers
• Design, review, and own the evolution Cisco‑oriented network architectures, including:
  • Core routing and switching
  • Data center fabrics (e.g., spine‑leaf architectures)
  • Inter‑data‑center connectivity and backbone integration
• Partner closely with engineering, operations, and platform teams to ensure architectures are scalable, resilient, supportable, and consistent, providing hands‑on architectural leadership rather than advisory only guidance.
• Provide architectural leadership and direction across:
  • Data center network design and incremental modernization
  • Inter‑DC traffic flows, redundancy models, and fault tolerance
  • Capacity planning and long‑term infrastructure sustainability
• Support architectures that underpin customer resale and revenue‑generating services, with a strong emphasis on continuity and reliability
• Evaluate new technologies and vendor capabilities while maintaining alignment with established architectural standards
• Participate in design reviews and provide senior‑level architectural input and including acting as a final technical escalation point  for complex or cross‑environment issues when required

Required Experience & Skills

• 15-20 years of experience in network architecture with deep exposure to large, multi‑data‑center environments
• Proven background as a Senior, Principal, or Lead Network Architect operating in complex enterprise or service‑provider settings, with responsibility for architecture ownership rather than review only functions.
• Strong Cisco‑centric architecture experience, including:
  • Core routing and switching
  • Data center networking (e.g., Nexus platforms, spine‑leaf designs)
  • High‑availability and redundant architectures
• Substantial hands‑on experience across major network operating systems (e.g., Cisco IOS, NX‑OS, Juniper JUNOS, Cisco ASA OS, A10), sufficient to design, validate, and troubleshoot complex multi‑data‑center architectures.
• Experience supporting multiple data centers as part of a shared architectural model, rather than owning a single site or program
• Ability to operate independently while collaborating closely with other senior architects, with clear accountability for architectural decisions and outcomes.
• Comfortable working in long‑lived, mature environments where stability, repeatability, and operational discipline are critical
• Strong communication skills to work effectively with engineering, operations, and senior technical stakeholders

Nice to Have

• Background in telecom, carrier, or large infrastructure service organizations
• Exposure to customer‑facing or resale‑backed network platforms
• Cisco certifications (CCNP, CCIE, or equivalent experience)
• Experience with cost‑aware inter‑data‑center design and capacity modeling

Why This Role

• Senior architecture role with real technical ownership and influence
• Shared responsibility across a large, meaningful footprint (27 data centers)
• Stable, revenue‑backed platforms that are core to the business
• Architecture‑focused position emphasizing continuity, depth, and long‑term sustainability
• (not people management, not day‑to‑day operations, not short‑term delivery work)
• 
  

Everforth Apex is a world-class IT services company that serves thousands of clients across the globe. When you join Everforth Apex, you become part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We offer quality career resources, training, certifications, development opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in many awards, including ClearlyRateds Best of Staffing® in Talent Satisfaction in the United States and Great Place to Work® in the United Kingdom and Mexico.

Everforth Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click here for more details. By applying for this job, you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages, or emails from Everforth Apex and its affiliates, and contracted partners. Frequency varies for text messages. Message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. You can reply STOP to cancel and HELP for help. You can access our privacy policy at https://www.apexsystems.com/privacy-policy

Everforth Apex Benefits Overview: Everforth Apex offers a range of supplemental benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance plans that offer an optional layer of financial protection. We offer an ESPP (employee stock purchase program) and a 401K program which allows you to contribute typically within 30 days of starting, with a company match after 12 months of tenure. Everforth Apex also offers a HSA (Health Savings Account on the HDHP plan), a SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with up to 8 free counseling sessions, a corporate discount savings program and other discounts. In terms of professional development, Everforth Apex hosts an on-demand training program, provides access to certification prep and a library of technical and leadership courses/books/seminars once you have 6+ months of tenure, and certification discounts and other perks to associations that include CompTIA and IIBA. Everforth Apex has a dedicated customer service team for our Consultants that can address questions around benefits and other resources, as well as a certified Career Coach. You can access a full list of our benefits, programs, support teams and resources within our ‘Welcome Packet’ as well, which an Everforth Apex team member can provide.

Everforth Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Everforth Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law.

If you require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in an interview with a virtual recruiter or to use our website for a search or application, please contact our Benefits Department at [email protected] or 804-523-8228. Please note that this contact information is strictly to be used for medical ADA accommodations and that no other inquiries will be answered.

UnitedHealthcare creates and publishes the Transparency in Coverage Machine-Readable Files on behalf of Everforth Apex Systems.