Principal Network Architect

Job Description

Brightspeed has an exciting opportunity for a Principal Network Engineer IP Management to join our team! As the Principal Engineer on the Network Architecture team, you play a critical role with regards to network support and device deployment. You will partner directly with IP Management Network Architect will work closely with Network Engineering, Operations, IT, Product, Security, Automation, and other Architecture teams to ensure Brightspeed’s IP management infrastructure is scalable, resilient, automated, and aligned with business and network growth requirements.

As an IP Management Network Architect, you will be responsible for the architecture, strategy, governance, and lifecycle management of Brightspeed’s IP address management, DNS, DHCP, and related network services. This role provides technical leadership for the systems and processes used to allocate, provision, secure, automate, and manage IP resources across Brightspeed’s broadband, enterprise, infrastructure, and network environments. Come join the team that will build the fastest fiber-optic network in America!

As the Principal Network Engineer, your duties and responsibilities will include:

• Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for IP Address Management (IPAM), DNS, DHCP, IPv4, IPv6, and related network services.
• Own the architecture and technical strategy for Brightspeed's IPAM, DNS, and DHCP infrastructure, including authoritative and recursive DNS services.
• Develop and maintain Brightspeed's IPv4 and IPv6 addressing strategy, including address allocation, subnetting, aggregation, utilization, reclamation, and capacity planning.
• Establish and maintain enterprise-wide IP address management standards, policies, naming conventions, and governance practices.
• Architect scalable solutions for managing IP resources across broadband subscriber, enterprise, network infrastructure, management, cloud, lab, and internal environments.
• Provide architectural leadership for IPv6 & IPv4 adoption and migration, including dual-stack architecture, address planning, routing considerations, subscriber addressing, and transition strategies.
• Develop strategies to optimize utilization of Brightspeed's existing IPv4 address space and identify opportunities for reclamation, consolidation, and more efficient allocation.
• Maintain awareness of Brightspeed's public IP address resources and support appropriate management of ARIN registrations, allocations, assignments, and associated records.
• Define architecture and requirements for automating IPAM, DNS, and DHCP activities through APIs, orchestration platforms, OSS/BSS systems, service-order workflows, and network automation tools.
• Provide architectural guidance for IP address assignment and management associated with BNG/BRAS, broadband subscribers, DIA, enterprise services, network infrastructure, and management networks.
• Develop architecture and standards for dynamic and static IP assignment, including customer requirements for public IP addresses and address blocks.
• Work closely with BNG, Access, Metro Ethernet, Core IP, Security, CPE, Cloud, and Enterprise architecture teams to ensure addressing requirements are incorporated into end-to-end network designs.
• Understand the relationship between IP address management and routing technologies such as BGP, OSPF, IS-IS, MPLS, Segment Routing, and VRFs.
• Provide technical leadership for issues involving IP routing, address reachability, geolocation, reputation, blacklisting, reverse DNS, and third-party Internet services.
• Develop roadmap recommendations for modernization and lifecycle management of Brightspeed's IP management infrastructure.
• Ability to understand and communicate the relationship between addressing, routing, provisioning, subscriber services, and customer applications.

Qualifications

WHAT IT TAKES TO CATCH OUR EYE:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, or a related technical discipline; equivalent telecommunications experience may be considered.
• 10+ years of telecommunications or large-scale network engineering experience, with significant experience in IP networking and network services.
• 5+ years in a senior network engineering, architecture, or IP management role.
• Expert knowledge of IPv4 and IPv6 addressing, including subnetting, CIDR, route aggregation, address allocation, utilization management, and address planning.
• Experience with Infoblox or comparable carrier-grade DDI/IPAM platforms.
• Experience with BNG, RADIUS, subscriber management, and broadband provisioning architecture.
• Experience with IP address management supporting GPON/XGS-PON, DSL, Ethernet, DIA, and Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) services.
• Vendor certifications or advanced technical training from Cisco, Juniper, Nokia, Infoblox, BlueCat, or equivalent network technology providers.
• Experience with RPKI, route security, IP reputation, geolocation, and Internet routing governance.

Additional Information

WHY JOIN US?

We aspire to contemporary ways of working.

Recognized as a Top Workplace by the Charlotte Observer, Brightspeed HQ is located on the 7th floor of the new Vantage South End - East Tower in Charlotte, NC. We prioritize hiring talent in the Charlotte area, whenever possible, to make it a truly vibrant destination for our hybrid workforce. At Brightspeed, we have roles that are designated as remote, hybrid, office or field-based, depending on the position, business needs and individual circumstances. We also invest in technology that enables our entire team to stay connected. Why? Because Brightspeed recognizes the value of finding the best talent for the job, wherever they may be.

We offer competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits.

Our benefits and paid time off programs reflect our underlying belief in promoting overall wellness through physical, emotional and financial health. Brightspeed offers a comprehensive benefit program, including competitive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance; an employee assistance program; a 401K plan with company match and a host of voluntary benefits. 

Inclusion and belonging are at the center of our grounding belief in Being Real. 

When we bring our authentic selves to work, everyone is better as a result. A diverse team helps us be fierce advocates for more accessible, inclusive and high-quality internet, because we believe doing so promotes equity in the communities we serve.

Brightspeed is an Equal Opportunity Employer that is committed to inclusion of all qualified individuals, including individuals with a disability/veterans. If you require reasonable accommodation to complete a job application or to otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact [email protected] to initiate the accommodations process. 

For all applicants, please take a moment to review our Privacy Notices:  

• Brightspeed’s Privacy Notice for California Residents
• Brightspeed’s Privacy Notice