Engineer (Core Networking)

Engineer, Core Networking 

 

Job Summary 

The Core Networking Engineer designs, implements, and operates the IP network infrastructure supporting Southern Linc’s mission-critical LTE services and continued 5G SA deployment. 

This role focuses on IP routing, BGP, data center networking, and network architecture, including the core data center fabric and connectivity. The engineer owns work across the engineering lifecycle, from design and implementation through troubleshooting, documentation, standards, and lifecycle management. 

The ideal candidate brings deep routing expertise, strong troubleshooting skills, and the ability to independently develop solutions for complex network problems. The team also supports firewalls and application delivery infrastructure. 

As part of a small engineering team, this role carries broad technical ownership and provides opportunities to influence engineering standards, technical direction, and network architecture. 

What You'll Do 

Serve as a technical resource for IP routing, BGP, data center networking, and network architecture. 

Design and support routing for the LTE and 5G packet cores, internet edge, and data center core. 

Own engineering efforts from design and lab validation through implementation, testing, documentation, and operational handoff. 

Troubleshoot complex routing, forwarding, convergence, asymmetric path, and application connectivity issues. 

Perform packet and protocol level analysis using routing tables, forwarding state, packet captures, logs, and telemetry. 

Develop network standards, reusable designs, peer-review practices, and implementation procedures. 

Evaluate new technologies through research, lab testing, and proof-of-concept deployments. 

Work with vendors on architecture, implementation, technical escalations, and product issues. 

Improve reliability and consistency through automation and repeatable engineering practices. 

Provide technical leadership through design ownership, collaboration, mentoring, and knowledge sharing. 

What We're Looking For 

Must Have 

Progressive hands on experience designing, implementing, and troubleshooting complex production IP networks. 

Deep practical knowledge of BGP, including path selection, routing policy, communities, route filtering and advertisement, redundancy, convergence, and traffic engineering. 

Strong networking fundamentals, including VRFs, ECMP, BFD, IPv4, Ethernet, VLANs, TCP/UDP, MTU, and packet forwarding behavior. 

• Strong packet level troubleshooting skills, including the ability to analyze traffic flows and protocol exchanges to identify routing, transport, application-connectivity, and network-security issues. 

• Experience correlating packet behavior with routing state, forwarding paths, firewall policy, NAT, and expected application flows. 

Ability to independently design and implement solutions rather than only execute predefined configurations. 

Ability to evaluate designs for resiliency, scalability, operational complexity, and risk. 

Strong technical communication, documentation, and collaboration skills. 

Ability to work effectively within a small team where engineers have broad technical ownership. 

Strongly Preferred 

Experience with several of the following is highly desirable: 

BGP EVPN and VXLAN 

Layer 3 leaf-spine architectures 

Advanced BGP routing policy design 

Arista EOS 

VRF based segmentation 

Internet edge or external BGP connectivity 

Highly available data center or service provider style architectures 

Network automation using Python, Ansible, APIs, or infrastructure-as-code practices 

Configuration management, source control, telemetry, or automated network validation 

Helpful Experience 

Experience in these areas is a plus, but is not required: 

• Advanced knowledge of next-generation and application aware firewalls 

Firewall routing, NAT, VPNs, segmentation, and stateful inspection 

VMware NSX-T 

• F5 LTM and WIP 

LTE, 5G SA, or mobile packet core networking 

• NetScout for network analytics and visibility 

Network security and cybersecurity best practices 

 

Prior LTE or telecommunications experience is preferred but not required. 

Education and Experience 

5+ years of progressive network engineering experience, or equivalent demonstrated expertise with complex production networks. 

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, or a related technical discipline is strongly preferred. 

• Professional networking certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, or advanced Arista ACE certifications are a plus. 

 

About the team

Southern LINC

About the company

Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. Providing clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy with excellent service is our mission. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network and telecommunications services. Through an industry-leading commitment to innovation, resilience and sustainability, we are taking action to meet customers' and communities' needs while advancing our goal of net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Our uncompromising values ensure we put the needs of those we serve at the center of everything we do and are the key to our sustained success. We are transforming energy into economic, environmental and social progress for tomorrow. Our corporate culture has been recognized by a variety of organizations, earning the company awards and recognitions that reflect Our Values and dedication to service. To learn more, visit www.southerncompany.com. 

Southern Company invests in the well-being of its employees and their families through a comprehensive total rewards strategy that includes competitive base salary, annual incentive awards for eligible employees and health, welfare and retirement benefits designed to support physical, financial, and emotional/social well-being. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation, such as an incentive program, with the amount of any bonus/awards subject to the terms and conditions of the applicable incentive plan(s). A summary of the benefits offered for this position can be found here https://seo.nlx.org/southernco/pdf/SOCO-Benefits.pdf. Additional and specific details about total compensation and benefits will also be provided during the hiring process.

Southern Company is an equal opportunity employer where an applicant's qualifications are considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other basis prohibited by law.