Principal Engineer, Core Network

Wide Open West

Denver, Colorado(remote)

JOB DETAILS
SKILLS
Administrative Skills, Analysis Skills, Architectural Services, Automation, BGP, Compensation and Benefits, Computer Networks, Crisis Management, Cross-Functional, Dental Insurance, High Availability, Identify Issues, Label Distribution Protocol (LDP), Leadership, Link State Protocol, MPLS (Multi-Protocol Label Switching), Mentoring, Multicast, Network Administration/Management, Network Architecture/Engineering, Network Design, Network Performance/Analysis, Network Routing, Network Security, Open Shortest Path First Protocol (OSPF), Performance Management, Physical Demands, QoS (Quality of Service), RSVP (Reservation Protocol), Routing Protocols, Talent Management, Team Lead/Manager, Technical Leadership, User Documentation, VPN (Virtual Private Network), Vision Plan
LOCATION
Denver, Colorado
POSTED
2 days ago
Principal Engineer, Core Network

Location Requirement:This position operates on a hybrid schedule (3 days in-office, 2 days remote). Candidates must be within 45 minutes of an office and able to regularly commute to work as required. This is not a fully remote opportunity.

The Opportunity

We're looking for a Principal Engineer, Core Network to serve as the lead architect and technical visionary for our global network infrastructure.

In this highly impactful role, you will drive the evolution of next-generation networking technologies - including Segment Routing - while leveraging deep expertise in OSPF, ISIS, BGP, and MPLS to solve complex connectivity challenges at scale.

This is more than a technical leadership position. As a Principal Engineer, you'll play a critical role in shaping network strategy, ensuring stability and performance across enterprise-grade environments, and mentoring engineering talent to elevate the organization's technical capabilities. You'll bridge high-level business priorities with scalable, resilient, and increasingly automated network execution.

Compensation & Benefits

  • Salary: Up to $160,000 depending on experience


  • Medical, dental, and vision insurance


  • 4 01(k) with company match


  • Paid Time Off (PTO) and paid holidays


  • Tuition reimbursement , f lexible spending and health savings account options


  • Employee discounts on WOW! services in applicable service areas


  • Career development opportunities and the ability to make a meaningful impact within a growing organization


What You'll Do

You will be responsible for designing, scaling, optimizing, and modernizing high-availability network infrastructure, including:
  • Designing and scaling high-availability service provider or enterprise-grade networks
  • Leading the transition to next-generation network architectures, including Segment Routing
  • Optimizing core routing protocols including:
    • OSPF
    • ISIS
    • BGP

    to improve overall network performance and stability
  • Architecting and maintaining MPLS-based services, including:
    • RSVP-TE
    • LDP
  • Serving as the final escalation point during critical, large-scale network outages
  • Mentoring both junior and senior engineers to raise the team's collective technical expertise
  • Driving automation initiatives to reduce manual configuration efforts and minimize human error
  • Performing additional duties as assigned


What You Bring

Minimum Required Education & Experience
  • 7+ years of experience in large-scale network engineering and architecture
  • Expert-level mastery of Link State routing protocols, including:
    • OSPF
    • ISIS
  • Deep expertise in BGP, including:
    • iBGP
    • eBGP
    • Communities
    • Policy Routing
  • Advanced knowledge of MPLS, including:
    • L2/L3 VPNs
    • Multicast
    • RSVP traffic engineering
  • Strong understanding of:
    • Network Security
    • Quality of Service (QoS)
    • High-Availability Network Design
  • Bachelor's or Associate degree in a field related to Computer Networking


Skills & Abilities for Success in This Role

Strategic Foresight

The ability to anticipate how architectural decisions made today will impact business performance and scalability over the next 3-5 years.

Influential Leadership

Confidence navigating complex stakeholder environments and building alignment around major infrastructure investments - even without direct authority.

Decisive Crisis Management

A calm-under-pressure mindset with the ability to lead teams through high-impact outages and restore service quickly and effectively.

Effective Mentorship

A genuine passion for developing engineering talent and helping junior team members grow into senior technical leaders.

Analytical Troubleshooting

A methodical, data-driven approach to solving highly complex networking challenges using logic, analysis, and packet-level insights.

Cross-Functional Communication

The ability to translate technical network concepts into business value for executives, stakeholders, and non-technical partners.

Physical Demands

About the Company

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Wide Open West