Senior Network Engineer

AFL manufactures industry-leading fiber optic cable, connectivity and accessories and provides engineering and installation services for some of the largest telecom customers in the world. Our company was founded in 1984 with a single fiber optic cable and today, we manufacture thousands of products, generate an excess of $2B in revenue, and employ approximately 11,000 associates worldwide. At AFL, we recognize that our employees are our greatest asset. We hire and train each individual, investing in them to ensure success in their careers. With a commitment to professional development and growth, let us connect you to your next career opportunity.

What We Offer:

• A hybrid in office schedule for qualifying employees
• Flexible time off policy
• 401K Company match (up to 4% - dollar for dollar)
• Professional development, training, and tuition reimbursement programs
• Excellent medical, dental, vision, and life insurance policy options
• Opportunities for career advancement with an industry leading company!

We are seeking a Senior Network Engineer to join our corporate IT organization at our Headquarters in Duncan, SC. The Senior Network Engineer is responsible for the efficient configuration, deployment, maintenance, security, and availability of the organization's network infrastructure. This includes advanced support for networking hardware, Layer 3 routing, and wireless technologies, with a special emphasis on Fortinet firewalls, switches, and access points. The engineer collaborates with stakeholders to define project goals, manage risk, ensure compliance, maintain high-performance and secure connectivity across all environments.

Project-Based Responsibilities

• Plan and implement hardware, software, and service installations aligned with architectural guidelines and project plans.
• Lead or support infrastructure-focused projects from planning through execution.
• Draft procedures and installation instructions for analysts and administrators.
• Ensure security protocols are integrated into infrastructure planning and execution.

Day-to-Day Operational Duties

• Maintain accurate inventory and configuration documentation of network and system assets.
• Monitor and update system software and hardware to maintain compliance and performance.
• Apply security and firmware patches following change management protocols.
• Maintain and optimize Fortinet-based firewall, switch, and wireless infrastructure.
• Manage and troubleshoot Layer 3 routing configurations and performance.
• Monitor logs, system performance, and availability across the network.
• Respond to and resolve incidents and support escalations (Tier 3).
• Define, maintain, and test disaster recovery and business continuity procedures.
• Manage network backups
• ZScaler administration

Required Qualifications

• Associate's degree or equivalent experience; Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field preferred.
• 10+ years of relevant networking experience, with at least 5 years in LAN/WAN/WLAN design and implementation.
• Deep technical experience with Fortinet security and networking solutions, including FortiGate firewalls, FortiSwitch, and FortiAP.
• Advanced understanding of Layer 3 networking concepts, including dynamic and static routing, VLANs, subnetting, and inter-VLAN routing.
• Strong command of network management and security best practices.
• Proven ability to work with routing protocols, firewalls, switches, access points, and network monitoring tools.
• Familiarity with network protocols (TCP/IP, IEEE 802.11), RF optimization, PoE, and wireless security threats and mitigations.
• Experience with ZScaler administration
• Ability to work some evening and weekends as needed is required
• Ability to travel approximately 25% or less.

Certifications (Preferred but not required)

• Fortinet NSE certifications (e.g., NSE 4 or higher)
• Cisco CCNA/CCNP
• CompTIA Network+/Security+

Personal Qualities

• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Effective verbal and written communication.
• Ability to clearly explain technical concepts to non-technical users.
• Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and initiative.
• Team player with a willingness to mentor junior staff.