Sr Prin Network Engineer

Consumers Energy is Michigan's largest energy provider, providing natural gas and/or electricity to 6.8 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties. Consumers Energy knows job number one is to keep the lights on for customers. We are committed to delivering reliable, clean, and affordable energy to our customers 24/7.

This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship, e.g., H-1B, TN, etc. Please do not apply if you will need immigration sponsorship for a work visa now or in the future, including sponsorship for H-1B, TN, etc., now or in the future. We are unable to hire individuals with CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT for this position as the position is not eligible for participation in the H-1B lottery program and is not eligible for current or future immigration sponsorship for a work visa.

Location: This is a hybrid (virtual/onsite) position with required onsite days on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday assigned to One Energy Plaza located in Jackson, MI. The selected candidate must be within a commutable distance or willing to relocate (relocation package is available for those that qualify).

General Summary of Job Responsibilities

The Senior Principal Network Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, operating, and optimizing advanced network infrastructure across both on-premises and cloud environments. This role serves as a key technical leader, ensuring network security, reliability, scalability, and performance in support of organizational objectives. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in enterprise networking, cloud networking, network security, and automation. This role will also mentor engineers, lead strategic network initiatives, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to enhance network capabilities and overall performance.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Design, implement, operate, and maintain enterprise networks, including LAN, WLAN, and WAN environments, ensuring scalability, resilience, and reliability across on-premises and cloud environments, including AWS, Azure, and GCP.
• Stay informed of emerging networking technologies, industry trends, and security threats, and provide strategic recommendations to optimize and future-proof network infrastructure.
• Maintain comprehensive technical documentation, including network configurations, operational procedures, architectural designs, troubleshooting guides, and project plans.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand and address network requirements, providing technical guidance and support as needed.
• Develop and implement network automation strategies using Terraform, Ansible, Python, or PowerShell to improve operational efficiency, security, consistency, and scalability.
• Monitor, troubleshoot, and resolve critical network issues, provide Tier 3 escalation support, and lead root cause analysis to ensure optimal network performance and reliability.
• Mentor and guide engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning, technical excellence, and professional development.
• Develop and document network architectures, operational procedures, standards, and troubleshooting guidelines.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Strong strategic thinking and technical leadership capabilities, with demonstrated experience leading large-scale networking initiatives and influencing key stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain complex networking concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Proven ability to mentor and guide engineers while fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Strong teamwork and problem-solving skills, with the ability to balance business requirements with security, reliability, and operational excellence.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively and embody the principles of being humble, hungry, and people smart.
• Expert-level knowledge of network architectures and protocols, including BGP, OSPF, MPLS, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VXLAN, and EVPN.
• Deep expertise in cloud networking technologies, including AWS VPC, Azure Virtual WAN, GCP VPC, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect, ExpressRoute, and cloud load balancing.
• Proficiency in network automation and scripting using technologies such as Terraform, Ansible, Python, and PowerShell to streamline and improve network operations.
• Experience with SD-WAN, network virtualization, and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies, including Cisco ACI, VMware NSX, and AWS Transit Gateway.
• Advanced troubleshooting skills, with the ability to diagnose and resolve complex, multi-layered network issues across on-premises and cloud environments.

Education/Experience

• Bachelors degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Network Engineering, or a related field, with the following required experience:

• Ten (10) or more years of hands-on network engineering experience, including the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of enterprise-scale networks.

• Four (4) or more years of hands-on cloud networking experience within AWS, Azure, or GCP environments.

• Four (4) or more years of experience with SD-WAN, network segmentation, and automation tools designed to enhance network efficiency, security, and scalability.

• Four (4) or more years of experience leading technical projects and mentoring engineers.

• Seven (7) or more years of experience designing and supporting large-scale enterprise networks, including hybrid cloud environments.

• [OR] Associates degree in a related field, with:

• Twelve (12) or more years of hands-on network engineering experience, including the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of enterprise-scale networks.

• Six (6) or more years of hands-on cloud networking experience within AWS, Azure, or GCP environments.

• Six (6) or more years of experience with SD-WAN, network segmentation, and automation tools designed to enhance network efficiency, security, and scalability.

• Six (6) or more years of experience leading technical projects and mentoring engineers.

• Nine (9) or more years of experience designing and supporting large-scale enterprise networks, including hybrid cloud environments.

• [OR] High school diploma or GED, with:

• Fourteen (14) or more years of hands-on network engineering experience, including the design, implementation, operation, and maintenance of enterprise-scale networks.

• Eight (8) or more years of hands-on cloud networking experience within AWS, Azure, or GCP environments.

• Eight (8)or more years of experience with SD-WAN, network segmentation, and automation tools designed to enhance network efficiency, security, and scalability.

• Eight (8)or more years of experience leading technical projects and mentoring engineers.

• Eleven (11) or more years of experience designing and supporting large-scale enterprise networks, including hybrid cloud environments.

Why should you join our team?

At Consumers Energy, we offer more than just a place to work. We foster a culture that supports career development, growth, and stability, and we take pride in offering our co-workers excellent benefits and compensation packages. We are deliberately creating an inclusive culture that makes our diverse team of co-workers feel valued, supported, and empowered every day. Were a company made up of thousands of people, all with different stories to share and work to do, but we stand united in our company purpose: world class performance delivering hometown service.

What we offer:

• Competitive compensation packages
• Medical, Dental and Vision
• 401k with company match
• Paid parental leave
• Up to 13 paid Holidays
• Paid time off
• Educational Assistance Program

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

We, at CMS Energy, value Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion. It is part of our DNA. We treat our employees with respect, we treat each other fairly and we value the opinions of others. We are passionate about building and nurturing an environment where everyone feels included. We don't discriminate. We seek to learn about each other and better understand our unique differences. Our uniqueness makes us authentic. We create safe spaces where everyone can be who they truly are. We invite difficult conversations and uncomfortable topics. We value diverse perspectives; this is what makes us great together. We harbor an inclusive environment where employees feel empowered to share their backgrounds, experiences, and ideas. Our Employee Resource Groups, Women in Energy (WE), Minority Advisory Panel (MAP), Pride Alliance of Consumers Energy (PACE), GENERGY (Different Generations), capable (Different Abilities), Interfaith, People Planet Partners, and Veterans Advisory Panel (VAP) are key enablers to living the values of our company culture: Caring, Empowered, Deliberate, Agility, and Ownership.

All qualified applicants will not be discriminated against and will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected veteran status, disability, race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or national origin.