Sr. Network Engineer & Connectivity Architect at APCO Holdings – Ponte Vedra, Florida

The Sr. Network Engineer & Connectivity Architect serves as the principal architect of the organization’s enterprise connectivity platform (“The Backbone”), with a primary focus on Microsoft Azure networking, Cisco Meraki infrastructure, and identity-driven access (Active Directory & Entra ID).

This role is responsible for designing and operating a secure, highly resilient, and cloud-aligned network architecture, where access decisions are governed by user identity, device posture, and real-time risk signals, rather than traditional network boundaries.

Leveraging Infrastructure as Code (IaC), AIOps, and Zero Trust principles, this position ensures seamless, secure connectivity across Azure, on-prem environments, branch networks (Meraki), and SaaS platforms such as Microsoft 365, while enabling a scalable, automated, and self-healing infrastructure.

Identity-Driven Network Architecture (CORE)

Design and implement a network architecture where identity is the primary control plane. Integrate Active Directory (on-prem), Entra ID, and identity providers (Okta) with network enforcement points to enable real-time, identity-based access decisions.

Active Directory & Hybrid Identity Ownership

Architect and support enterprise-scale hybrid identity environments, including:

• Active Directory design (sites, replication, GPO strategy)

• Entra Connect (Azure AD Connect) synchronization

• Authentication protocols (Kerberos, NTLM, modern authentication)

• Secure integration with cloud and network services

Entra ID & Conditional Access Engineering

Design, implement, and optimize Conditional Access policies, including:

• MFA enforcement strategies

• Device compliance (Intune integration)

• Risk-based and session-based access controls

• Location-aware and Zero Trust access models

Zero Trust & Identity Enforcement

Lead the implementation of a Zero Trust architecture by aligning:

• Identity (Entra ID / Active Directory / Okta)

• Network (Azure, Meraki)

• Endpoint (Intune / device posture)

Ensure consistent enforcement of least privilege access across all environments.

Microsoft 365 Identity & Access Optimization

Ensure secure, high-performance access to Microsoft 365 by:

• Aligning identity policies with network routing and access controls

• Supporting modern authentication flows and token-based access

• Optimizing Teams, Exchange, and SharePoint connectivity

Azure-Centric Network Architecture

Design and implement scalable Azure networking solutions, including:

• Virtual Networks (VNet) and Hub-and-Spoke architectures

• Private Endpoints and Private Link

• Azure Firewall, NSGs, and routing strategies

• DNS architecture and name resolution

Meraki Network Design & Operations

Lead the design, deployment, and optimization of Cisco Meraki environments, including:

• MX (SD-WAN & security appliances)

• MS (switching)

• MR (wireless)

• Auto VPN and centralized cloud-based management

Hybrid Connectivity & Interconnects

Architect and manage secure connectivity between environments using:

• ExpressRoute

• VPN Gateways

• Meraki SD-WAN (Auto VPN)

Ensure low latency, high availability, and seamless failover.

Infrastructure as Code (IaC) & Automation

Manage network and cloud configurations as code using:

• Terraform, Bicep, or ARM templates

• CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps, GitHub Actions)

Ensure all deployments are standardized, repeatable, and auditable.

AI Ops & Observability

Implement monitoring and telemetry across Azure and Meraki using:

• Azure Monitor & Log Analytics

• Meraki Dashboard

• Observability tools (Dynatrace, Splunk, etc.)

Enable proactive detection, anomaly identification, and automated remediation.

Resiliency & Business Continuity Engineering (CRITICAL)

Design and maintain a highly resilient network architecture across Azure, Meraki, on-prem, and SaaS environments:

• Eliminate single points of failure

• Implement redundancy across WAN, LAN, wireless, and cloud

• Design for automated failover and rapid recovery

• Ensure identity-dependent services remain available during outages

Governance & Policy Enforcement

Establish and enforce governance using:

• Azure Policy and tagging standards

• Policy-as-Code frameworks

• Identity governance (access reviews, RBAC, least privilege)

Ensure compliance with security, regulatory, and enterprise standards.

Technical Expertise

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related technical field; Master’s degree in Information Systems Management preferred.
• In lieu of a degree, 12+ years of enterprise-level infrastructure experience with a proven track record of delivering automation-first networking projects.

Required Experience

• 8–10+ years of enterprise networking experience
• 5+ years of Active Directory experience (enterprise scale)
• 3+ years of Entra ID (Azure AD), Conditional Access, and MFA
• 3+ years of Azure networking experience
• 3+ years of Cisco Meraki experience (SD-WAN, switching, wireless)
• Experience designing hybrid connectivity (ExpressRoute, VPN, SD-WAN)
• Experience implementing IaC (Terraform, Bicep, ARM)
• Experience integrating identity with network and Zero Trust frameworks
• Proven experience leading a transition from legacy "box-by-box" management to a centralized, API-driven orchestration model.

• Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700)
• Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator (SC-300)
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Solutions Architect Expert
• Cisco Meraki Solutions Specialist (CMSS)
• Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) or CCNP Enterprise
• Cisco Certified DevNet Professional
• Hashi Corp Certified: Terraform Associate
• Certified Kubernetes Administrator (CKA)