Network Automation Engineer (NetDevOps, AI)

Network Automation Engineer (NetDevOps) – Contract📍 Location: San Francisco, CA (Hybrid – 4 days onsite/week)💲 Rate: $85–90/hr (All Inclusive)We're looking for a Network Automation Engineer with a strong enterprise networking background who has transitioned into NetDevOps and network automation. This is an exciting opportunity to build and automate a hybrid on-premises + Microsoft Azure network environment using modern Infrastructure-as-Code and CI/CD practices.Key ResponsibilitiesDesign and develop network automation for software upgrades, configuration management, compliance validation, and remediation across on-prem and Azure environments.Build and maintain automation using Python, Terraform, REST APIs, and Azure DevOps.Develop and manage CI/CD pipelines (Azure DevOps YAML Pipelines) for automated network deployments, validation, rollback, and testing.Leverage AI-assisted development tools such as Claude Code or GitHub Copilot to accelerate automation development and documentation.Partner with network engineering teams to automate operational workflows and drive NetDevOps adoption.Automate Cisco and Azure network infrastructure using vendor APIs and controllers.Support and troubleshoot enterprise networking including Cisco routing, switching, SD-WAN, firewalls, wireless, F5 load balancers, and Azure networking.Participate in Tier-2 network support, change management, root cause analysis, and after-hours on-call rotation.Required Skills3–6 years of enterprise Network Engineering experience with recent Network Automation/NetDevOps experience.Strong expertise in:PythonTerraform (Infrastructure as Code)Azure DevOps (Repos & YAML Pipelines)REST API automationGit-based development workflowsHands-on experience with:Cisco Routing & Switching (OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, VLANs, STP, HSRP/VRRP, QoS)Cisco SD-WAN (Versa or Cisco)Cisco Firepower/FTDCisco WirelessAzure Networking (Virtual Networks, ExpressRoute, Virtual WAN, Azure Firewall)F5 Load BalancersThousandEyesCisco Catalyst CenterCisco Nexus DashboardForward NetworksExperience with Network Access Control solutions such as Forescout, Cisco ISE, or Aruba ClearPass.Experience using AI coding assistants (Claude Code/GitHub Copilot) for infrastructure automation.Strong communication, collaboration, and documentation skills.Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or equivalent experience.Preferred QualificationsCCNP Enterprise or Cisco DevNet Associate/Professional certifications.Experience with:AIOpsLLM-assisted automationMCP integrationsVXLAN/EVPNNexus 9000Zero Trust / Micro-segmentationITIL environmentsLocation Requirement: Candidates must be local to the San Francisco Bay Area and able to work onsite 4 days per week.If you have a passion for Network Automation, Python, Terraform, Azure DevOps, Cisco technologies, and modern NetDevOps practices, we'd love to hear from you!