Senior Network Engineer – Remote in Toronto

At Blue Mantis, we specialize in designing, implementing, and managing secure, high-performance digital operating environments for leading companies nationwide. With deep expertise in security and cloud technologies, we deliver end-to-end infrastructure solutions that empower businesses to achieve their objectives and excel in the digitally-driven economy. We are seeking a Senior Network Engineer and Team Lead to join our dynamic team. This individual will not only provide expert-level support for a large, complex customer environment but also lead a team of 4–6 Senior Network Engineers.

The role combines hands-on technical responsibilities with leadership, requiring expertise in managing, troubleshooting, and optimizing network technologies including Cisco and Nexus switches, Meraki, Palo Alto, and Check Point firewalls, physical and virtual F5 load balancers, and Cisco SANs. This is an excellent opportunity for a seasoned engineer with leadership experience to drive team performance, guide escalations, and make a significant impact in a challenging and rewarding environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Team Management: Lead and mentor a team of 4–6 Senior Network Engineers, providing guidance, support, and technical expertise.
• Daily Operations: Lead daily scrum calls to ensure team alignment on priorities and tasks. Manage and oversee escalations, ensuring timely resolution of incidents and major incidents.
• Incident and Major Incident Management: Quickly assess and resolve network-related incidents, ensuring minimal disruption to operations. Conduct root cause analysis (RCA) and implement preventive measures to avoid recurrence. Act as the point of escalation for high-priority or complex incidents. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive resolution and communicate status to stakeholders.
• Performance Reviews: Work closely with management to evaluate team performance, provide input for performance reviews, and assist in setting professional development goals.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise

• Leadership Skills: Proven ability to lead and support technical teams and delegate tasks effectively. Experience managing escalations and driving resolution during critical incidents. Strong organizational skills to manage team schedules, On-Call rotations, and workload distribution.
• Technical Skills:
  • Switching and Routing: Expertise in Cisco and Nexus switches, with a solid understanding of VLANs, trunking, spanning tree, and Layer 3 routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP).
  • Firewalls: Hands-on experience with Palo Alto and Check Point firewalls, including policy configuration, troubleshooting, high availability and optimization.
  • Wireless and Cloud Networking: Experience with Meraki networks and cloud-based management.
  • Load Balancing: Proficiency with physical and virtual F5 load balancers, including configuration and troubleshooting.
  • Monitoring and Automation: Familiarity with network monitoring tools (SolarWinds) and automation techniques using scripting (Python, Ansible, or similar).
• Soft Skills: Exceptional analytical and problem-solving abilities. Strong verbal and written communication skills to provide clear updates and create comprehensive documentation. Ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.

Experience: Minimum 8–12 years of experience in network engineering roles, including at least 2–3 years in a leadership or team lead capacity. Demonstrated success in managing escalations, incident management, and team operations. Experience with firmware updates, patch management, and hardware lifecycle management.

Certifications (Preferred): Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) or higher. Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE). Check Point Certified Security Expert (CCSE). F5 Certified Administrator or similar. ITIL or similar.