3 min read

Network Engineer Job Description

joseph cole

Updated on December 12, 2022

Network Engineer Job Description

joseph cole

Updated on December 12, 2022

In this post

CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT

Accelerate the hiring of top talent

Make talent quality your leading analytic with skills-based hiring solution.

Get started

Network Engineers use data mining techniques to identify the network entity related to a problem or remove risk from the network itself. Also called Network Architects, their primary goal is to provide maximum network infrastructure, security, and performance to the end users.

This template contains the network engineer job description, requirements, and responsibilities that help you find the right candidate for the job. You can modify it to fit your organization’s unique needs.

Network Engineer Job Description

We are hiring Network Engineers who can diagnose and troubleshoot network issues.

Candidates must be well versed in network infrastructure and hardware.

Certifications in CCIE, CCNP, JNCIE ENT, CompTIA Network++, and WCNA are a major plus.

What Are We Looking For?

  • Advanced degrees in information systems or network engineering (nice to have)
  • Skills in network security, cyber security, and forensics
  • Great passion for automation and optimization
  • Familiarity with cloud infrastructure and cloud computing
  • Versed in programming languages like Python, Perl, Bash, and Golang

Network Engineer Salary and Job Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not track “Network Engineer” as a standalone title, but its closest match, Computer Network Architects, reported a median annual wage of $134,050 in 2025. The BLS projects 8 percent employment growth for the role between 2025 and 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations, with about 9,600 openings projected each year over the decade.

What a Day in the Life of a Network Engineer Will Look Like?

  • Install, configure, troubleshoot, and support routers, firewalls, and switches (servers, load balancers, storage arrays, network attached storage, network equipment, and related peripherals are managed by system engineering)
  • Working knowledge of network equipment like Cisco routers and switches
  • Working knowledge of network protocols, technologies, services, and monitoring tools
  • Manage vendor and product provisioning, procurement, and delivery of data services hardware and software
  • Serve as a resource for infrastructure projects covering voice and data network design, development, and implementation
  • Prioritize work based on business criticality and stay flexible to work on ad hoc tasks as assigned by the manager
  • Provide support for branch and home office network systems including routers, switches, hubs, and network maintenance and support equipment
  • Interact with all data vendors to ensure adequate services, support, and maintenance
  • Troubleshoot system failures, circuit failures, and configuration issues in a production environment
  • Create and maintain documentation for the network infrastructure

Frequently Asked Questions

What certifications should a Network Engineer candidate have?
CCIE, CCNP, JNCIE ENT, CompTIA Network+, and WCNA are the certifications most commonly requested for this role, though the exact mix depends on the vendor ecosystem your organization runs.

What is the difference between a Network Engineer and a Network Architect?
The titles are largely used interchangeably in job postings. Where organizations do distinguish them, “Architect” usually leans toward designing the overall network strategy, while “Engineer” leans toward building, configuring, and maintaining it day to day.

What programming skills matter for a Network Engineer?
Scripting and automation skills in languages like Python, Perl, Bash, and Golang are increasingly expected, since they let a Network Engineer automate configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting instead of handling every task manually.

How do you evaluate a Network Engineer candidate’s real world skill before hiring?
Structured, role specific assessments that test actual troubleshooting and configuration ability give a clearer signal than a resume or certification list alone, since they show how a candidate performs under realistic network scenarios.

How Can Glider AI Help You With Hiring a Network Engineer?

Glider’s recruitment platform is built on the mission of “competency over credentials.” This way, you can make the most of the hiring assessments through a structured and data driven candidate evaluation process.

Glider AI’s Unique Features

  • Conversational chatbot for talent screening
  • On demand, one way interviews
  • Interactive, coding enabled skill tests
  • Task based and live coding enabled video interviews
  • Advanced AI proctoring
  • Powerful candidate analytics

Discover Hiring Resources for Network Engineers

Access thousands of pre built assessments covering hundreds of skills, all validated by subject matter experts, including assessments built for the Network Engineer role.

Go ahead and spotlight your next Network Engineer hire with Glider AI today!

Why Candidates No Longer Trust Job Postings, and What Employers Can Do About It

Candidate trust in job postings has eroded to the point where treating a listing as a good faith, straightforward offer is now the exception rather than the default assumption. This is not one problem, it is several separate failures that have compounded on top of each other over a short period. Only 8 percent of […]

Skillfishing: The New Recruiting Trend Replacing Traditional Job Descriptions

Skillfishing describes candidates, and sometimes existing employees, who overstate their capabilities, presenting a version of themselves on paper that looks strong but does not hold up once the actual work begins. The term is new, but the underlying research behind it is not a fringe finding. A full 91 percent of HR professionals now believe […]

Communications Assistant Job Description

This Communications Assistant job description template can be posted to online job boards and career pages to attract suitable candidates. The Communications Assistant job description, responsibilities, and requirements provided here can be customized based on your company’s needs. Key Responsibilities Job Statement We are looking for a Communications Assistant to support our communication efforts across […]

chevron-down