Network Engineer

Rate - £500 (A day)

Duration - 6 Months (Initially)

Location - SW London

IR35 - Outside

Role Overview

We are looking for a Senior Network Engineer to support a network refresh and transformation programme within a university environment. This role is hands-on and will involve working closely with internal IT teams and key stakeholders across the institution.

The successful candidate will contribute to the migration from Cisco to Extreme Networks infrastructure, with a strong focus on delivering robust, high-performing wired and wireless services that meet the needs of students, faculty, and staff.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the design and implementation of network infrastructure as part of the Cisco to Extreme Networks migration.
• Configure and deploy wired and wireless network solutions across campus environments.
• Work collaboratively with key university stakeholders to understand requirements and minimise disruption during change.
• Assist in network assessments, site surveys, and optimisation activities.
• Execute migration activities, including staging, deployment, testing, and validation.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex network issues across LAN, WAN, and WLAN.
• Ensure high availability and performance of wireless networks, particularly in high-density environments (e.g., lecture halls, student accommodation).
• Assist with the production and maintenance of technical documentation (LLDs, configurations, operational guides).
• Adhere to network security standards and best practices.
• Support knowledge transfer to internal IT teams.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Strong experience as a Network Engineer in enterprise or campus environments.
• Hands-on experience with Extreme Networks (switching, routing, and wireless).
• Solid background in Cisco networking technologies.
• Hands-on experience working with ClearPass NAC
• Hands-on experience working with Palo Alto firewalls
• Proven expertise in wireless networking, including design, deployment, and troubleshooting.
• Experience working in Higher Education (HE) or similar large, multi-site campus environments.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Layer 2 & Layer 3 networking (VLANs, STP, EIGRP, OSPF, BGP)
  • Wireless standards and RF optimisation
  • Network security fundamentals (ACLs, segmentation, NAC)
• Experience supporting network migration or transformation projects.
• Strong diagnostic and problem-solving skills.

Desirable Skills

• Experience with ExtremeCloud IQ or equivalent network management platforms.
• Understanding of automation/scripting (e.g., Python, Ansible).
• Relevant certifications (e.g., Extreme Networks, Cisco CCNP, CWNA/CWNP).
• Experience supporting large-scale wireless deployments in high-density environments.