IP Core Network Engineer Job

Swift Networks Limited is a facilities-based telecommunications services provider. The company was founded in 2002, since inception, Swift Networks has invested heavily in “next generation” networking technologies to build a multi-service network platform. Due to rapid expansion, we are looking for a qualified candidate to fill a creative technical position as we hope to maintain our status as the leading broadband connectivity services provider in Nigeria.

Job Location: Lagos
Employment Type: Full-time (On-Site)
Department: Network Operations Center (NOC)
Reports to: NOC Manager

Job Summary

• We are seeking a skilled IP Core Network Engineer to join our NOC team at a leading ISP.
• In this role, you will monitor, maintain, and optimize our IP core network infrastructure to ensure 99.99% uptime, seamless customer connectivity, and rapid issue resolution.
• You'll troubleshoot complex network incidents, perform proactive maintenance, and collaborate with engineering teams to scale our backbone for growing broadband demand.

Key Responsibilities

• Monitor the IP core network (routers, switches, MPLS, BGP, OSPF, etc.) using NOC tools and proactively identify and resolve performance or availability issues.
• Perform daily network operations tasks, configuration changes, and maintenance activities on core IP nodes in line with defined procedures and KPIs.
• Troubleshoot complex IP and routing issues (BGP, OSPF, MPLS, L2/L3 VPNs, QoS, etc.), analyze logs/traces, and coordinate with vendors or field teams for restoration and root cause analysis.
• Support the management and maintenance of Internet Gateway (IGW) and core transit networks, including traffic engineering and route policy optimization.
• Execute planned activities such as hardware acceptance tests, software upgrades, configuration audits, and network optimization to enhance service quality and performance
• Act as the primary technical escalation point for IP and core network incidents, coordinating with Customer Support, Field Operations, Transmission, and external carriers/vendors until resolution.
• Analyze network traffic patterns with tools like Wireshark or NetFlow to identify anomalies, bottlenecks, and security threats.
• Collaborate with field teams for hardware escalations and with design engineers for capacity planning and new peering implementations.
• Generate daily/weekly reports on network health, SLAs, and incident metrics; escalate Tier 3 issues to senior engineers.
• Ensure compliance with ISP regulations, peering agreements, and best practices for redundancy (e.g., SR/TE, FRR).
• Participate in 24/7 on-call rotations for incident response, aiming for 15-minute MTTR.

Qualifications and Skills

• MUST possess HND - Upper Credit or (Second Class Upper Division) or a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Electrical / Electronics Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).
• 3 - 5 years of experience in IP core network operations, preferably within an ISP or telecom operator NOC environment.
• Strong hands-on experience with IP routing protocols: BGP, OSPF, ISIS, MPLS, L2VPN, L3VPN, and QoS/traffic engineering.
• Practical experience configuring and operating Cisco or equivalent IP routers and switches; familiarity with vendor-specific tools and CLI.
• Solid understanding of TCP/IP, subnetting, ACLs, NAT, and core IP network design principles.
• Experience with NOC monitoring tools(e.g., SolarWinds, PRTG, or similar) and ticketing/incident management systems.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities, and communicate technical issues clearly to peers and stakeholders.
• Willingness to work in a 24x7 shift-based NOC environment, including nights and weekends

Preferred (Plus Points):

• Knowledge of transport technologies such as DWDM or microwave backhaul.
• Exposure to firewalls, IDS/IPS, and security best practices for core IP networks.
• Professional certifications such as CCNP/CCIE, JNCIP/JNCIE, or equivalent are highly desirable.
• Experience with SDN/NFV (e.g., OpenDaylight, Contrail).
• Knowledge of IPv6 migration, DDoS mitigation, and ISP peering (e.g., IXP like NIXI or local Lagos IX).
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills.
• Strong attention to detail and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable Skills/Knowledge/Traits:

• Experience with Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies.
• Familiarity with network automation and scripting languages (Python, Ansible, etc.).
• Understanding of cloud networking principles and architectures (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Knowledge of IPv6 deployment and migration strategies.
• Experience with network monitoring and management tools (Nagios, SolarWinds, PRTG, etc.).
• Certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, JNCIP, or equivalent.

Salary
N250,000 - N400,000 monthly.

Method of Application
Interested and qualified candidates should forward their CVs to: [email protected] and use the Job Position as the subject of the email.