The final salary or hourly wage, as applicable, paid to each candidate/applicant for this position is ultimately dependent on a variety of factors, including, but not limited to, the candidate’s/applicant’s qualifications, skills, and level of experience as well as the geographical location of the position.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Sponsorship not available.

Our client is seeking a Automation Engineer in Pittsburgh, PA.

Role Description

We are seeking a results-oriented Network Automation Engineer to champion the automation of our network infrastructure, driving improvements in agility, security, and operational efficiency.
• You will be responsible for designing, developing, and implementing end-to-end automation solutions, leveraging Infrastructure as Code (IaC), orchestration platforms, and robust testing methodologies.
• The ideal candidate possesses a blend of deep networking expertise, advanced programming skills, a strong understanding of DevOps principles, and a passion for transforming network operations through automation.
• They will be a key driver in enabling a self-service, programmable network environment.
• Design, develop, and maintain modular, reusable, and scalable network automation solutions using Python, Go, or similar languages, adhering to software development best practices (e.g., SOLID principles, test-driven development).
• Implement Infrastructure as Code (IaC) using tools like Ansible, Terraform, or CloudFormation to automate network provisioning, configuration, and management across physical, virtual, and cloud environments.
• Integrate automation workflows with network security, monitoring, and observability platforms (e.g., Cisco DNA Center, NetBrain, Splunk, ELK stack) to enable closed-loop automation and proactive issue resolution.
• Automate the deployment, configuration, and lifecycle management of network devices (switches, routers, firewalls, load balancers, wireless controllers) from various vendors, ensuring consistency and compliance.
• Collaborate with network architects, security engineers, and operations teams to define and enforce network standards, policies, and security baselines through automation.
• Develop and maintain CI/CD pipelines for network automation code, incorporating automated testing (unit, integration, end-to-end) and validation to ensure code quality and prevent regressions.
• Implement network telemetry and analytics solutions to collect network performance data, identify anomalies, and optimize network resources.
• Create and maintain comprehensive documentation of automation workflows, scripts, APIs, and infrastructure configurations, adhering to industry best practices for documentation.
• Monitor and troubleshoot automated tasks and workflows, implementing robust error handling and alerting mechanisms to ensure reliability and minimize downtime.
• Participate in network lifecycle management, capacity planning, and scalability exercises, leveraging automation to streamline these processes and improve efficiency.
• Contribute to the development of a self-service network automation portal, empowering users to provision and manage network resources on demand.
• Ensure network automation processes align with security policies and compliance requirements, implementing automated security configurations and vulnerability management processes.

Skills & Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in network engineering with at least 3 years of experience in network automation.
• Expert proficiency in Python, Go, or other relevant programming languages, with a strong understanding of software development principles.
• Extensive hands-on experience with IaC tools such as Ansible, Terraform, or CloudFormation.
• Deep understanding of network protocols and platforms (TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs, SDN, Cisco, Juniper, Arista, cloud networking).
• Proven experience with REST APIs, data serialization formats (JSON, YAML), and API testing tools (Postman, cURL).
• Solid understanding of Git, CI/CD practices, and Agile/DevOps methodologies.
• Experience working in Linux/Unix environments and with containerization technologies (Docker, Kubernetes).
• Experience with network monitoring and observability tools (e.g., Splunk, ELK stack, Prometheus, Grafana).
• Relevant certifications (e.g., Cisco Certified DevNet Professional, AWS Certified DevOps Engineer, Azure DevOps Engineer Expert) preferred.
• Strong communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills

Benefits/Other Compensation

This position is a contract/temporary role where Hays offers you the opportunity to enroll in full medical benefits, dental benefits, vision benefits, 401K and Life Insurance ($20,000 benefit).

Why Hays?

You will be working with a professional recruiter who has intimate knowledge of the industry and market trends. Your Hays recruiter will lead you through a thorough screening process in order to understand your skills, experience, needs, and drivers. You will also get support on resume writing, interview tips, and career planning, so when there’s a position you really want, you’re fully prepared to get it.

Nervous about an upcoming interview? Unsure how to write a new resume?

Visit the Hays Career Advice section to learn top tips to help you stand out from the crowd when job hunting.

Hays is committed to building a thriving culture of diversity that embraces people with different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. We believe that the more inclusive we are, the better we serve our candidates, clients, and employees. We are an equal employment opportunity employer, and we comply with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, or gender identity), age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, veteran status, marital status, genetic information, HIV-positive status, as well as any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. One of Hays’ guiding principles is ‘do the right thing’.
We also believe that actions speak louder than words.
In that regard, we train our staff on ensuring inclusivity throughout the entire recruitment process and counsel our clients on these principles. If you have any questions about Hays or any of our processes, please contact us.

In accordance with applicable federal, state, and local law protecting qualified individuals with known disabilities, Hays will attempt to reasonably accommodate those individuals unless doing so would create an undue hardship on the company. Any qualified applicant or consultant with a disability who requires an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job should call or text 813.336.5570.

Drug testing may be required; please contact a recruiter for more information.

#LI-DNI