Networking Engineer

Position Title: Network Engineer (Contract-to-Hire)
Location: Columbus, Ohio (Hybrid/Onsite 3days in summer and 4 days remaining season)
Duration: 6-Month Contract-to-Hire
Industry: Restaurant & Hospitality
Environment: Microsoft Azure Cloud, Multi-Site Restaurant Operations

Position Overview
We are seeking a skilled Network Engineer for a contract-to-hire opportunity with a rapidly growing restaurant chain headquartered in Columbus, Ohio. The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing, implementing, maintaining, and supporting network infrastructure across multiple restaurant locations and corporate offices while ensuring seamless connectivity to Azure cloud services.
This role requires a strong background in enterprise networking, SD-WAN, cloud networking, security, and troubleshooting within a distributed retail or hospitality environment.

Key Responsibilities
Network Infrastructure Management
Design, implement, and support LAN/WAN network infrastructure across corporate and restaurant locations.
Manage routers, switches, firewalls, wireless networks, VPNs, and SD-WAN solutions.
Monitor network performance, availability, and capacity planning.
Troubleshoot network outages and performance issues impacting restaurant operations and corporate users.

Azure Cloud Networking
Configure and support Azure networking components including:
Virtual Networks (VNets)
Network Security Groups (NSGs)
VPN Gateways
ExpressRoute (preferred)
Azure Load Balancers
Azure Firewall
Private Endpoints
Support hybrid connectivity between on-premises locations and Azure environments.
Collaborate with cloud and infrastructure teams on cloud migration and optimization initiatives.

Security & Compliance
Implement network security best practices.
Manage firewall policies, VPN configurations, network segmentation, and access controls.
Participate in vulnerability remediation and security audits.
Support PCI-DSS compliance initiatives within restaurant operations.

Restaurant Operations Support
Ensure reliable connectivity for:
POS systems
Payment processing platforms
Inventory systems
Guest Wi-Fi
Corporate applications
Support network deployments for new restaurant openings and remodels.
Coordinate with telecom providers and managed service partners.

Documentation & Support
Maintain network diagrams, configurations, and operational documentation.
Participate in on-call support rotation as needed.
Provide Tier 2/Tier 3 escalation support for network-related incidents.

Required Qualifications
5+ years of Network Engineering experience.
Strong experience supporting multi-site enterprise environments.
Hands-on experience with:
Cisco, Meraki, Fortinet, Palo Alto, or Aruba networking solutions
Routing and switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, VLANs, STP)
SD-WAN technologies
Wireless network design and support
Experience with Azure networking services.
Strong understanding of:
TCP/IP
DNS
DHCP
VPN technologies
Network security principles
Experience with network monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
Excellent communication and documentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications
Experience supporting restaurant, retail, hospitality, or franchise environments.
Microsoft Azure certifications:
Azure Administrator Associate
Azure Network Engineer Associate (AZ-700)
Cisco certifications (CCNA, CCNP) or equivalent.
Experience with PCI compliance requirements.
Experience with cloud security and Zero Trust networking models.
Scripting/automation experience with PowerShell, Python, or Terraform.

Education
Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field preferred.
Equivalent work experience will be considered.

Employment Type
Contract-to-Hire
The initial contract period is expected to be 6 months, with the opportunity to convert to a full-time employee based on performance and business needs.