Network Automation Engineer

About The Company Opticore IT is a specialized Network Engineer and Project Management consultancy renowned for delivering innovative solutions across a diverse range of sectors including Finance, Broadcast Media, Telecommunications, and more. With a focus on fast-paced and challenging environments, Opticore IT offers a wide array of opportunities for professionals seeking to advance their careers in network engineering and project management. Our commitment to excellence and client satisfaction positions us as a trusted partner in transforming complex network infrastructures and delivering scalable, resilient, and efficient technological solutions. About The Role We are currently seeking a talented Network Automation Engineer to join our team and support a leading Financial Services client. This hybrid role, based in Central London with an expectation of working up to three days a week onsite, involves working at the intersection of networking and software engineering. The successful candidate will be instrumental in transforming how networking services are delivered across a global infrastructure by building automation frameworks, APIs, and tooling that ensure the network is scalable, self-service, and production-ready. You will be involved in both project work and business-as-usual activities, redefining network provisioning and management through automation-first engineering principles. Additionally, the role includes contributing to incident response, enhancing production reliability, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver resilient and scalable systems. Qualifications Proficiency in Python and software engineering fundamentals such as testing, version control, and CI/CD pipelinesStrong understanding of networking fundamentals including routing, switching, firewalls, and protocolsExperience with infrastructure-as-code tools such as Ansible, Terraform, and Jinja2Knowledge of containerization and orchestration platforms, including Docker and KubernetesFamiliarity with monitoring, observability, and telemetry solutions in distributed systemsExcellent problem-solving and analytical skillsEffective communication and collaboration abilitiesRelevant certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, Hashicorp, or Cloud Technology certifications are advantageous Responsibilities Design, develop, and evolve automation frameworks for network provisioning and lifecycle managementCreate infrastructure-as-code solutions using Python, Ansible, Terraform, and Jinja2Integrate network automation into CI/CD pipelines to streamline deployment processesDevelop APIs and self-service tooling to empower engineering teamsImplement observability and telemetry solutions to monitor network health and performanceCollaborate with Network, Platform, and Security teams to deliver resilient, scalable systemsParticipate in incident response activities and support ongoing production stabilityContribute to ongoing project work aimed at automating and optimizing network operations Benefits Competitive salary with discretionary bonus23 days of holiday plus bank holidaysPrivate healthcare and dental insuranceCompany pension schemeAccess to EV car schemes, workplace nursery, tech allowances, and cycle-to-work salary sacrifice schemesParticipation in team and company social eventsEquity through EMI share schemeInvestment in learning and development, including free training, labs, and courses in areas such as CCNP, CCIE, Hashicorp, Python, and Cloud Technologies Equal Opportunity At Opticore IT, we embrace diversity and are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees. We actively seek to build an inclusive workforce and support your application throughout the recruitment process. If you require any adjustments or accommodations during your application or interview, please do not hesitate to contact our recruitment team. We believe that a diverse team enhances our innovation and success, and we are dedicated to fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and empowered.