Principal AI Engineer

We are seeking a highly technical, hands-on Network & Security AI Delivery Manager to lead the implementation of our next-generation AI-driven network and security platforms. This is a playing coach role, designed for a technical expert who thrives on building and deploying complex systems while providing leadership to a small, high-performing team.

The role is structured as a 70/30 split: 70% of your time will be spent as an individual contributor-architecting, coding, and implementing AI solutions within the network and security domain-and 30% will be dedicated to managing a team of up to 6 engineers, overseeing project delivery, and mentoring staff.

Technical Implementation & Delivery (70%)

• AI Platform Implementation: Lead the hands-on deployment and integration of AI/ML models into network operations, specifically focusing on predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, and automated incident response.

• Cisco Ecosystem Integration: Drive the technical execution of Cisco-centric networking solutions, utilizing Cisco Catalyst Center for wired/wireless monitoring and leveraging Custom AI platforms or Cisco AI Canvas to build and deploy network-specific AI use cases.

• NetDevOps & Automation: Develop and maintain advanced automation scripts (Python, Ansible, or Terraform) to streamline network operations and security workflows.

• Security AI Execution: Architect and implement AI-driven security projects, such as automated threat hunting, encrypted traffic analytics, and zero-trust architecture enhancements.

• Cloud Infrastructure: Manage and optimize network/security AI workloads within GCP or Azure, ensuring high availability, scalability, and cost-efficiency.

• Troubleshooting & Optimization: Act as the Tier 3/4 escalation point for complex technical issues involving AI model drift in network monitoring or security false positives.

Team Leadership & Project Management (30%)

• Team Management: Lead, mentor, and manage a team of up to 6 network and security engineers, fostering a culture of continuous learning and technical excellence.

• Delivery Oversight: Own the end-to-end delivery lifecycle of AI projects, from requirements gathering and sprint planning to final deployment and post-launch support.

• Stakeholder Communication: Translate complex technical AI concepts into actionable business insights for senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

• Resource Planning: Manage team capacity, performance reviews, and professional development paths for direct reports.

• Domain Expertise: Minimum of 8-10 years in IT Networking and Security, with a deep understanding of wired and wireless architectures.

• Cisco Proficiency: Hands-on experience with Cisco Catalyst Center and a strong working knowledge of Cisco's AI/ML roadmap (Cisco AI Canvas).

• AI/ML in Security: Proven track record of executing AI-driven projects specifically within the security domain (e.g., SIEM/SOAR enhancement, behavioral analytics).

• Automation Skills: Strong proficiency in Python and REST API integrations for network automation (NetOps).

• Cloud Skills: Professional-level experience with Google Cloud Platform (GCP) or Microsoft Azure, specifically regarding networking and AI/ML service stacks (e.g., Vertex AI or Azure Machine Learning).

• Leadership Experience: Prior experience managing technical teams or acting as a formal Lead Engineer with delivery responsibilities.