SD-WAN Expert / Network Solutions Engineer

Job Role: SD-WAN Expert / Network Solutions Engineer
Employment Type: Permanent
Remote/Hybrid or Office Based: Hybrid/remote
Salary Range: 35k - 45k

About us
FT Select is a niche technology search and selection company, specialising in recruiting elite Sales Executives and high-end Technology specialists for high-growth tech businesses.

About the Company
Founded in the mid-1990s. our client was built on a simple belief: technology should serve people, not the other way around. From our headquarters in Sparta, NJ, with offices in Charlotte, London, and Amsterdam, they support global enterprises navigating complex digital transformation journeys. Privately held and minority-owned, they’ve spent nearly 30 years helping organisations build capability, reduce risk, and move forward with confidence. At their core is a people-first culture, grounded in honesty, integrity, and partnership.

Description of Role
We are recruiting for an experienced SD-WAN Expert to join our client’s networking team. This role is responsible for designing, deploying, and supporting SD-WAN solutions for enterprise and mid-market customers. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise with strong customer-facing and consultative skills, working closely with sales, pre-sales, and managed services teams to deliver reliable, secure, and scalable WAN solutions.

Key Responsibilities
Technical & Delivery
• Design, deploy, and optimise SD-WAN solutions across multi-site customer environments
• Lead SD-WAN implementations, migrations from MPLS to broadband/LTE/5G, and hybrid WAN designs
• Perform network assessments and create high-level and low-level designs (HLD/LLD)
• Configure and support routing, QoS, application-aware routing, and traffic steering
• Integrate SD-WAN with:
o Firewalls and SASE platforms
o Cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP)
o VPNs, BGP, OSPF, and IPsec
• Troubleshoot complex WAN, routing, and application-performance issues
• Provide Tier-3 escalation support for managed services customers
Pre-Sales & Customer Engagement
• Act as a technical advisor during pre-sales engagements
• Participate in customer meetings, solution workshops, and proofs-of-concept (POCs)
• Translate business requirements into technical solutions and proposals
• Assist with RFP/RFI responses and solution documentation
• Present architectures and designs to technical and executive stakeholders
Vendor & Practice Development
• Maintain deep expertise in one or more SD-WAN vendors, such as:
o Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela / Meraki)
o Fortinet Secure SD-WAN
o VMware VeloCloud
o Palo Alto Prisma SD-WAN
• Work with vendor partners on training, certifications, and best practices
• Help develop SD-WAN standards, templates, and repeatable service offerings
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to internal knowledge bases

Requirements & Skills
Required Skills & Experience
• 5+ years of experience in enterprise networking, with a strong WAN focus
• 3+ years of hands-on SD-WAN design and deployment experience
• Strong understanding of:
o TCP/IP, routing & switching (BGP, OSPF, VLANs)
o VPNs (IPsec, GRE)
o QoS, traffic shaping, and application performance
• Experience working in a VAR, MSP, or consulting environment
• Proven ability to manage multiple customer projects simultaneously
• Excellent troubleshooting and documentation skills
• Strong verbal and written communication skills

Preferred Qualifications
• Vendor certifications (one or more preferred):
o Cisco CCNP/CCIE Enterprise or SD-WAN
o Fortinet NSE 5–7
o VMware VCP-NV
o Palo Alto PCNSE
• Experience with SASE, Zero Trust, or cloud-native networking
• Familiarity with ITIL processes and managed services operations
• Scripting or automation experience (Python, Ansible) a plus