The Associate Engineer – Networks supports the development, operation and continuous improvement of Bell’s wired, wireless and secure network services across enterprise, data centre, customer and emerging AI infrastructure environments. The role is designed to build foundational network engineering capability, with a primary focus on Cisco technologies, routing and switching, wireless networking, network security and operational support, while developing awareness of modern data centre networking concepts such as EVPN/VXLAN, software-defined networking, automation, observability and high-performance AI fabrics including NVIDIA InfiniBand.
Working under the guidance of senior network, infrastructure and security engineers, the apprentice will contribute to improving network reliability, configuration standards, documentation, monitoring and troubleshooting practices while developing practical experience across Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, HPE Aruba, Dell networking, wireless technologies and modern data centre connectivity models.
The Associate Engineer – Networks supports the development, operation and continuous improvement of Bell’s wired, wireless and secure network services across enterprise, data centre, customer and emerging AI infrastructure environments. The role is designed to build foundational network engineering capability, with a primary focus on Cisco technologies, routing and switching, wireless networking, network security and operational support, while developing awareness of modern data centre networking concepts such as EVPN/VXLAN, software-defined networking, automation, observability and high-performance AI fabrics including NVIDIA InfiniBand.
Working under the guidance of senior network, infrastructure and security engineers, the apprentice will contribute to improving network reliability, configuration standards, documentation, monitoring and troubleshooting practices while developing practical experience across Cisco, Palo Alto, Fortinet, HPE Aruba, Dell networking, wireless technologies and modern data centre connectivity models.
Key Accountabilities
Network Support and Engineering
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Support the build, operation and continuous improvement of wired, wireless, data centre and secure network services
Assist with Cisco routing, switching, VLANs, wireless LANs, network services and troubleshooting activities
Develop awareness of modern fabric-based networking, including leaf-spine architectures, EVPN/VXLAN overlays, segmentation, east-west traffic patterns and scalable data centre design
Gain introductory exposure to high-performance networking concepts used in AI and HPC environments, including NVIDIA InfiniBand, RDMA, low-latency switching, GPU cluster connectivity and AI fabric principles
Contribute to network configuration, monitoring, documentation, backups and operational standards under supervision
Firewall, Security and Access Control
Assist with Palo Alto and Fortigate firewall administration, including policy review, logging and security rule management
Support secure configuration practices, access control, segmentation, monitoring and incident response activities
Develop awareness of network security principles, threat prevention concepts and governance requirements
Monitoring, Troubleshooting and Operational Reliability
Assist with monitoring, incident triage and troubleshooting to improve network visibility and service reliability
Support supervised change implementation, configuration checks and preventative maintenance activities
Contribute to reducing service disruption through improved documentation, escalation and root cause analysis practices
Modern Network Automation and Observability
Develop awareness of network automation, infrastructure-as-code principles, configuration templates and repeatable deployment practices
Support the use of monitoring, telemetry, logging and observability tools to improve visibility of network health and performance
Assist with documenting automation opportunities, standard build patterns and operational checks for modern network environments
Documentation and Standards
Assist with the development and maintenance of network documentation, diagrams, configuration records and standard operating procedures
Support adherence to network engineering standards, change control, security governance and operational best practices
Assist in identifying opportunities to improve network processes, configuration consistency and operational efficiency
Collaboration
Work with infrastructure, security and service teams to support reliable network service delivery
Participate in team activities, knowledge sharing, operational reviews and continuous improvement initiatives
Engage with internal stakeholders to understand connectivity requirements, operational challenges and service improvement opportunities
Learning and Development Responsibilities
Participate in a structured Level 4 Network Engineer apprenticeship programme aligned to modern network infrastructure, advanced connectivity and security
Allocate approximately 20% of working time to formal learning and professional development activities
Follow a Cisco-led certification development plan, with CCNA as the primary initial certification objective
Build awareness of modern data centre and AI networking concepts, including EVPN/VXLAN, software-defined networking, network automation, observability, NVIDIA InfiniBand, RDMA and GPU cluster connectivity
Apply learning through practical assignments, lab-based activities and supervised operational work within the team environment
Engage with mentoring and coaching from senior network, infrastructure and security engineers
Participate in early careers development initiatives and peer learning forums
Person Specification
Knowledge and Skills (Essential)
Foundational understanding of networking concepts, including IP addressing, subnetting, routing, switching, DNS, DHCP and common network services
Demonstrated interest in Cisco technologies, network engineering and professional certification
Awareness of network security principles, including firewalls, access control, logging, monitoring and secure configuration
Interest in modern network architectures, including data centre fabrics, cloud connectivity, automation, observability and AI infrastructure networking
Basic analytical, diagnostic and problem-solving capability
Effective communication and interpersonal skills
Ability to work effectively in a structured team environment and follow escalation procedures
Qualifications (Essential)
Level 3 qualification, such as a T Level, Cambridge Technicals, BTEC or equivalent, in an IT-related discipline, or equivalent experience
Any IT vendor certifications, networking modules or relevant technical exams would be beneficial
Knowledge and Skills (Desirable)
Awareness of Cisco networking technologies and CCNA-level concepts
Exposure to firewall, wireless or network monitoring concepts
Familiarity with Palo Alto, Fortinet, HPE Aruba or Dell networking technologies
Basic understanding of data centre networking, cloud connectivity or secure remote access principles
Awareness of EVPN/VXLAN, leaf-spine architectures, network overlays, segmentation and software-defined networking concepts
Awareness of AI and high-performance computing networking concepts, including NVIDIA InfiniBand, RDMA, low-latency fabrics and GPU cluster connectivity
Interest in network automation, telemetry, observability and infrastructure-as-code practices
Working Arrangements
Remote-first working model with periodic in-person collaboration as required
Participation in team meetings, training sessions, and development activities
Career Development
This role forms part of the organisation’s long-term capability development in network engineering. The apprentice is expected to progressively build technical competence and professional skills, with the objective of transitioning into a permanent Network Engineer role or a related specialism such as network security, wireless engineering, data centre networking, AI infrastructure networking, automation or infrastructure engineering.
Additional Information
The role requires adherence to organisational policies, security standards, change control processes and operational procedures
Responsibilities will increase progressively in line with capability development, apprenticeship progression and supervised operational readiness
The role includes structured mentoring, lab-based practice and phased allocation of responsibilities to support development
About Bell Microsystems Ltd
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