ZipRecruiter

Log In

1

Backbone Network Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Meta

Network Engineer, Backbone Operations

Denver, CO

$162K/yr

Network Engineer, Backbone Operations Responsibilities: * Provide technical leadership across OSP (Outside Plant) and ISP (Inside Plant) infrastructure domains, including long-haul fiber routes ...

Meta

Network Engineer, Backbone Operations

Denver, CO · On-site

$162K - $227K/yr

Meta is seeking a senior Network Engineer to support the strategy, deployment, and operational excellence of one of the world's largest backbone networks. In this role, you will provide technical ...

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Albany, NY · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

Core Network Engineer Full Time IC Albany, NY, US 4 days ago Requisition ID: 1801 Salary Range ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Albany, NY · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

This role combines network engineering, project leadership, capacity planning, and Tier 3 ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Williston, VT · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

This role combines network engineering, project leadership, capacity planning, and Tier 3 ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Brunswick, ME · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

This role combines network engineering, project leadership, capacity planning, and Tier 3 ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Victor, NY · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

This role combines network engineering, project leadership, capacity planning, and Tier 3 ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Manchester, NH · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

This role combines network engineering, project leadership, capacity planning, and Tier 3 ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Portsmouth, NH · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

This role combines network engineering, project leadership, capacity planning, and Tier 3 ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

FirstLight

Core Network Engineer

Somerville, MA · On-site

$105K - $120K/yr

This role combines network engineering, project leadership, capacity planning, and Tier 3 ... Support backbone routing, network resiliency, and service provider interconnection initiatives.

next page

Showing results 1-20

All JobsTechnology JobsNetworking JobsBackbone Network Engineer Jobs

Backbone Network Engineer information

See salary details

$31K

$109K

$158K

How much do backbone network engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 11, 2026, the average yearly pay for backbone network engineer in the United States is $109,040.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $89,000.00 and $133,500.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What cities are hiring for Backbone Network Engineer jobs?

Cities with the most Backbone Network Engineer job openings:

What states have the most Backbone Network Engineer jobs?

States with the most job openings for Backbone Network Engineer jobs include:

What are popular job titles related to Backbone Network Engineer jobs?

For Backbone Network Engineer jobs, the most frequently searched job titles are:

Infographic showing various Backbone Network Engineer job openings in the United States as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 10% Part Time, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 91% Physical, 2% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $109,040 per year, or $52.4 per hour.

Network Engineer, Backbone Operations

Denver, CO

Meta
Internet and IT • 10K+ employees
Learn more about Metaexternal

$162K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 2 days ago

Meta rating

7.8

Company rating: 7.8 out of 10

Based on 45 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

Job description

Meta is seeking a senior Network Engineer to support the strategy, deployment, and operational excellence of one of the world's largest backbone networks. In this role, you will provide technical leadership across both Outside Plant (OSP) and Inside Plant (ISP) critical infrastructure, driving the planning, scaling, and reliability of Meta's global backbone. You will apply deep subject matter expertise spanning long-haul optical transport, fiber plant design, and ILA critical infrastructure to cross-functional initiatives that shape how Meta's backbone network evolves to meet the demands of billions of users worldwide. This is a high-impact, high-autonomy role for a senior engineer who thrives on solving complex, large-scale network challenges across the full infrastructure stack.
Network Engineer, Backbone Operations Responsibilities:
  • Provide technical leadership across OSP (Outside Plant) and ISP (Inside Plant) infrastructure domains, including long-haul fiber routes, optical transport systems, and ILA critical infrastructure
  • Lead the deployment and operationalization of backbone fiber network infrastructure, including long-haul and metro optical transport across global points of presence and data centers
  • Develop and drive strategies and roadmaps for backbone network scaling, reliability, and operational efficiency across cross-functional teams
  • Author and review engineering design packages, methods of procedure, and scope of work documentation for both OSP fiber construction and ISP ILA critical infrastructure deployment projects
  • Identify systemic reliability gaps in backbone operations and lead problem management initiatives that span network engineering, infrastructure, and vendor organizations
  • Align workflow management tooling requirements and drive automation roadmaps to reduce manual operational burden across backbone deployment and support activities
  • Manage vendor and partner engineering relationships for backbone hardware, optical transport, and fiber construction, including contract negotiations and technical evaluation of current and prospective partnerships
  • Develop and maintain comprehensive technical documentation for backbone network architecture, operational procedures, and deployment standards
  • Contribute to organizational strategy by providing input on backbone network capacity planning, technology selection, and team scaling to meet projected traffic demands
  • Drive operational readiness for backbone infrastructure projects, ensuring seamless handoffs from deployment to production operations across data centers, points of presence, and colocation facilities

Minimum Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience
  • 8+ years of experience deploying, operating, and troubleshooting large-scale backbone or service provider optical network infrastructure
  • Experience with both OSP (Outside Plant) infrastructure including long-haul fiber routes and construction, and ISP (Inside Plant) infrastructure including ILA critical infrastructure systems
  • Experience configuring and troubleshooting optical transport technologies such as DWDM
  • Experience leading cross-functional network deployment or migration projects, including authoring engineering design packages, methods of procedure, and bills of materials
  • Experience managing vendor relationships and driving technical evaluations for backbone network hardware and transport platforms
  • Experience developing and implementing operational improvements, including automation or tooling to streamline backbone network workflows

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Demonstrated use of AI tools to redesign operational workflows, accelerate troubleshooting, or improve documentation quality with measurable efficiency outcomes
  • Network certifications such as CCIE, JNCIE, or equivalent in service provider or optical transport domains
  • Demonstrated experience leading technical strategy across integrated OSP/ISP infrastructure programs
  • Experience with scripting or automation tools such as Python to streamline backbone operations, configuration management, or network telemetry workflows
  • Experience with traffic engineering in large-scale backbone environments
  • Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
  • Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)
  • Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies

About Meta:
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology. People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at accommodations-ext@meta.com.
$162,000/year to $227,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.

What Meta employees say

Pay

Benefits

Hours and flexibility

Workplace

Get the full story on Breakroom

Apply