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Principal Network Engineer Jobs in Raleigh, NC (NOW HIRING)

Itron, Inc

Principal Quality Engineer

Raleigh, NC · Hybrid

The Principal Quality Engineer is working in close collaboration with NPI core development teams ... Ensure the quality network is properly informed about the project and the quality expectations

Redhat

Principal Software Engineer

Raleigh, NC · On-site +1

$151K - $249K/yr

... Principal Software Engineer to join the Team. This strategic role will require you to demonstrate ... Experience testing different network adapters and hardware offload technologies. * A demonstrated ...

LexisNexis

Principal AWS Cloud Engineer-2

Raleigh, NC · On-site +1

As a Consulting Principal AWS Cloud Engineer, you will design, build, and guide secure, scalable ... Solid understanding of AWS networking concepts, including VPC design, subnets, routing, security ...

New

Redhat

Sr Principal Software Engineer (Azure)

Raleigh, NC · On-site +1

$193K - $318K/yr

About the Job The Azure Red Hat OpenShift (ARO) Engineering team is looking for a Senior Principal ... Expert understanding of Hybrid Cloud networking and security (VNETs, Private Link, Encryption)

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All JobsPrincipal Network Engineer JobsPrincipal Network Engineer Jobs in Raleigh, NC

Principal Network Engineer information

See Raleigh, NC salary details

$20.4K

$129.5K

$198.8K

How much do principal network engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 10, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal network engineer in Raleigh, NC is $129,516.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $113,700.00 and $153,600.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Principal Network Engineer vs Network Architect?

AspectPrincipal Network EngineerNetwork Architect
CredentialsBS in Computer Science or related, Cisco/Juniper certificationsBS in Computer Science or related, Cisco/Juniper certifications
Work EnvironmentDesign, implement, and troubleshoot network solutions within organizationsDesign overall network infrastructure and architecture for organizations
Employer & Industry UsageUsed across industries for senior technical rolesUsed in enterprise and large organizations for planning network systems
Common Search & ComparisonOften compared for senior technical expertiseCompared for strategic network planning roles

The main difference is that a Principal Network Engineer focuses on implementing and troubleshooting network solutions, while a Network Architect designs the overall network architecture and strategy. Both roles require similar certifications and work in similar environments, but their core responsibilities differ in scope and focus.

What are the main challenges Principal Network Engineers face when leading large-scale network projects?

Principal Network Engineers often encounter challenges such as coordinating cross-functional teams, designing scalable solutions that align with business goals, and managing the integration of emerging technologies into existing infrastructure. Balancing competing priorities—like security, performance, and budget constraints—while ensuring minimal downtime is a common part of the role. Effective communication and leadership skills are essential, as Principal Network Engineers frequently serve as the technical authority and must guide both junior engineers and stakeholders through complex decisions.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Principal Network Engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Network Engineer, you need deep expertise in network architecture, routing and switching, security protocols, and typically a bachelor's degree in computer science or a related field. Familiarity with enterprise networking hardware, software-defined networking (SDN), firewalls, and certifications such as CCNP or CCIE are essential. Outstanding problem-solving, leadership, and communication skills help you manage complex projects and guide technical teams. These competencies are critical to ensuring reliable, secure, and scalable network infrastructures that support organizational goals.

What are Principal Network Engineers?

Principal Network Engineers are senior-level professionals responsible for designing, implementing, and managing complex network infrastructures within an organization. They lead network architecture initiatives, oversee security protocols, and ensure high availability and performance of network systems. In addition, they often mentor junior engineers, set technical standards, and collaborate with other IT teams to align network solutions with business goals. Their expertise is crucial for maintaining reliable and scalable connectivity in large enterprises.

What Does a Principal Network Engineer Do?

As a principal network engineer, you are responsible for the daily operations of a computer system. Your responsibilities are to install, organize, and support systems for an organization. The systems you work with often aid a company in its communications, as with local area networks and wide area networks. Other duties include the installation of hardware, regular system maintenance, and optimization of network performance. You might also train individuals in the use of relevant software or hardware. In some cases, you might help with email and data storage.

More about Principal Network Engineer jobs
What are popular job titles related to Principal Network Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC? For Principal Network Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Network Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Network Engineer jobs in Raleigh, NC are:
Principal Network Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Network Engineer job openings in Raleigh, NC as of June 2026, with employment types broken down into 4% Locum Tenens, 83% Full Time, 6% Part Time, 1% Temporary, and 6% Contract. Highlights an 87% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 8% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $129,516 per year, or $62.3 per hour.

Consulting/Principal AWS Network Infrastructure Engineer

LexisNexis

Raleigh, NC • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 8 days ago

LexisNexis rating

7.6

Company rating: 7.6 out of 10

Based on 12 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

150th of 426 rated business services

Job description

** Please note that Raleigh, NC or Dayton, OH are the preferred locations for this role. We are open to hiring on a remote basis in the United States, with the understanding that the selected individual will work a U.S. eastern time zone schedule. **
About Our Team:
LexisNexis Legal & Professional serves customers in over 150 countries with 11,800 employees globally. We are part of RELX, a provider of information-based analytics and decision tools for professional and business customers. Our company leads in deploying AI and advanced technologies to the legal market, enhancing productivity and transforming the business and practice of law. We use ethical and powerful generative AI solutions with a flexible approach, prioritizing the best model for each legal use case.
About the Role:
As a Consulting AWS Cloud Network Infrastructure Engineer, you will help define best practices, establish cloud vision, mentor teams, and collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure our Cloud Network infrastructure is robust, secure, scalable, resilient, monitored and cost-efficient. This role offers a unique opportunity to influence strategic cloud initiatives and build world-class cloud solutions that enable business agility and long-term innovation.
Responsibilities:
Design and Implementation: Architect and deploy scalable, secure, and highly available network infrastructure solutions in AWS
Network Management: Manage and optimize AWS networking services such as VPC, Direct Connect, Route 53, CloudWAN, and Transit Gateway
Security: Implement and maintain network security best practices, including firewalls, VPNs, and security groups
Automation: Develop and maintain automation scripts using tools like Terraform, CloudFormation, and Python
Monitoring and Troubleshooting: Monitor network performance and troubleshoot issues to ensure optimal performance and reliability
Collaboration: Work with cross-functional teams to support application development and deployment
Documentation: Create and maintain detailed network documentation and diagrams
Cost Management: Monitor and optimize cloud costs, implementing cost-saving measures where possible
Compliance and Governance: Ensure that all cloud network solutions comply with LexisNexis standards
Performance Tuning: Continuously improve the performance and reliability of network systems
Incident Response: Lead incident response efforts for network-related issues and outages
Training and Mentorship: Provide training and mentorship to junior network engineers and other team members
Innovation / Continuous Learning: Stay updated with the latest cloud networking technologies and propose innovative solutions to improve the infrastructure
Technical Skills
  • In-depth knowledge of AWS networking services and best practices, such as VPC, AWS Firewall, Transit Gateway, WAF, Security Groups, CloudWAN, NACLS, Shield Advance, and Direct Connect
  • Advanced understanding of networking protocols and services such as BGP, OSPF, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, and VPNs
  • Proficiency in network security principles and tools
  • Skilled in network automation and scripting
  • Experience in developing IaC with advanced skills in tools such as Terraform, AWS CloudFormation, and Ansible for automating infrastructure deployment and management
  • Familiar with DevOps practices / CI/CD pipelines using tools like Jenkins, GitLab CI, or GitHub Actions to automate testing and deployment

Business Competencies:
  • Adaptable to work effectively within a variety of situations and with various individuals, groups or independently
  • Ability to document and communicate effectively, explaining technical concepts and network initiatives in business terms in both individual and group settings
  • Must be tenacious, overcoming obstacles and identifying risks
  • Attention to detail will be critical to assist with the successful implementation of initiatives

Requirements:
  • 10+ years of experience in IT, with at least 5+ years in AWS cloud engineering and architecture.
  • Strong understanding of AWS network infrastructure and service integration, including VPC, IAM, Transit Gateway, and CloudFormation, and how AWS services such as EC2, EKS, RDS, S3, and Lambda operate within those network architectures.
  • Strong experience with Terraform, CloudFormation, and automation scripting (Bash, Python, PowerShell).
  • Proficiency in monitoring and logging tools (DataDog, Splunk, Coralogix, CloudWatch).
  • Strong networking and security knowledge (DNS, VPC, NAT, Security Groups, IAM).

Preferred Certifications
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect - Professional (or equivalent)
  • AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty

Work in a way that works for you
We promote a healthy work/life balance across the organization. We offer an appealing working prospect for our people. With numerous well-being initiatives, shared parental leave, study assistance, and sabbaticals, we will help you meet your immediate responsibilities and your long-term goals.
Working flexible hours - flexing the times when you work in the day to help you fit everything in and work when you are the most productive.
Working for you
We know that your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. These are some of the benefits we are delighted to offer:
  • Health Benefits: Comprehensive, multi-carrier program for medical, dental and vision benefits
  • Retirement Benefits: 401(k) with match and an Employee Share Purchase Plan
  • Wellbeing: Wellness platform with incentives, Headspace app subscription, Employee Assistance and Time-off Programs
  • Short-and-Long Term Disability, Life and Accidental Death Insurance, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity
  • Family Benefits, including bonding and family care leaves, adoption, and surrogacy benefits
  • Health Savings, Health Care, Dependent Care and Commuter Spending Accounts
  • Up to two days of paid leave each to participate in Employee Resource Groups and to volunteer with your charity of choice

About the Business
LexisNexis Legal & Professional® provides legal, regulatory, and business information and analytics that help customers increase their productivity, improve decision-making, achieve better outcomes, and advance the rule of law around the world. As a digital pioneer, the company was the first to bring legal and business information online with its Lexis® and Nexis® services.
#AIFluency
U.S. National Base Pay Range: $104,900 - $174,700. Geographic differentials may apply in some locations to better reflect local market rates.This job is eligible for an annual incentive bonus.
We know your well-being and happiness are key to a long and successful career. We are delighted to offer country specific benefits. Click here to access benefits specific to your location.
We are committed to providing a fair and accessible hiring process. If you have a disability or other need that requires accommodation or adjustment, please let us know by completing our Applicant Request Support Form or please contact 1-855-833-5120.
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