Lead Network Engineer

About the role

The Lead Network Engineer (LNE) serves as the primary technical and operational leader within an assigned metro or region, responsible for ensuring safe, high-quality execution of Microsoft data center deployment and operational services.

Responsibilities

• Lead deployment and operational activities across assigned Microsoft data center sites.
• Review and interpret Microsoft cut sheets, cable maps, implementation requirements, and work instructions before field execution.
• Provide technical guidance for structured cabling, network infrastructure, equipment deployment, hardware moves, patching, troubleshooting, and decommissioning.
• Apply strong knowledge of network fundamentals across OSI Layers 1-3 to support troubleshooting and escalation.
• Identify infrastructure, labeling, cable-map, access, hardware, or installation issues and coordinate timely resolution with the appropriate TEKsystems or Microsoft stakeholders.
• Validate completed work for safety, quality, labeling, cable routing, connectivity, documentation, and customer requirements.
• Cook up multiple simultaneous projects and workstreams across different data center sites and physical work areas.
• Coordinate priorities, schedules, resources, access, status reporting, and delivery risks.
• Maintain accurate daily and weekly project status reporting for TEKsystems and Microsoft stakeholders.
• Coordinate onboarding and operational readiness activities, including required data center access tickets, special permissions, and customer-system setup.
• Adapt execution plans as Microsoft processes, priorities, and site conditions change.
• Ensure technicians follow applicable Microsoft processes, procedures, SOPs, safety requirements, and site rules.
• Conduct or coordinate field observations, quality inspections, audits, and corrective-action follow-up.
• Address recurring quality or safety concerns through coaching, documented escalation, and process improvement.
• Partner with operational and EHS leaders when incidents, hazards, or systemic risks require additional review.
• Build and maintain professional relationships with Microsoft data center project managers, engineers, and operational stakeholders.
• Participate in project reviews, planning discussions, customer meetings, and delivery-status calls.
• Communicate technical issues, delivery risks, dependencies, mitigation plans, and status updates clearly and promptly.
• Serve as a conduit between field teams, TEKsystems Delivery and Practice leaders, Sales, and Microsoft stakeholders.
• Request and incorporate customer feedback to improve execution quality and service consistency.
• Lead, coach, and mentor deployment and operational teams, including technicians and team leads.
• Support interviewing, selection, onboarding, and readiness evaluation for data center technical roles.
• Define or reinforce minimum technical and behavioral attributes required for successful field execution.
• Identify capability gaps and coordinate coaching, training, remediation, or escalation as appropriate.
• Conduct regular team-lead meetings and promote consistent communication, accountability, and knowledge sharing.
• Support Sales, Delivery, and Practice leaders with Level of Effort estimates, staffing inputs, technical assumptions, and execution considerations.
• Capture actual effort, productivity information, lessons learned, risks, and delivery outcomes to improve future bids and planning.
• Track operational metrics that support quality, forecasting, staffing, and continuous improvement.
• Identify optimization opportunities that improve efficiency, delivery predictability, and Microsoft customer outcomes.
• Collaborate on strategies to build and expand deployment or break-fix capabilities within the assigned region.

  Requirements

  • 5+ years of progressive experience in data center deployment, operations, infrastructure, networking, structured cabling, or a closely related technical field.
  • 2+ years of experience leading technical teams, projects, workstreams, or field operations.
  • Experience supporting hyperscale or large-scale production data center environments.
  • Strong understanding of network fundamentals, including OSI Layers 1-3.
  • Strong knowledge of structured cabling installation, dressing, labeling, patching, testing, troubleshooting, and documentation.
  • Working knowledge of data center hardware and infrastructure processes, including equipment racking, moves, module installation, cable routing, patching, troubleshooting, and decommissioning.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple simultaneous projects, priorities, and physical work areas.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead technicians, provide coaching, inspect work, and address quality concerns.
  • Strong customer-facing written and verbal communication skills using email, Word, Excel, Teams, conference calls, and project-status reporting.
  • Understanding of workplace safety principles and data center operational hazards; OSHA 10 or OSHA 30 is required or must be obtained within the employer-defined timeframe.
  • Ability to travel to other sites or regions when business needs require.
  • Valid driver's license.
  • Must meet customer, site-access, legal, and eligibility requirements applicable to assigned work.

  Qualifications

  • CompTIA Network+, Cisco CCNA, or an equivalent networking certification.
  • BICSI Installer, Technician, RCDD, or another relevant data center or structured cabling credential.
  • ITIL Foundation or experience with IT service management, change management, and problem management processes.
  • Experience with data center tools and products from vendors such as AFL, Fluke, Panduit, Brady, and CommScope.

  Skills

  • Network engineering

  Benefits

  The pay range for this position is $97800.00 - $146800.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. We reserve the right to pay above or below the posted wage based on factors unrelated to sex, race, or any other protected classification. Additional earnings may be available through incentive programs like annual bonuses, profit sharing, etc. Our full-time, internal employment benefits include the following: Medical, Dental, and Vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life and AD&D for employee and dependents) Short and Long-Term Disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation Benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

  Pay and Benefits

  The pay range for this position is $97800.00 - $146800.00/yr. Individual compensation offered for this position within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors. We reserve the right to pay above or below the posted wage based on factors unrelated to sex, race, or any other protected classification. Additional earnings may be available through incentive programs like annual bonuses, profit sharing, etc. Our full-time, internal employment benefits include the following: Medical, Dental, and Vision Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available Life Insurance (Voluntary Life and AD&D for employee and dependents) Short and Long-Term Disability Health Spending Account (HSA) Transportation Benefits Employee Assistance Program Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)

  Additional Information

  This is a Permanent position based out of Des Moines, IA. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law. The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information