Senior Staff Network Architect

Crusoe is looking for a Senior Staff Network Architect to help define and evolve network architecture across our infrastructure stack from bare-metal data center switching fabrics and RDMA interconnects to SDN control planes, Kubernetes networking, and cloud-layer overlays. As the industry's first vertically integrated AI infrastructure provider, Crusoe operates at a scale that few companies can match, including a 1.2 GW hyperscale campus in Abilene, TX powering the Stargate project. This is a high-impact senior individual contributor role reporting to the Director of Networking, partnering closely with the Principal Network Architect and network engineering leadership to design and operate network infrastructure at hyperscale.

Responsibilities

Define and evolve network architecture across infrastructure stack from bare-metal data center switching fabrics and RDMA interconnects to SDN control planes, Kubernetes networking, and cloud-layer overlays; Data Center Architecture: Design and implement network architecture for Crusoe's AI data centers, including spine-leaf fabrics, out-of-band management, RDMA (RoCEv2/InfiniBand), and inter-campus WAN connectivity; Intent-Based Networking: Help build IBN frameworks that translate operational goals into validated, auto-generated device configurations; Declarative Networking and GitOps: Implement infrastructure-as-code practices, GitOps-driven network provisioning, and continuous validation pipelines for network state; Network Source of Truth: Contribute to Crusoe's SoT strategy, helping maintain authoritative data models (IPAM, DCIM, CMDB) and ensuring devices, links, and policies remain version-controlled and consistent; Automation Workflows: Build day-0/1/2 automation using tools like Ansible, Nornir, or Terraform, driven by the network source of truth; Observability and Telemetry: Implement streaming telemetry architecture (gNMI/gRPC), intent verification, and closed-loop remediation pipelines; Standards and Design Reviews: Contribute to engineering standards and reference architectures, participate in architecture reviews, author design documents, and present proposals to engineering leadership; Team Mentorship: Mentor mid-level and senior network engineers, helping grow technical depth across the network engineering team; Cross Functional: Partnering with software and operation teams to implement, execute, deploy and manage your architecture designs while incorporating feedback along the way

Requirements

8+ years of progressive network engineering experience, including experience leading design efforts on cross-team initiatives; Large-scale data center expertise, with experience designing or operating networks at 1000+ switches across multi-site environments; Strong routing knowledge including solid proficiency in BGP, EVPN/VXLAN, OSPF, ECMP, BFD, and modern data center routing design; SDN and programmability experience with hands-on work using an SDN controller and network programmability via NETCONF/YANG, RESTCONF, or gNMI; Kubernetes networking experience with CNI selection (Calico, Cilium, Flannel, Multus), network policies, and BGP integration; RDMA and HPC networking familiarity, including RoCEv2, InfiniBand, PFC, ECN, and lossless fabric design for AI/ML workloads; Software engineering fundamentals including strong command of Git, CI/CD, code review, and infrastructure-as-code tooling (Terraform, Ansible, Nornir); Communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to write clear design documents and align stakeholders across engineering teams

Nice to have

Experience at a hyperscaler, AI cloud provider, HPC center, or large-scale co-location operator; Hands-on experience with SONiC OS, P4 programmable data planes, SRv6, or silicon-level knowledge of Broadcom Tomahawk/Trident; Open source contributions to networking projects such as SONiC, NetBox, FRR, or Cilium; Familiarity with formal network verification tools like Batfish or Minesweeper, or eBPF-based networking and observability; Relevant certifications including CCIE (DC/SP), JNCIE, or vendor-specific SDN/cloud certifications

Benefits

Competitive compensation and equity packages; Restricted Stock Units; Bonus; Paid time off, paid holidays & leave of absence programs; Comprehensive health, dental & vision insurance; Employer contributions to HSA account; Paid parental leave; Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability; Professional development & tuition reimbursement; Mental health & wellness support; Commuter benefits (parking & transit); Cell phone stipend; 401(k) Retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary; Volunteer time off; Global travel insurance & emergency assistance; Daily meals allowance; Additional perks & programs specific to location