Staff Engineer, Network Engineering

Company: Ares Operations
Location: Los Angeles
Posted on: April 1, 2026

Job Description:

Over the last 20 years, Ares’ success has been driven by our people and our culture. Today, our team is guided by our core values – Collaborative, Responsible, Entrepreneurial, Self-Aware, Trustworthy – and our purpose to be a catalyst for shared prosperity and a better future. Through our recruitment, career development and employee-focused programming, we are committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive work environment where high-performance talent of diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives can build careers within this exciting and growing industry. Job Description We are seeking an experienced and highly skilled Associate Vice President/Staff Engineer in Network Engineering to join our team as an individual contributor. The ideal candidate will have expert proficiency in both routing and switching, excellent troubleshooting skills, and the ability to run complex projects. This role requires CCIE certification or equivalent experience, along with extensive knowledge of various network technologies and platforms. SME level knowledge in Azure networking, Datacenter engineering and architecture, Cisco ACI, Palo Alto firewalls, Wireless, and SD-WAN technologies They are also required to interpret, use and apply information contained within the environment to inform a range of improvement activities, particularly those involved in the design, development, enhancement and maintenance of security and network related solutions. Primary Functions And Essential Responsibilities Lead the Architecture, design, implementation, and management of the company's network infrastructure, including data centers and disaster recovery environments. Optimize stability, availability, reliability, and performance of networking infrastructure. Develop and execute strategic plans for network architecture, ensuring alignment with business objectives. Collaborate with internal teams and external partners to achieve successful project delivery and mitigate risks. Provide expert-level troubleshooting and support for escalated network incidents. Define key metrics and reporting mechanisms to communicate network performance and project progress to executive management. Mentor and train staff on best practices and emerging technologies in network engineering. Develop and maintain comprehensive documentation for network configurations, procedures, and policies. Ensure compliance with various regulatory requirements and industry standards Expertise in building well architected frameworks utilizing industry standards such as NIST 800-53 Expertise in design and architecture of self-healing networks Extensive experience around product and technology assessment/testing and Proof of concept evaluations with clearly defined success criteria and outcomes Excellent documentation skills around developing reference architectures, building HLD/LLD of current and future network design’s Excellent vendor management skills with proven track record of RFE management and driving feature enhancements that support changing scalability, performance and security landscape as the firm expands Expertise in packet level analysis to identify areas for improvement and future upgrades with a focus on attention to detail Experience Required: 10 years of hands-on experience in Network Engineering & Architecture role leading large scale transformational projects Preferred: Experience in Private equity/Financial industry Building and leading a team of highly skilled Network architects/Engineers Qualifications Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Electronics, Telecommunications, Computer Science, or a related field. Master's degree preferred. Certifications: CCIE or equivalent experience. Microsoft Azure Solutions Architect Expert or equivalent experience Technical Skills (Must Have): Routing: Expert proficiency in BGP and OSPF. Switching: Expert proficiency with Cisco ACI, Nexus, and Cisco IOS platforms. Firewalls: Proficient in Palo Alto firewall technologies. SD-WAN: Proficient in Prisma SD-WAN. Wireless: Experience with Meraki Wireless solutions. Data Center Architecture: Proven experience in designing and managing data center architecture. Disaster Recovery: Experience in setting up and managing disaster recovery environments at the network level. Azure Networking: Extensive experience in Azure networking deployment and operation. Compliance: Knowledge of various compliance requirements. Cisco ISE: Knowledge of user authentication, authorization, and identity management products and technologies Tooling: Expertise in Network monitoring solutions and self-healing networks General Requirements: Demonstrated excellence in both written and verbal communication. Strong organizational and time management skills. Proven ability to work independently as well as collaboratively within a team environment. Capacity to manage multiple projects and priorities effectively. High attention to detail and strong documentation skills. Willingness to travel, with a 10-15% travel requirement. Familiarity with ITIL processes. Experience working with global teams. Reporting Relationships Compensation The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role. $200,000 - $225,000 The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit. Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more. There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.

Keywords: Ares Operations, Laguna Niguel , Staff Engineer, Network Engineering, IT / Software / Systems , Los Angeles, California