How to hire a network operations/network engineer

How to hire a network operations/network engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step network operations/network engineer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a network operations/network engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new network operations/network engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a network operations/network engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a network operations/network engineer, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them a network operations/network engineer to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire a network operations/network engineer that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of network operations/network engineer salaries for various roles:

   Type of Network Operations/Network Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Network Operations/Network Engineer	Computer networks are critical parts of almost every organization. Network and computer systems administrators are responsible for the day-to-day operation of these networks.	$34-64
   Engineer	Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects... Show more	$31-62
   Network Manager	A network manager is responsible for monitoring the efficient network connection of the company's technology systems, analyzing system designs, and overseeing installation processes and programs. Network managers inspect the efficiency of existing network management systems, upgrading network data to boost optimal performance and communication transportation... Show more	$34-63

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Network Operations
   • BGP
   • OSPF
   • Troubleshoot
   • Juniper
   • Firewall
   • Switches
   • Tcp Ip
   • MPLS
   • Technical Support
   • IOS
   • Cisco Ios
   • Linux
   • EIGRP

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Work in managing the VMware ESX hosts from vC server.
   • Manage company's DNS with QIP by adding / deleting IP addresses.
   • Manage cabled LAN and wireless access, with switching technologies and wireless technologies.
   • Manage state of the art equipment including SAN, NAS, windows servers and desktops.
   • Select to train on a new customer database system to facilitate managing client telecommunication data.
   • Configure EIGRP and OSPF as interior gateway protocols with route filtering and route redistribution.

   More network operations/network engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the network operations/network engineer job description is a good way to get more applicants. A network operations/network engineer salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a network operations/network engineer in Kansas may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level network operations/network engineer. Additionally, a network operations/network engineer with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average network operations/network engineer salary

   $98,739yearly

   $47.47 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level network operations/network engineer salary

   $72,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

   Average network operations/network engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$128,383	$62
   2	Washington	$120,492	$58
   3	New York	$108,733	$52
   4	Delaware	$103,884	$50
   5	New Jersey	$101,366	$49
   6	Connecticut	$101,254	$49
   7	Rhode Island	$98,304	$47
   8	Virginia	$97,982	$47
   9	Nevada	$92,863	$45
   10	Missouri	$92,616	$45
   11	Pennsylvania	$92,087	$44
   12	Texas	$90,027	$43
   13	Florida	$87,928	$42
   14	North Carolina	$87,046	$42
   15	Minnesota	$84,664	$41
   16	Michigan	$84,462	$41
   17	Ohio	$82,835	$40
   18	Colorado	$82,141	$39
   19	Kansas	$81,147	$39
   20	Illinois	$77,972	$37

   Average network operations/network engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Apple	$134,252	$64.54	87
   2	Meta	$130,558	$62.77	472
   3	PayPal	$130,088	$62.54	3
   4	Amazon	$121,011	$58.18	735
   5	Salesforce	$120,207	$57.79	4
   6	The Walt Disney Company	$120,061	$57.72	32
   7	Bloomberg	$118,353	$56.90
   8	Cohesity	$118,264	$56.86	6
   9	Square	$116,619	$56.07
   10	Google	$115,817	$55.68	87
   11	Blackboard	$114,477	$55.04
   12	Box	$111,800	$53.75	2
   13	Gillette	$111,693	$53.70
   14	Uber Technologies	$111,612	$53.66	1
   15	Microsoft	$110,663	$53.20	28
   16	Intuitive Surgical	$110,540	$53.14	3
   17	Cisco	$108,886	$52.35	72
   18	Booking Holdings	$106,491	$51.20
   19	Stanford Children's Health	$105,986	$50.95
   20	Yahoo	$103,119	$49.58

4. Writing a network operations/network engineer job description

   A network operations/network engineer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of a network operations/network engineer job description:

   Network operations/network engineer job description example

   We're looking for a Network Operation Engineer to join us in our Denver office!
   
   What will you be doing?
   You will provide exceptional network connectivity and network operational support to Liberty Global, our employees and technical assets. Working alongside the local IT Operations Team and other network and systems engineers from across the globe, you will build and service local datacentres, corporate and remote offices, and technology development labs.
   
   KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES
   Ensure Network Resilience and Respond to Network IncidenceProvide Connectivity (Ethernet, Wireless, IPv4 and IPv6) Switching (MPLS, QinQ) Routing (BGP, OSPF, IS-IS) Subscriber Management (BNG, RADIUS/AAA, QoS, BSS/OSS integration) Voice\Telecommunication ServicesSupport Core Network Services (DNS, DHCP, NTP, etc.) Provide and maintain IP Address Management, Network Documentation and Network KnowledgebaseManage Network Equipment Configuration and FirmwareProvide Load-Balancing and DDoS CountermeasuresMonitor Networks for Performance and Stability
   
   PREFERRED EDUCATION/ QUALIFICATIONS:
   Bachelor's degree, non-traditional education, or equivalent career experience.Cisco qualifications or certifications equivalent to CCNP Enterprise, Data Center, and/or Collaboration
   
   Knowledge & Experience:
   4+ Years Cisco networking experience in a production environment2+ Years Network Operations Center, Production Service Provider Network, or Data Center Experience
   
   SKILLS & ABILITIES:
   Follows common IT Systems, Networking and Security Best Practices.Deep understanding of networking protocols and the OSI Model.Experience testing and implementing changes in a production environment.Adept at learning new technologies, processes, and systems.Strong self-starting and time-management skills.Excellent communication and documentation skills, both written and verbal.
   
   We offer a competitive salary, bonus & benefits
   The base salary range is $80,000 - $110,000 gross per annum, based on the level of experience
   
   A few benefits our employees enjoy:-
   Comprehensive benefit plans (medical/dental/vision) starting on day 1401(k) with 100% match up to 10% of base salary in the form of Company Stock (LBTYK series) Discretionary Bonus Incentive (annually) Discretionary Equity Grants (annually) Paid time off Access to a private café, fitness center, and paid parking Liberty Global participates in the E-Verify program.
   
   Liberty Global is an equal opportunity employer. We embrace diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for our people.
   We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find network operations/network engineers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your network operations/network engineer job on Zippia to find and attract quality network operations/network engineer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit network operations/network engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a network operations/network engineer applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new network operations/network engineer

   Once you've found the network operations/network engineer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new network operations/network engineer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a network operations/network engineer?