Venue Network Lead Engineer (100% Onsite Venue Based) :
Location : Los Angeles, CA (Onsite at event venues)
Type : Contract-to-Hire
Local candidates preferred; non-local candidates must self-relocate.
Job Description :
Seeking a hands-on Venue Network Lead Engineer to support large-scale live event environments across Los Angeles. This engineer will be the primary on-site contact for all network-related operations and is responsible for leading the full lifecycle of venue networking, IPT voice, circuits, wireless, security, and telephony.
This role requires deep technical networking skills, strong communication, and the ability to operate in fast-paced, event-driven environments.
Working Conditions :
- Venue-based work (sports arenas, event centers, entertainment venues)
- Event-driven schedule : Nights, weekends, and holidays possible
- On-call availability required
- Occasional travel to support test events or nearby venues
- Ability to coordinate and assist L2 field engineers in live environments
Role Summary :
The Venue Network Lead Engineer owns the end-to-end lifecycle of venue telecommunications-from initial discovery through design, deployment, readiness testing, live operations, and continuous improvement.
They act as the resident venue expert, driving incident leadership, troubleshooting across all technology domains, and maintaining full working knowledge of deployed systems.
Key Responsibilities :
Lifecycle Ownership (Discovery Design Readiness) : Maintain complete venue network / telecom documentation : rack elevations, port maps, VLANs / VRFs, IP plans, dependencies, runbooks; Validate LAN / physical surveys; enforce strict cabling and labeling standards; Align venue designs to Zero Trust, NAC / AAA, and Cisco SD-Access security modelsImplementation & Cutover Leadership : Lead / assist rack & stack, cabling, hardware upgrades, and baseline configuration deployments; Conduct acceptance tests, failover rehearsals, and cutover validation; Deploy and configure Cisco Catalyst switches, APs, firewalls, SD-WAN, and telephony solutions; Work with L3 / L4 / Architect teams to validate routing, switching, wireless, and segmentationOperations, Incident & Problem Management : Serve as the primary incident commander for network outages; Triage, isolate, and resolve issues across Layers 1 7; Use observability platforms : Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center), ThousandEyes, SIEM / XDR, ISE, Firepower; Conduct Post Incident Reviews (PIRs) with RCA, corrective actions, and preventive stepsPeople Leadership & Stakeholder Communication : Lead onsite support teams (when assigned); mentor L1 / L2 engineers; Communicate clearly with venue operations, clients, vendors, and leadership; Translate technical topics into business impact for stakeholders; Coordinate vendors and partners to ensure SLA / SLO targets are metDocumentation, Asset & Change Control : Maintain accurate diagrams, configurations, SOPs, emergency procedures, test scripts; Keep asset inventory current and enforce change control with rollback plansTechnical Domains & Tooling :
Routing / Switching : VLANs, VRFs, QoS, Zero Trust segmentationCisco SD-Access : segmentation, policy enforcement, fabric infrastructureWireless : Cisco 9800 controllers, Cisco 9100 APsStructured Cabling : copper / fiber (single & multimode), patch panels, labelingSecurity : Cisco ISE (NAC / AAA), Firepower NGFW, SIEM / XDR, Secure EndpointObservability : Cisco Catalyst Center, ThousandEyes, CAIT / CI testing toolsTelephony : Webex Calling, cloud IPT, endpoint provisioning, call flow readinessRequired Competencies :
Strong planning and documentation discipline ("audit ready" mindset)Expert troubleshooting across L1 L7Effective communication under pressure; able to lead bridge callsAbility to coach L2 staff and foster a blameless, action-oriented cultureCustomer-first mindset with strong operational judgmentQualifications :
5+ years in telecommunications, network operations, or service managementEvent / venue or multi-site environment experience strongly preferredCisco certifications (CCNP / CCIE) strongly preferredStrong knowledge of IP networking, VLANs, OSPF / BGP / EIGRP, wireless design, and securityProficiency with Catalyst Center, ThousandEyes, SIEM / XDR, ISE, FirepowerNice to have : Ansible, Python, Terraform, cloud / hybrid networking