Principal Network Architect

About the Role:

Edinburgh is home to a growing technology and digital services community, and at Craven Network Solutions Ltd, we build reliable, secure, and scalable network infrastructure for modern businesses. We believe that enterprise networking should be engineered with the same attention to performance, resilience, and usability as the applications it supports.

We are looking for a Principal Network Architect who can take ownership of our network architecture strategy. You will work across infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud, and technology teams to design solutions that support complex business requirements while remaining secure, scalable, and operationally efficient. You will serve as a senior technical authority, helping shape architecture decisions and mentoring experienced network professionals.

Why Work With Us?

The Environment:

Our Edinburgh office provides a collaborative environment for technology professionals working across networking, infrastructure, and security. We value thoughtful engineering, knowledge sharing, and practical solutions to complex technical challenges.

Technical Ownership:

You will have significant influence over network architecture decisions, standards, and long term infrastructure planning. Your recommendations will directly contribute to the reliability and scalability of our technology environment.

Modern Infrastructure:

Our teams work across enterprise networking, cloud connectivity, network security, automation, and hybrid infrastructure. We encourage modern approaches that improve performance, reliability, monitoring, and operational efficiency.

Professional Growth:

We support continued technical development through professional training, industry certifications, technical conferences, and opportunities to work on complex infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities:

Network Architecture:

Design and maintain scalable enterprise network architectures covering data centre, campus, cloud, WAN, LAN, and secure remote connectivity environments.

Technical Strategy:

Develop network architecture standards, technology roadmaps, and infrastructure strategies aligned with business and operational requirements.

Solution Design:

Lead the technical design of complex network solutions from initial requirements through implementation, testing, documentation, and operational handover.

Security and Resilience:

Work closely with cybersecurity teams to incorporate segmentation, access controls, secure connectivity, monitoring, and resilience into network designs.

Technical Leadership:

Provide technical guidance and mentorship to network engineers and infrastructure specialists. Review proposed solutions and promote consistent engineering standards across projects.

Cloud Networking:

Support hybrid and cloud networking initiatives involving platforms such as Microsoft Azure and AWS, including connectivity, routing, security, and performance considerations.

Stakeholder Management:

Work with technology teams, project stakeholders, suppliers, and senior business representatives to explain technical recommendations and translate complex requirements into practical network solutions.

What We Are Looking For:

Experience:

Strong experience in enterprise network architecture, infrastructure engineering, or network design, with substantial experience working on complex environments and large scale technology projects.

Technical Knowledge:

Strong knowledge of enterprise networking concepts including routing, switching, firewalls, VPN, SD WAN, network security, high availability, DNS, DHCP, and network monitoring.

Cloud Experience:

Experience designing or supporting cloud and hybrid network environments, preferably with Microsoft Azure or AWS.

Architecture Skills:

Ability to develop technical architecture documentation, network diagrams, technology standards, migration plans, and long term infrastructure roadmaps.

Certifications:

Relevant professional certifications such as CCNP, CCIE, JNCIP, or cloud networking certifications are highly desirable.

Communication:

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to both technical and non technical stakeholders.

Mindset:

You are pragmatic and solutions focused. You understand that excellent architecture is not simply about using the newest technology. You know how to balance security, reliability, performance, cost, and business requirements to deliver infrastructure that works in the real world.

Pay: £80,926.00-£100,000.00 per year

Work Location: In person