Distinguished Engineer, Networking

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Job Summary

Equinix is seeking a world-class Distinguished Engineer, Networking to help define the architecture of one of the world's most interconnected digital infrastructure platforms.

This is the most senior individual contributor role within the Network Architecture organization and serves as the technical counterpart to leadership. The Distinguished Engineer is the person trusted to solve the hardest architectural problems in the company, challenge assumptions before they become production issues, and raise the technical bar across the global engineering organization.

This leader will shape the future of Equinix's network architecture across optical transport, software-defined interconnection, AI-native infrastructure, intent-driven networking, and cloud-scale routing. They will work directly with Product, Engineering, Operations, strategic customers, and hyperscale partners to build the technical foundation for the next generation of interconnection services.

Why This Role Matters

Equinix is executing several major architectural shifts simultaneously.

• Fabric One introduces intent-driven, any-to-any connectivity built on open APIs and deep integration with cloud providers.

• Fabric Intelligence enables AI agents to provision, optimize, and manage network infrastructure autonomously.

• Fabric Geo Zones introduces jurisdiction-aware data paths where data sovereignty becomes a property of the network itself, not merely an application-level policy.

The platform already connects more than 10,500 businesses, 3,000 cloud and IT providers, and eight of the world's ten largest AI model providers. Because Equinix operates as a neutral interconnection platform, this role designs not for a single cloud or ecosystem—but for the broader Internet itself.

Responsibilities

Architect the Future of Interconnection

Define the architecture for the network that powers the Equinix Interconnection portfolio, including:

• Equinix Fabric

• Fabric Cloud Router

• Metro Connect

• Internet Exchange

• Network Edge

• Future intent-driven and AI-enabled networking services

Develop architectural patterns that support current products while providing the foundation for future innovation across the company.

Shape the Next Generation of Networking

Serve as a lead architect behind:

• Fabric One: Design the network architecture behind intent-driven connectivity where applications and infrastructure consume network services through software

• Fabric Intelligence: Create the networking foundation for AI-native operations where intelligent agents provision, optimize, diagnose, and heal infrastructure autonomously

• Fabric Geo Zones: Develop architectures that enforce geographic and regulatory boundaries across global infrastructure environments and sovereign jurisdictions

Own the Hardest Technical Problems

Lead architectural decisions spanning Layers 0 through 3, including:

• Coherent optics

• DWDM

• OTN

• ROADMs

• Optical transport

• IP/MPLS

• BGP at hyperscale

• Software-defined networking

• Control plane architecture

Provide technical leadership on vendor decisions, technology bets, standards adoption, architecture reviews, and long-range platform evolution.

Turn Strategy into Reality

• Build proof-of-concepts, validate new technologies, evaluate tradeoffs, and translate architectural concepts into production recommendations

• Partner closely with Product, Engineering, and Operations to ensure roadmap priorities are technically sound, scalable, and operationally viable

Influence Industry Direction

Represent Equinix externally with:

• Strategic customers

• Hyperscalers

• AI infrastructure providers

• Industry standards organizations

• Technical conferences

• Strategic technology partners

Serve as a trusted technical voice with CTOs, VPs Engineering, and senior architects across the global infrastructure ecosystem.

Elevate Engineering Excellence

• Mentor senior and principal engineers across the organization

• Create architectural standards, reusable design patterns, review mechanisms, and technical practices that improve engineering quality across the company

What Success Looks Like

The Distinguished Engineer will:

• Define architectures that scale with the future of Equinix

• Influence the technical direction of Fabric One, Fabric Intelligence, and Fabric Geo Zones

• Help establish Equinix as a leader in software-defined and AI-native interconnection

• Improve architectural quality, reliability, and scalability across the network platform

• Drive strategic technology decisions that shape the company's next decade

• Raise the technical capability of the entire architecture organization

• Become a recognized technical authority both inside and outside Equinix

Qualifications

• 15+ years designing, building, and operating large-scale network infrastructure

• Experience operating at cloud scale within:

  • AWS

  • Microsoft Azure

  • Google Cloud

  • Oracle Cloud

  • Equivalent hyperscale environments

  • Large-scale carrier or exchange networks

• Expert-level knowledge of:

  • Optical transport

  • DWDM

  • OTN

  • Coherent networking

  • ROADMs

  • IP/MPLS

  • BGP

  • SDN and control-plane architectures

• Proven ability to influence architecture decisions across large engineering organizations

• Exceptional problem-solving skills with the ability to operate equally comfortably at:

  • Executive strategy level

  • Whiteboard architecture level

  • Protocol and packet-debugging level

As one engineer described it:

"Can write the RFC and debug the packet capture."

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing infrastructure for AI training and distributed inference workloads

• Experience with carrier-neutral interconnection, peering, IXPs, or cloud exchange platforms

• Familiarity with network-as-code, intent-driven networking, and autonomous infrastructure systems

• Understanding of data sovereignty architectures and jurisdiction-aware traffic engineering

• Contributions to standards bodies, patents, open-source initiatives, publications, or major industry platforms

Why Join Equinix

• Most networking roles optimize an existing system

• This role helps define the next one

• Equinix sits at the intersection of clouds, networks, enterprises, AI providers, and digital ecosystems worldwide. The Distinguished Engineer will help determine how these environments connect, how they evolve, and how infrastructure becomes increasingly intelligent, autonomous, and software-defined

The targeted pay range for this position in the following location is / locations are:

United States - Redwood City Office GHQ : 269,000 - 403,000 USD / Annual

Our pay ranges reflect the minimum and maximum target for new hire pay for the full-time position determined by role, level, and location.The pay range shown is based on our compensation structure in place at the time of posting and may be updated periodically based on business needs. Individual pay is based on additional factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education and/or training.

The targeted pay range listed reflects the base pay only and does not include bonus, equity, or benefits. Employees are eligible for bonus, and equity may be offered depending on the position.

Equinix Benefits

As an employee, you become important to Equinix’s success. We ensure all your benefits are in line with our core values: competitive, inclusive, sustainable, connected and efficient. We keep them competitive within the current marketplace to ensure we’re providing you with the best package possible. So, wherever you are in your career and life, you’ll be able to enhance your experience and bring your whole self to work.

Employee Assistance Program: An Employee Assistance program is available to all employees.

US Benefits: - Insurance: You may enroll in health, life, disability and voluntary plans that are designed for you and your eligible family members. - Retirement: You and Equinix may contribute to a retirement plan to help you plan for your financial future. - Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays: You will receive an accrued amount of PTO each pay period along with various paid holidays for you to rest and recharge. Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific plan or program terms.

Equinix is committed to ensuring that our employment process is open to all individuals, including those with a disability.  If you are a qualified candidate and need assistance or an accommodation, please let us know by completing this form.

Equinix is an Equal Employment Opportunity and, in the U.S., an Affirmative Action employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to unlawful consideration of race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, place of birth, citizenship, sex, pregnancy / childbirth or related medical conditions, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or domestic partnership status, age, veteran or military status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, political / organizational affiliation, status as a victim or family member of a victim of crime or abuse, or any other status protected by applicable law. 

We use artificial intelligence in our hiring process. Learn more here.

This posting is for a backfill position, meaning it is to fill an existing vacancy within our organization.