Senior Network Engineer - Wireless

1. Role Summary

The Senior Wireless Network Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, managing, optimizing, and supporting enterprise wireless infrastructure across branches, clinics, offices, healthcare, and high-density environments. The role focuses on delivering highly available, secure, and high-performance Wi-Fi networks through RF planning, wireless design, predictive surveys, site surveys, controller administration, and advanced troubleshooting.

The ideal candidate should possess extensive hands-on experience with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers across multiple generations, Cisco Catalyst Center, Cisco Prime Infrastructure, enterprise Access Points, RF optimization, wireless security, guest access, large-scale wireless deployments and Network Access Control (NAC).

2. Key Responsibilities 2.1 Network Infrastructure Management

• Design, implement, configure, and maintain enterprise LAN, WAN, WLAN, NAC


• Configure and support Cisco Catalyst


• Perform wireless network capacity planning and optimization.


• Support enterprise switching infrastructure.


• Maintain network documentation, topology diagrams, and configuration standards.


• Participate in datacenter network implementations and migrations.

2. Key Responsibilities 2.1 Enterprise Wireless Infrastructure

• Design and implement enterprise Wi-Fi solutions for indoor and outdoor environments.


• Deploy, configure, and maintain Cisco wireless infrastructure.


• Configure and manage enterprise Wireless LAN Controllers (WLC).


• Install, configure, and troubleshoot Cisco Access Points.


• Plan wireless expansion projects and technology refresh initiatives.


• Support campus, branches including Hospitals, Health Centers, and office wireless deployments.


• Maintain wireless documentation, RF maps, topology diagrams, and standards.

2.2 Cisco Wireless Controllers

• Configure, administer, upgrade, and troubleshoot Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers including:


• Cisco AireOS Controllers


• 2504, 3504, 5508, 5520, 8540


• Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series


• C9800-L, C9800-40, C9800-80


• Embedded Wireless Controller (EWC)


• Cisco Mobility Express


• Configure HA SSO deployments.


• Configure Mobility Groups and mobility roaming.


• Perform controller software upgrades and migrations.


• Support migration from AireOS to Catalyst 9800 platforms.

2.3 RF Engineering & Wireless Design

• Perform Predictive RF Design using Ekahau AI Pro.


• Conduct Passive Site Surveys.


• Conduct Active Site Surveys.


• Perform Validation Surveys.


• Conduct Wireless Health Assessments.


• Analyze RF coverage and capacity.


• Optimize channel planning and power levels.


• Design high-density wireless environments.


• Perform spectrum analysis and interference mitigation.


• Design 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz (Wi-Fi 6E) deployments.


• Optimize wireless performance based on client density and application requirements.

2.4 Wireless Planning & Optimization

• RF planning for new facilities.


• Wireless capacity planning.


• Roaming optimization.


• Client load balancing.


• Coverage optimization.


• High Availability wireless design.


• Wireless performance tuning.


• Wireless QoS implementation.


• Multicast optimization.


• Fast Secure Roaming (802.11r).


• Band Steering.


• Client Steering.


• CleanAir optimization.

2.5 Wireless Security

• Configure WPA2/WPA3 Enterprise.


• Configure 802.1X authentication.


• Integrate Cisco ISE for secure network access.


• Configure RADIUS and TACACS+ authentication.


• Deploy Guest Wireless Portal solutions.


• Configure BYOD onboarding.


• Implement MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB).


• Wireless segmentation using VLANs.


• Secure IoT wireless deployments.


• Wireless threat detection and rogue AP mitigation.


• Deploy and administer Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager.


• Configure 802.1X authentication for wired and wireless networks.


• Implement certificate-based authentication (EAP-TLS).


• Configure RADIUS and TACACS+ authentication services.


• Design and implement role-based access control (RBAC).


• Configure Dynamic VLAN Assignment and Downloadable ACLs (dACLs).

2.6 Wireless Troubleshooting

• Troubleshoot wireless connectivity issues.


• Analyze roaming failures.


• Investigate authentication failures.


• Troubleshoot DHCP and DNS-related wireless issues.


• Resolve RF interference problems.


• Diagnose client performance issues.


• Troubleshoot latency, packet loss, and voice-over-WiFi issues.


• Perform packet captures and wireless protocol analysis.


• Conduct Root Cause Analysis (RCA) for major incidents.

2.7 Network Management Platforms

• Cisco Catalyst Center (DNA Center)


• Cisco Prime Infrastructure


• Cisco Wireless Assurance


• Cisco Spaces


• Cisco ISE


• Cisco ThousandEyes

2.8 Monitoring & Performance

Monitor wireless infrastructure using:

• Cisco Catalyst Center


• Cisco Prime Infrastructure


• SolarWinds


• PRTG


• ManageEngine OpManager

Responsibilities include:

• Wireless health monitoring


• Client analytics


• Performance trending


• Capacity planning


• Firmware lifecycle management


• Incident management


• Availability reporting

2.9 Projects & Governance

• Lead enterprise wireless implementation projects.


• Execute wireless migration projects.


• Perform wireless technology refreshes.


• Prepare implementation and rollback plans.


• Conduct risk assessments.


• Develop low-level and high-level designs (LLD/HLD).


• Coordinate with vendors and third-party service providers.


• Ensure compliance with enterprise wireless standards and best practices.

3. Technical Skills 3.1 Enterprise Wireless

• Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers


• Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series


• Cisco AireOS


• Cisco Mobility Express


• Cisco Embedded Wireless Controller


• Cisco Access Points


• Cisco Catalyst Wireless

3.2               RF Technologies

• RF Planning, Optimization, Troubleshooting


• Spectrum Analysis


• Predictive, Passive and Active Site Survey


• Validation Survey


• Heat Map Analysis


• Coverage Planning


• Capacity Planning


• Channel Planning

3.3 Wireless Standards

• IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (Wi-Fi 6 and 7)


• Wi-Fi 6E


• WPA2


• WPA3


• 802.1X


• Fast Roaming


• MU-MIMO

3.4 Site Survey Tools

• Ekahau


• AirMagnet Survey Pro (preferred)

4. Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, or a related field.

5. Preferred Certifications

• Cisco CCNP Enterprise (Wireless)


• Cisco CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure (Preferred)


• CWNA (Certified Wireless Network Administrator)


• Ekahau Certified Survey Engineer (ECSE)

6. Experience Requirements

• 5+ years of hands-on enterprise wireless networking experience.


• Extensive experience managing Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers across multiple platforms.


• Experience with Cisco Catalyst 9800 migrations from AireOS.


• Experience performing enterprise wireless site surveys and RF planning.


• Experience designing high-density wireless environments.


• Strong knowledge of wireless security and Cisco ISE or Aruba ClearPass integration.


• Experience supporting large-scale enterprise wireless deployments with thousands of Access Points.


• Experience working in healthcare, airports, universities, hospitality, banking, government, or large enterprise environments.


• Experience deploying 802.1X authentication across campus LAN and WLAN environments.


• Experience integrating NAC solutions with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers, Catalyst Switches, Active Directory, PKI, VPN, and enterprise security platforms.


• Experience with guest access, BYOD onboarding, endpoint profiling, posture assessment, and role-based network access control.

7. Core Competencies

• Advanced RF troubleshooting


• Enterprise wireless architecture


• Wireless network design


• Capacity planning


• Coverage optimization


• High-density Wi-Fi deployments


• Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills


• Strong documentation practices


• Project implementation and migration


• Customer-focused service delivery


• Vendor coordination


• Team collaboration and mentoring

Ability to work during critical incidents and