Lead Network Engineer

Our Purpose
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with our customers, we're helping build a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payments choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
Title and Summary
Lead Network Engineer
Lead Network Engineer
Location: Dublin (Hybrid)
Function: Engineering | Job Family: Network / Platform Engineering
Overview
Mastercard is seeking a Lead Network Engineer to design, build, and operate global network platforms that underpin critical business and customer services. This role sits within the Engineering function and focuses on delivering resilient, scalable, and secure network solutions across backbone, data center, cloud connectivity, and SD-WAN environments.
The Lead Network Engineer is a senior individual contributor who combines deep technical expertise with ownership of large-scale initiatives, working closely with architecture, design, and strategy partners to evolve Mastercard's global network platforms.
What You'll Do• Lead the design, delivery, and operation of complex, multi-domain network platforms spanning backbone, data center, cloud connectivity, and enterprise WAN• Own major project initiatives or workstreams, accountable for technical outcomes, quality, and delivery• Partner with architecture and design teams to shape solutions and platform roadmaps• Produce and own High-Level and Low-Level Designs (HLDs / LLDs) that are scalable, secure, and operationally sound• Drive hands-on implementation, complex changes, and upgrades across global network environments• Act as a senior escalation point for high-impact network incidents• Promote automation-first engineering practices to improve reliability and delivery efficiency• Mentor engineers and influence engineering standards and best practices
What You Bring• 5+ years of experience in network engineering and operations roles• Strong hands-on experience with network automation and scripting using Python and Ansible• Proven experience deploying and operating medium to large-scale networks• Experience with technologies from vendors such as Cisco, Palo Alto, Aruba, Arista, and Check Point• Deep troubleshooting expertise across BGP, MPLS, VPN technologies, DMVPN, and SD-WAN• Strong understanding of modern network architectures including enterprise, cloud, and spine-leaf data center designs• Hands-on experience with firewalls and network security controls, including policy management and segmentation• Proficiency with Git fundamentals and Linux environments used for automation and operational tooling• Experience creating clear technical documentation including designs and implementation artefacts• Exposure to model-driven network automation approaches; Arista AVD experience is a strong plus
Why Mastercard
At Mastercard, you'll work on global-scale platforms that power secure payments and services used every day around the world. You'll collaborate with talented engineers, influence platform strategy, and help shape the future of network engineering through automation, modern architectures, and engineering excellence.
Corporate Security Responsibility
All activities involving access to Mastercard assets, information, and networks comes with an inherent risk to the organization and, therefore, it is expected that every person working for, or on behalf of, Mastercard is responsible for information security and must:

• Abide by Mastercard's security policies and practices;
• Ensure the confidentiality and integrity of the information being accessed;
• Report any suspected information security violation or breach, and
• Complete all periodic mandatory security trainings in accordance with Mastercard's guidelines.