Staff Network Systems Engineer - Network Automation and DevOps

About Sony Interactive Entertainment

Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), the company behind PlayStation, is a leading technology and entertainment corporation delivering innovative hardware and network services to over 100 million users worldwide. As part of the Sony Group Corporation, SIE is synonymous with creativity and high-quality entertainment experiences.

Role Overview

We are seeking a hands-on Staff Network Systems Engineer to lead the evolution of our global network infrastructure from manual, inconsistent processes towards a unified, automated, and version-controlled infrastructure. This position involves establishing Infrastructure as Code practices aligning with modern software engineering standards and working closely with diverse teams to secure efficient, auditable, and scalable network operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Examine current network systems, toolchains, and workflows to identify inefficiencies, risks, and inconsistencies, devising a phased plan to modernize infrastructure.
• Implement Infrastructure as Code methodologies including creation of a single source of truth, configuration governance, source control management, peer reviews, automated testing, and secure credential handling.
• Develop reusable automation solutions using object-oriented programming (e.g., Python, Go), alongside automation tools such as Terraform, Ansible, and network device APIs.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines with automated linting, validation, drift monitoring, policy enforcement, approval systems, controlled rollout, and rollback mechanisms.
• Collaborate with network engineering, security, architecture, and platform teams to translate network intents into version-controlled implementations and influence technical standards and roadmaps.
• Lead the migration of existing services into the automated framework while actively participating in operational support, complex change management, troubleshooting, and incident response.
• Participate in governance forums, mentor engineering teams, and promote sustainable automation capabilities across the organization.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Demonstrated history of driving network infrastructure modernization via automation or Infrastructure as Code in complex, large-scale production environments.
• Proficient in object-oriented programming languages like Python and Go, with well-structured, maintainable code supporting testing, error handling, and API integration.
• Hands-on experience with Terraform, Ansible, or similar tools to create reusable, idempotent automation components and manage infrastructure deployment.
• Deep knowledge of Git workflows, including pull requests, CI/CD pipelines, automated tests, release controls, policy compliance, and secrets management.
• Advanced networking expertise covering routing, switching, wireless, network access control, resilience, and secure remote connectivity, plus experience with Juniper Mist, EX Series, or Junos platforms or equivalents.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills to manage operational delivery, complex changes, incident responses, and root-cause analysis.
• Capability to influence and communicate effectively at a staff level, including guiding technical strategies, fostering consensus, and developing engineering talent.

Preferred Experience

• Familiarity with network APIs and data models such as REST, NETCONF, RESTCONF, JSON, YAML, and YANG workflows.
• Experience with GitHub Enterprise, GitHub Actions, automated policy enforcement, artifact management, and developer enablement.
• Knowledge of cloud networking (Azure or AWS), enterprise authentication, Zero Trust architectures, and network observability tools.
• Background in architectural governance, technical authority forums, vendor management, and global service delivery operations.
• Experience operating in high-availability environments like gaming, digital media, or similar demanding production settings.

Success Measures

• Expanded network infrastructure automated via version-controlled processes.
• Reduced manual configuration errors, operational workload, and reliance on individual experts.
• Accelerated and stabilized change implementation timeframes with improved validation and rollback mechanisms.
• Reduced change-failure rates while maintaining service uptime and quicker recovery post-incident.
• Widespread adoption of automation practices and standards across engineering teams.

Compensation and Policies

The salary range for this role is $109,400 to $164,000 annually, including eligibility for bonuses and comprehensive benefits such as paid time off, wellness programs, and employee discounts. Individual compensation will be determined by relevant job factors including experience, skills, and location.

Background checks will be conducted during the hiring process. Sony Interactive Entertainment is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to creating an inclusive workplace and considers qualified applicants regardless of legally protected characteristics. It also supports fair-chance hiring practices for candidates with criminal histories.