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Network Engineer

Brites Management (Client: ISP)

Nairobifull time~KES 70k – 90k/mo10h ago

Quick Take

The Role

Design, deploy, and maintain ISP network infrastructure across fiber, wireless, and radio systems while troubleshooting complex faults and managing 24/7 operations.

You Need

5+ years hands-on experience with Cisco/MikroTik, ISP-grade network architecture design, and ability to diagnose BGP/OSPF routing and fiber optic systems.

You Get

High-impact role at a fast-growing ISP with competitive salary, technical depth, and opportunity to shape infrastructure serving thousands of enterprise and retail customers.

Job Description

Role Overview

Our client, a fast-growing Internet Service Provider (ISP) based in Kenya, is looking for a skilled and dependable Network Engineer to join their technical team. This is a hands-on, high-impact role responsible for designing, configuring, and maintaining robust network infrastructure across LAN, WAN, and WLAN environments serving both enterprise and retail customers.

The successful candidate will be at the heart of the ISP's operations — ensuring high availability, optimal performance, and airtight security across customer-facing and internal network systems. If you thrive in dynamic, always-on environments and have a deep passion for network engineering, this role offers you the platform to make a real difference.

Key Responsibilities
  • Design, deploy, and manage scalable ISP network infrastructure including fiber optic, wireless, and radio link technologies.
  • Configure and maintain routing and switching environments using Cisco and MikroTik equipment.
  • Plan and execute network expansions, upgrades, and capacity improvements.
  • Monitor network performance continuously to ensure maximum uptime and reliability across all services.
  • Troubleshoot and resolve network outages, latency issues, and performance bottlenecks within SLA timelines.
  • Perform scheduled maintenance, system upgrades, and patch management activities.
  • Implement and maintain network security measures including firewalls, VPNs, and intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS).
  • Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and proactively mitigate identified risks.
  • Ensure all network operations adhere to security policies and industry best practices.
  • Work closely with the Network Operations Center (NOC) to ensure efficient incident response, escalation, and resolution.
  • Provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 technical support for complex network-related issues.
  • Maintain comprehensive and up-to-date documentation for network configurations, processes, and troubleshooting runbooks.
  • Support enterprise and retail customers with end-to-end connectivity solutions and service onboarding.
  • Collaborate cross-functionally with technical support teams, field engineers, and sales to ensure seamless service delivery.
Required Skills & Experience
  • Must be able to design and implement scalable ISP-grade network architectures independently with at least 5 years of relevant experience.
  • Must demonstrate hands-on proficiency configuring Cisco routers, switches, and MikroTik devices in live production environments.
  • Must be able to diagnose and resolve complex network faults including BGP/OSPF routing issues, link failures, and bandwidth congestion.
  • Must be capable of deploying and managing fiber optic networks and wireless/radio link systems.
  • Must be able to implement and audit network security controls including firewalls, VPN tunnels, and IDS/IPS systems.
  • Must be able to work effectively within or alongside a 24/7 NOC environment, including incident management and escalation procedures.
  • Must hold a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Telecommunications, or a closely related field.
  • Must possess or be actively working towards CCNA/CCNP, HCIP, or MikroTik certifications (MTCNA, MTCRE) — these are a strong added advantage.
  • Must be able to produce and maintain clear technical documentation, network diagrams, and SOPs.
Salary & Benefits

The budgeted monthly gross salary for this role is KES 70,000 – 90,000, commensurate with experience and qualifications. This is a competitive package within the Kenyan ISP industry for a mid-to-senior network engineering professional.

Who Should Apply

Ideal candidate: You are a seasoned network engineer with at least 5 years of experience working within an ISP or telco environment. You have direct, hands-on experience with Cisco and MikroTik infrastructure, are comfortable operating in high-pressure NOC settings, and take ownership of network uptime and security. You are proactive, well-documented in your work, and thrive in fast-paced, growth-oriented companies.

Do NOT apply if: You have fewer than 3 years of network engineering experience, have no ISP-specific exposure, or have only theoretical knowledge of the technologies listed without hands-on deployment experience. This role is not suitable for general IT support professionals or system administrators without dedicated networking expertise.

How to Apply
  • Prepare an updated CV clearly highlighting your ISP experience, key technologies used, and any certifications held.
  • Submit your application through the Brites Management recruitment portal or the job platform where this listing appears.
  • Shortlisted candidates will be contacted directly for a technical screening interview.
  • Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted — if you do not hear back within 2 weeks of applying, consider your application unsuccessful for this round.

Requirements Breakdown

Must Have

  • Bachelor's degree in IT, Computer Science, Telecommunications, or related field
  • 5+ years hands-on experience designing and implementing ISP-grade network architectures
  • Expert-level proficiency with Cisco routers/switches and MikroTik devices in production environments
  • Demonstrated ability to diagnose and resolve BGP/OSPF routing issues, link failures, and bandwidth congestion
  • Experience deploying fiber optic networks and wireless/radio link systems

Nice to Have

  • Cisco CCNP or equivalent professional certification
  • Experience with network security tools (firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS implementation)
  • Familiarity with 24/7 NOC operations and incident management procedures
  • Knowledge of vulnerability assessment and network security auditing

Don't meet every requirement? Tailor your CV to close the gap →

Salary Context

Competitive mid-to-senior Network Engineer salary for Nairobi market

At KES 70,000–90,000/month, this role targets experienced engineers with specialised ISP knowledge. Senior Network Engineers in Kenya typically earn 60,000–100,000 depending on certifications, experience, and employer scale; ISP roles often command premiums due to 24/7 responsibility and critical infrastructure management.

About Brites Management (Client: ISP)

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Brites Management partners with a fast-growing Kenyan ISP positioned at the forefront of digital infrastructure expansion across East Africa. The ISP serves both enterprise and retail customers with fiber, wireless, and radio-link connectivity, operating a mission-critical 24/7 network that underpins businesses and communities. This is an organisation investing heavily in technical talent and network scalability, offering engineers the chance to work on high-impact infrastructure projects that directly serve Kenya's digital economy.

Likely Interview Questions

  • 1

    Walk us through a complex network outage you resolved—what was the root cause, and how did you diagnose it within SLA timelines?

  • 2

    Describe your experience designing ISP network architectures for scalability. What tools and methodologies do you use for capacity planning?

  • 3

    Tell us about your hands-on experience with Cisco and MikroTik devices. Which do you prefer, and why?

  • 4

    How have you implemented and audited network security controls (firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS) in a production ISP environment?

  • 5

    Describe your experience working in or alongside a 24/7 NOC. How do you handle escalations and incident management under pressure?

Application Tips

  • Quantify your ISP experience: mention specific technologies deployed (fiber kilometres, customer counts, uptime percentages achieved) to demonstrate scale.

  • Highlight certifications: Cisco CCNP, JNCIA, or MikroTik certifications carry significant weight—list these prominently.

  • Showcase incident resolution: provide concrete examples of outages you resolved, emphasizing speed and adherence to SLAs—this directly addresses the role's 24/7 demands.

Career Path

Roles that lead here

Network Administrator (LAN/WAN support)
Systems Administrator with networking focus
Junior Network Engineer or NOC Technician

Where this leads

Senior Network Engineer or Network Architect
Network Operations Manager
Infrastructure Manager or Head of Technical Operations

Skills & Keywords

network engineer kenyaisp network engineercisco mikrotik jobs nairobiccnp jobs kenyanetwork operations center jobsfiber optic network engineerit jobs nairobi 2025wan lan engineer kenya

Honest Assessment

Green Flags

  • Clear, technical job description with specific technologies (Cisco, MikroTik, BGP/OSPF, fiber optics) shows the employer understands what they need.
  • Emphasis on hands-on, high-impact work and customer-facing support suggests genuine technical depth and room to grow beyond ticket-pushing.
  • Fast-growing ISP client indicates expansion opportunities, potential for new projects, and career trajectory in a scaling business.
  • Competitive salary range (KES 70–90K) reflects mid-to-senior seniority and recognition of specialised ISP knowledge value in Kenya.

Watch Out

  • Job posting is truncated—it ends mid-sentence at 'Must hold a Bachelo…'—seek clarification on full requirements, benefits, and reporting structure before applying.
  • No mention of work-from-home or flexible arrangements; given 24/7 NOC involvement, confirm whether on-site presence is required 100% of the time or if shift patterns allow remote work.

A Day in the Life

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Your week oscillates between planned and reactive work: mornings might involve capacity planning meetings with the NOC or designing a fiber expansion for a new enterprise customer, while afternoons could shift to troubleshooting a BGP convergence issue or auditing VPN security controls. You're constantly monitoring dashboards and responding to alerts, occasionally jumping on a call with field engineers deploying radio links or with a customer debugging latency. You'll document runbooks, patch systems during maintenance windows, and collaborate with support teams to resolve Tier 2/3 escalations—every day matters because network downtime directly impacts thousands of users.

Frequently Asked Questions

What qualifications do I need to apply for the Network Engineer role at Brites Management (Client: ISP)?

You must hold a Bachelor's degree in IT or related field, have 5+ years of hands-on ISP network experience, and demonstrate expert proficiency with Cisco and MikroTik devices. Certifications (CCNP, JNCIA) are valued but not always mandatory if your production experience is strong.

Is the Network Engineer role remote or on-site?

The posting does not explicitly state remote options; given the 24/7 NOC involvement and hands-on nature of the work, expect on-site presence in Nairobi. Contact the recruiter to clarify shift patterns or any hybrid flexibility.

How much does a Network Engineer earn at Brites Management (Client: ISP)?

The posted salary range is KES 70,000–90,000 per month, which is competitive for mid-to-senior Network Engineers in Nairobi with ISP specialisation and 5+ years of experience.

What are the career growth opportunities from this role?

A fast-growing ISP typically creates pathways to Senior Network Engineer, Network Architect, or Network Operations Manager roles. Hands-on infrastructure experience here builds the foundation for leadership in technical operations or infrastructure management.

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