KeyStep
Network Hardware Engineer
Cloudflare
Hybrid
Full-time
about 5 hours ago
About Us At Cloudflare, we are on a mission to help build a better Internet. Today the company runs one of the world’s largest networks tha…
About Us
At Cloudflare, we are on a mission to help build a better Internet. Today the company runs one of the world’s largest networks that powers millions of websites and other Internet properties for customers ranging from individual bloggers to SMBs to Fortune 500 companies. Cloudflare protects and accelerates any Internet application online without adding hardware, installing software, or changing a line of code. Internet properties powered by Cloudflare all have web traffic routed through its intelligent global network, which gets smarter with every request. As a result, they see significant improvement in performance and a decrease in spam and other attacks. Cloudflare was named to Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top Company Cultures list and ranked among the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company.
At Cloudflare, we’re not looking for people who wait for a polished roadmap; we’re looking for the builders who see the cracks in the Internet that everyone else has simply learned to live with. We value candidates who have the instinct to spot a "normalized" problem and the AI-native curiosity to create a solution using the latest tools. Our culture is built on iteration, leveraging AI to ship faster today to make it better tomorrow, while ensuring that every improvement, no matter how small, is shared across the team to lift everyone up. If you’re the type of person who values curiosity over bureaucracy, and that AI is a partner in solving tough problems to keep the Internet moving forward, you’ll fit right in.
Available Location: Austin, TX
Job Title
Network Hardware Engineer
Role Summary
As a pivotal technical contributor within the Network Hardware Engineering (NetHW) team, you will drive the selection and qualification process for network devices used in Cloudflare's Global Network. The NetHW team manages the New Product Introduction (NPI) process for all network devices. Our responsibilities also include the evaluation and qualification of new production network operating system images and versions. Furthermore, we provide essential support by reproducing bugs to assist Operations with TAC cases and testing new features and major configuration updates.
Role Responsibilities
You will be involved in every stage of the New Product Introduction (NPI) process, including requirements gathering, device selection, Device Validation Testing (DVT), Production Validation Testing (PVT), and Operational Acceptance. Furthermore, you will be responsible for creating and automating test plans that align with both operational needs and hardware limitations, as well as driving efforts to improve testing efficiency.
Product Lifecycle Management: Lead the introduction of new network hardware systems, including detailed engineering validation in lab environments
Qualification & Validation: Gather requirements, contribute to network architecture, and execute hardware design and product validation
Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with Network Engineering & Operations, Datacenter Engineering & Operations, and other operational teams to make network hardware decisions
Automation & Performance Testing: Develop tools and automation to effectively evaluate network hardware performance
Operational Support: Assist operational engineers by troubleshooting, reproducing, and resolving network hardware issues
Communication: Document and share results and updates via blog/wiki posts, ticketing systems, and internal presentations
Role Requirements (Must-Have Skills)
Must-Have Skills
BS, MS, or PhD in Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent practical experience
Proven ability to conduct thorough evaluation and experimentation, including testing, measurement, and/or simulation of hardware performance
Extensive experience with networking hardware architecture, validation, performance benchmarking, debugging, and deployment
Deep know
Neutral 2–4 sentence summary of what working at this company is like, drawn from public reviews and press coverage. Tone, collaboration style, pace, benefits highlights.
£45,000 – £60,000 (Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, 2025)
About Us At Cloudflare, we are on a mission to help build a better Internet. Today the company runs one of the world’s largest networks tha…