Network Engineer Jobs in San Francisco, CA
Network Engineer jobs in San Francisco are concentrated in SoMa, the Financial District, and Mission Bay, driven by demand from tech, cloud infrastructure, and healthcare sectors. Employers actively hiring include OpenAI, IREN, and ALTRUIST. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 355+ Network Engineer jobs
Compute - San Francisco
About the Team
OpenAI's Global Network Infrastructure team is responsible for building and operating the global network backbone that connects our rapidly expanding compute infrastructure. Our work enables reliableance connectivity across data centers, cloud service providers, and network points of presence (PoPs), supporting the infrastructure behind OpenAI's research and products.
As OpenAI continues to scale its compute footprint globally, we are expanding our network infrastructure to meet increasing demands for capacity, reliability, and operational efficiency. Our team works across physical network design, carrier connectivity, network deployment, and operational troubleshooting to deliver resilient infrastructure at exceptional scale.
About the Role
We are looking for a hands-on Network Infrastructure Engineer to help design, deploy, activate, and operate OpenAI's global wide area network (WAN) infrastructure.
In this role, you will take direct ownership of bringing new network connectivity online, working closely with fiber providers, cloud service providers, and internal infrastructure teams to establish reliable connectivity across our global backbone.
You will be involved in everything from physical network design and circuit provisioning to troubleshooting complex connectivity issues across Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3. You will play a critical role in expanding our network footprint, bringing new PoPs online, and ensuring that our infrastructure operates reliably as OpenAI continues to grow.
We're looking for engineers who enjoy working close to the infrastructure, thrive on solving difficult networking problems, and bring an automation-first mindset to scaling network operations.
In This Role, You Will:
Design, deploy, and support WAN infrastructure across data centers, network PoPs, and cloud connectivity environments.
Own the end-to-end activation and turn-up of network circuits, working directly with fiber carriers and cloud service providers to establish and validate connectivity.
Troubleshoot complex network issues across physical, Layer 2, and Layer 3 infrastructure, including optical signal problems, FEC errors, routing issues, and connectivity failures.
Diagnose and isolate network failures across carrier, cloud provider, and internal infrastructure boundaries, driving issues through resolution.
Contribute to physical network infrastructure design, including port mappings, fiber and cable layouts, optical distribution frames (ODFs), and connectivity planning.
Monitor network healthance to proactively identify capacity constraints and reliability risks.
Build automation and tooling to streamline network provisioning, deployment validation, troubleshooting, and operational workflows.
Collaborate with network engineering, data center infrastructure, and external service providers to support the expansion of OpenAI's global backbone.
Participate in an on-call rotation to maintain the reliability and availability of critical network infrastructure.
You Might Thrive in This Role If You:
Have hands-on experience deploying, activating, and troubleshooting WAN circuits with telecommunications carriers, fiber providers, or cloud service providers.
Have a strong understanding of networking fundamentals, including optical networking, Ethernet, TCP/IP, BGP, and Layer 2/3 connectivity.
Are comfortable debugging network issues across multiple layers, from physical fiber connectivity and optical errors to routing and traffic forwarding.
Have experience working with data center networking, carrier infrastructure, cloud interconnects, or large-scale WAN environments.
Understand physical network infrastructure concepts such as fiber cabling, port mappings, optical distribution frames, and network equipment connectivity.
Can independently investigate ambiguous connectivity problems, isolate root causes, and work across internal and external teams to restore service.
Have experience with scripting or automation tools and are motivated to reduce manual work through repeatable, scalable processes.
Enjoy working directly with infrastructure and take pride in owning technical problems from initial deployment through operational resolution.
Thrive in a fast-moving environment where infrastructure requirements evolve rapidly and engineering decisions have a direct impact on global scale.
Nice to Have
Experience building or operating large-scale backbone networks, hyperscale data center networks, or cloud provider interconnect infrastructure.
Familiarity with optical transport technologiess.
Experience automating network operations using Python, Go, or infrastructure automation frameworks.
Experience deploying new network PoPs or supporting large-scale network expansion projects.
Experience collaborating with carriers, colocation providers, and cloud networking teams on complex connectivity deployments.
Why This Role Matters
OpenAI's ability to advance AI research and deliver products at global scale depends on reliableance infrastructure.
As a member of the Global Network Infrastructure team, you will help build the connectivity foundation supporting some of the world's most demanding compute environments. Your work will directly contribute to expanding OpenAI's global network footprint, bringing critical infrastructure online, and ensuring the reliability of the systems powering frontier AI.
This is an opportunity to work on challenging infrastructure problems, take meaningful ownership of global network deployments, and help shape the next generation of OpenAI's network backbone.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal opportunity employeration, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable lawation technology systems and related data security obligations.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
Compensation
$347K – $445K + Offers Equity
The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factorsance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees, and the following benefits.
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
401(k) retirement plan with employer match
Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.
More details about our benefits are available to candidates during the hiring process.
This role is at-will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.
Compute - San Francisco
About the Team
OpenAI's Global Network Infrastructure team is responsible for building and operating the global network backbone that connects our rapidly expanding compute infrastructure. Our work enables reliableance connectivity across data centers, cloud service providers, and network points of presence (PoPs), supporting the infrastructure behind OpenAI's research and products.
As OpenAI continues to scale its compute footprint globally, we are expanding our network infrastructure to meet increasing demands for capacity, reliability, and operational efficiency. Our team works across physical network design, carrier connectivity, network deployment, and operational troubleshooting to deliver resilient infrastructure at exceptional scale.
About the Role
We are looking for a hands-on Network Infrastructure Engineer to help design, deploy, activate, and operate OpenAI's global wide area network (WAN) infrastructure.
In this role, you will take direct ownership of bringing new network connectivity online, working closely with fiber providers, cloud service providers, and internal infrastructure teams to establish reliable connectivity across our global backbone.
You will be involved in everything from physical network design and circuit provisioning to troubleshooting complex connectivity issues across Layer 1, Layer 2, and Layer 3. You will play a critical role in expanding our network footprint, bringing new PoPs online, and ensuring that our infrastructure operates reliably as OpenAI continues to grow.
We're looking for engineers who enjoy working close to the infrastructure, thrive on solving difficult networking problems, and bring an automation-first mindset to scaling network operations.
In This Role, You Will:
Design, deploy, and support WAN infrastructure across data centers, network PoPs, and cloud connectivity environments.
Own the end-to-end activation and turn-up of network circuits, working directly with fiber carriers and cloud service providers to establish and validate connectivity.
Troubleshoot complex network issues across physical, Layer 2, and Layer 3 infrastructure, including optical signal problems, FEC errors, routing issues, and connectivity failures.
Diagnose and isolate network failures across carrier, cloud provider, and internal infrastructure boundaries, driving issues through resolution.
Contribute to physical network infrastructure design, including port mappings, fiber and cable layouts, optical distribution frames (ODFs), and connectivity planning.
Monitor network healthance to proactively identify capacity constraints and reliability risks.
Build automation and tooling to streamline network provisioning, deployment validation, troubleshooting, and operational workflows.
Collaborate with network engineering, data center infrastructure, and external service providers to support the expansion of OpenAI's global backbone.
Participate in an on-call rotation to maintain the reliability and availability of critical network infrastructure.
You Might Thrive in This Role If You:
Have hands-on experience deploying, activating, and troubleshooting WAN circuits with telecommunications carriers, fiber providers, or cloud service providers.
Have a strong understanding of networking fundamentals, including optical networking, Ethernet, TCP/IP, BGP, and Layer 2/3 connectivity.
Are comfortable debugging network issues across multiple layers, from physical fiber connectivity and optical errors to routing and traffic forwarding.
Have experience working with data center networking, carrier infrastructure, cloud interconnects, or large-scale WAN environments.
Understand physical network infrastructure concepts such as fiber cabling, port mappings, optical distribution frames, and network equipment connectivity.
Can independently investigate ambiguous connectivity problems, isolate root causes, and work across internal and external teams to restore service.
Have experience with scripting or automation tools and are motivated to reduce manual work through repeatable, scalable processes.
Enjoy working directly with infrastructure and take pride in owning technical problems from initial deployment through operational resolution.
Thrive in a fast-moving environment where infrastructure requirements evolve rapidly and engineering decisions have a direct impact on global scale.
Nice to Have
Experience building or operating large-scale backbone networks, hyperscale data center networks, or cloud provider interconnect infrastructure.
Familiarity with optical transport technologiess.
Experience automating network operations using Python, Go, or infrastructure automation frameworks.
Experience deploying new network PoPs or supporting large-scale network expansion projects.
Experience collaborating with carriers, colocation providers, and cloud networking teams on complex connectivity deployments.
Why This Role Matters
OpenAI's ability to advance AI research and deliver products at global scale depends on reliableance infrastructure.
As a member of the Global Network Infrastructure team, you will help build the connectivity foundation supporting some of the world's most demanding compute environments. Your work will directly contribute to expanding OpenAI's global network footprint, bringing critical infrastructure online, and ensuring the reliability of the systems powering frontier AI.
This is an opportunity to work on challenging infrastructure problems, take meaningful ownership of global network deployments, and help shape the next generation of OpenAI's network backbone.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is an AI research and deployment company dedicated to ensuring that general-purpose artificial intelligence benefits all of humanity. We push the boundaries of the capabilities of AI systems and seek to safely deploy them to the world through our products. AI is an extremely powerful tool that must be created with safety and human needs at its core the full spectrum of humanity.
We are an equal opportunity employeration, or other applicable legally protected characteristic.
Background checks for applicants will be administered in accordance with applicable lawation technology systems and related data security obligations.
To notify OpenAI that you believe this job posting is non-compliant. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance.
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.
At OpenAI, we believe artificial intelligence has the potential to help people solve immense global challenges, and we want the upside of AI to be widely shared. Join us in shaping the future of technology.
Compensation
$347K – $445K + Offers Equity
The base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factorsance-related bonus(es) for eligible employees, and the following benefits.
Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family, with employer contributions to Health Savings Accounts
Pre-tax accounts for Health FSA, Dependent Care FSA, and commuter expenses (parking and transit)
401(k) retirement plan with employer match
Paid parental leave (up to 24 weeks for birth parents and 20 weeks for non-birthing parents), plus paid medical and caregiver leave (up to 8 weeks)
Paid time off: flexible PTO for exempt employees and up to 15 days annually for non-exempt employees
13+ paid company holidays, and multiple paid coordinated company office closures throughout the year for focus and recharge, plus paid sick or safe time (1 hour per 30 hours worked, or more, as required by applicable state or local law)
Mental health and wellness support
Employer-paid basic life and disability coverage
Annual learning and development stipend to fuel your professional growth
Daily meals in our offices, and meal delivery credits as eligible
Relocation support for eligible employees
Additional taxable fringe benefits, such as charitable donation matching and wellness stipends, may also be provided.
More details about our benefits are available to candidates during the hiring process.
This role is at-will and OpenAI reserves the right to modify base pay and other compensation components at any time based on individual performance, team or company results, or market conditions.
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Find Network Engineer JobsNetwork Engineer Job Market in San Francisco
Who's Hiring
- OpenAI80
- IREN23
- ALTRUIST23
- Fluidstack23
- DEEL11
Top Industries Hiring
- Science & Research34
- Technology & Software34
- Investment & Asset Management11
Network Engineer Jobs in San Francisco: Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a network engineer job in San Francisco?
Focus on the sectors that dominate San Francisco hiring: enterprise tech companies in SoMa, financial services firms in the Financial District, and biotech or healthcare organizations in Mission Bay and Dogpatch. Candidates with hands-on experience in cloud networking, SD-WAN, or zero-trust security architectures stand out. Cisco certifications and familiarity with hybrid cloud environments carry real weight with local employers.
Which companies hire network engineers in San Francisco?
Companies currently hiring network engineers in San Francisco include OpenAI, IREN, and ALTRUIST, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Francisco's employer mix ranges from large financial institutions and global tech firms to fast-growing SaaS companies and hospital systems, all of which maintain significant on-site network infrastructure.
Are there remote network engineer jobs in San Francisco?
Yes, though opportunities vary by specialization since hands-on roles involving physical hardware, cabling, or data center work require on-site presence. About 59% of network engineer openings tied to San Francisco are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, with cloud networking, network security analysis, and network architecture design being the most remote-accessible roles in the local market.
How can I get a network engineer job in San Francisco with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path in San Francisco is a network operations center role or IT support position at a mid-size tech company or managed service provider in SoMa or the Financial District. These employers regularly hire for help desk and NOC analyst roles that build core routing, switching, and monitoring skills. A CompTIA Network+ or entry-level Cisco certification will make your application competitive before you have formal engineering experience.
Which industries hire the most network engineers in San Francisco?
Most network engineer openings in San Francisco sit in Science & Research, Technology & Software, and Investment & Asset Management, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. San Francisco's concentration of enterprise software companies, major bank technology divisions, and research-driven healthcare systems creates consistent baseline demand for network infrastructure talent across all three sectors.
Related Jobs in California
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