Network Engineer Job Description in 2025: Role, Skills, and Salary Insights

Network Engineer Job Description Summary: A network engineer is an IT specialist who plans, sets up, and protects an organization’s computer networks to keep data flowing smoothly and securely. 

As the professional overseeing critical connectivity and uptime, a network engineer typically handles tasks such as:

• Designing and configuring routers, switches, and firewalls
• Monitoring network performance and resolving disruptions
• Securing data channels from cyber threats
• Planning upgrades for future growth

If you want to thrive in this role, consider enrolling in software development courses suitable for network engineers. Certifications like CCNA or CCNP or earning a focused degree in networking can also strengthen your career prospects.

In the upcoming sections, you’ll discover the network engineer job description, essential skills and qualifications required to excel in this role, salary insights, and much more.

Ready to build networks that keep the world talking? Enroll in these network engineering courses that pair you with the best universities (and professors) across the globe. 

What is a Network Engineer? What Do They Do?

Definition – Network Engineer: A network engineer is an IT professional responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining computer networks that enable communication and data transfer across organizations. These networks can include: 

• Local area networks (LANs)
• Wide area networks (WANs)
• Intranets
• The internet connectivity that keeps businesses running 

In essence, network engineers ensure that computers, phones, and other devices can talk to each other seamlessly across an organization​.

What Does a Network Engineer Do?

On a typical day, a network engineer monitors network performance, configures new equipment, or brainstorms ways to improve network speed for users.

Day-to-day Duties of a Network Engineer:

• Network Design & Planning: Creating network architecture plans or blueprints that meet an organization’s needs. 
• Network Installation & Configuration: Setting up network hardware and software. Network engineers install routers, switches, firewalls, Wi-Fi access points, and connect cables – then configure all these components. 
• Maintenance & Upgrades: Network engineers apply software updates and security patches, replace outdated hardware, and upgrade network equipment when needed to improve performance​
• Monitoring: Network engineers continuously monitor network performance – watching metrics like bandwidth usage, latency, or error rates​
• Network Security: Keeping the network safe is a huge part of the job. Network engineers implement security measures such as setting up firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and access controls.

Network Engineer Job description – Roles and Responsibilities

Every organization defines the exact network engineer job description a bit differently. However, the core responsibilities – listed below – remain the same. 

Network Engineer Roles and Responsibilities: 

• Designing Network Architecture: Develop and design network layouts that meet organizational requirements. This includes creating network diagrams and plans for LAN, WAN, cloud, or hybrid networks. Network engineers determine what topology and hardware best fit the needs – whether it’s connecting a new office or redesigning an old network for better performance.
• Installing and Configuring Network Equipment: Set up physical hardware like routers, switches, modems, wireless APs, and firewalls, and configure them with the correct settings. This also involves wiring and cable management, mounting equipment, and ensuring redundant links for high availability.
• Maintaining Computer Networks and Hardware: Oversee the day-to-day health of the network, including maintaining servers, mainframes, network storage, and other networking devices. This can mean replacing or repairing defective hardware components, upgrading firmware, and ensuring devices are operating correctly.
• Monitoring Network Performance: Use monitoring tools (such as Nagios, SolarWinds, or PRTG) to keep an eye on network performance indicators – bandwidth usage, latency, packet loss, etc. 
• Troubleshooting Network Issues: Diagnose and resolve networking problems promptly. This could range from fixing a simple user connectivity issue to investigating why a critical network link is unstable.
• Implementing Network Security Measures: Establish and maintain robust network security. This means configuring firewalls and access control lists, setting up VPNs for secure remote access, implementing intrusion detection/prevention systems, and keeping security software (like anti-virus and anti-malware) up to date.
• Ensuring Compliance: Network engineers enforce security policies and ensure compliance with standards (for example, PCI-DSS in finance or HIPAA in healthcare).
• Creating and Managing Firewalls/VPNs: Specifically, manage the organization’s firewalls – creating firewall rules to block or allow traffic as appropriate and updating these rules as threats evolve. They also set up VPN (Virtual Private Network) tunnels to securely connect remote offices or remote workers to the company network, ensuring data is encrypted and safe in transit.
• Implementing Disaster Recovery and Backups: Develop disaster recovery protocols and procedures. Network engineers ensure there are redundant paths and backup systems so that if one part of the network fails, another can take over. 
• Performing System Upgrades and Patches: Regularly update network systems by installing software patches, operating system updates on network devices, and firmware upgrades on hardware​. Keeping network components updated is critical for performance improvements and, importantly, for security vulnerability fixes.
• Capacity Planning and Network Expansion: Analyze current network usage and plan for future growth​. A network engineer predicts when the organization might outgrow its current bandwidth or when more hardware will be needed. They then propose and implement network expansions, such as adding new routers, increasing link capacity, or upgrading to newer, faster technologies.
• Maintaining Network Documentation: Create and update detailed documentation of the network. This includes network diagrams, device configurations, IP address tables, and records of changes or upgrades. Good documentation helps in troubleshooting and is essential for onboarding new team members. 
• Coordinating with Users and Teams: Communicate with network users (employees or clients) to understand their needs or help solve network-related problems. For example, a network engineer might coordinate with a department that needs better Wi-Fi coverage in their area and plan an upgrade. 
• Providing Technical Support and Training: Act as a subject matter expert for networking. Network engineers may assist or mentor junior IT staff or train employees on networking best practices (like explaining how to use a VPN securely). In some cases, they also handle escalated support tickets regarding network issues that the helpdesk cannot resolve.
• Vendor Management and Equipment Procurement: Work with external vendors or service providers to procure network equipment and services. This can include evaluating and negotiating with hardware vendors for the best routers or switches or coordinating with an internet service provider for bandwidth upgrades. 

Also Read: Ethernet Basics: Unraveling the Fundamentals of Networking

What Are the Skills Needed to Become a Successful Network Engineer?

To succeed as a network engineer, you’ll need a well-rounded skill set spanning both technical expertise and soft skills. It’s not just about knowing how to configure a router – you also need to communicate with team members, plan projects, and sometimes make split-second decisions during an outage. 

Let’s break down the key skills you will need to succeed in your role as a network engineer. 

Technical Skills for Network Engineers

Network engineering is a technical field at its core. So, let’s explore the essential technical skills and knowledge areas a network engineer should have.

Most Important Technical Skills:

• Networking Fundamentals: A strong grasp of networking basics – concepts like the OSI model, TCP/IP protocol suite, subnetting, and routing fundamentals. You should understand how data flows through a network, how IP addresses and subnets work, and how different protocols (TCP, UDP, HTTP, etc.) operate. 
• Network Design and Architecture: This includes knowing how to layout LANs/WANs, where to place routers and switches for optimal performance, and how to ensure redundancy. A good network engineer can plan a network on paper (or software) before deploying, anticipating how the pieces will fit together.
• Hardware Configuration: Proficiency with network hardware – routers, switches, firewalls, modems, and wireless access points is necessary. This means knowing how to configure devices from major vendors like Cisco, Juniper, and Arista. Familiarity with network interface cards, cabling (Ethernet, fiber), and other infrastructure is also important.
• Network Security Skills: Solid knowledge of network security tools and principles. You should understand firewalls, VPNs, IDS/IPS, encryption protocols (like SSL/TLS, IPsec), and authentication mechanisms (RADIUS, 802.1X, etc.)​. Being able to implement access controls and respond to common security threats (DDoS attacks, malware infections) is crucial.
• Troubleshooting and Analysis: This involves using tools like ping, traceroute, packet sniffers, and network monitoring software to diagnose issues. A successful network engineer can quickly isolate a problem – be it a misconfigured device, a broken cable, or a software bug – and find a solution under pressure.
• Knowledge of Network Protocols: Deep familiarity with network protocols and services such as DNS, DHCP, ARP, HTTP, FTP, and SMTP is the bread and butter for network engineers. For example, understanding how DNS resolves names or how DHCP assigns IP addresses will help you set up and debug these services within your network.
• Wireless and Telecom: Knowledge of wireless networking (Wi-Fi standards like 802.11a/b/g/n/ac/ax, wireless security protocols like WPA2/WPA3) and possibly telecommunications basics is required. Many network engineers also manage Wi-Fi networks. So, doing things like site surveys for signal coverage or configuring wireless controllers is part of the skill set. 
• Cloud Networking: In 2025, cloud skills are increasingly important. Experience with virtual networks in cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud is a big plus.
• Virtualization and SDN: Understanding network virtualization (using tools like VMware NSX or Hyper-V virtual switches) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) concepts. SDN technologies (like OpenFlow or SD-WAN solutions) separate the control plane from the data plane, which is a different way of networking that many companies are adopting.
• Scripting and Automation: Basic programming or scripting ability (Python is very popular for network automation, also Bash/PowerShell) is increasingly considered a must-have skill for network engineers. Automation tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Cisco’s automation frameworks can let you configure dozens of devices with a script instead of logging into each one manually.

Cybersecurity not your strongest suit? You must check out upGrad’s guided blog on top network security courses to boost your cybersecurity knowledge. 

Soft Skills for Network Engineers

While technical chops are essential, soft skills are what elevate a network engineer from good to great. As a network engineer, you often work in teams and might even interact with non-technical stakeholders. 

Most Important Soft Skills:

• Analytical Thinking & Problem-Solving: The ability to think critically and stay cool when networks behave unexpectedly is critical. Strong problem-solving skills mean you can break down a complex issue into manageable parts and figure out what’s really going on.
• Attention to Detail: Networks are unforgiving of mistakes – one mis-typed IP address or one wrong cable patch can bring down an entire system. Being detail-oriented is crucial when configuring devices or documenting setups​.
• Communication Skills: You’ll need to explain technical issues to non-technical folks (like managers or other departments) in plain language. You also collaborate with other IT team members. Naturally, being able to share information and instructions clearly – whether verbally or through documentation – is key.
• Teamwork and Collaboration: Networks touch all parts of a business, so network engineers often work with cross-functional teams – from software developers deploying applications, to security analysts tightening defenses, to IT support teams handling user issues. 
• Time Management & Organization: Network engineers frequently juggle multiple tasks and sometimes multiple projects. You might be planning a major network upgrade while also handling daily support tickets. The ability to prioritize tasks, manage your time, and stay organized is important so that nothing falls through the cracks.
• Pressure Management: Networks are mission-critical, which means when they break, it’s high pressure. Outages might happen in the middle of the night or when you have a hundred other things to do. The ability to stay calm under pressure and methodically work through a crisis is a valuable soft skill. 
• Customer Service Orientation: This might not be obvious, but network engineers often have an internal customer service role – the customers being the employees or departments using the network. Having a helpful attitude and empathy towards users’ problems can set you apart​.

Want to build your soft skills and take your career to the next level? Guess what? You can do that for free – simply, enroll in upGrad’s fully online (and free) soft skills courses. 

What Tools and Technologies Do Network Engineers Use?

Network engineers rely on a mix of hardware and software tools to keep systems connected and secure. 

Rundown of Key Tools and Technologies:

• Networking Hardware & Vendor OS: Routers, switches, firewalls, and load balancers from Cisco, Juniper, and Arista.
• Monitoring & Analysis: SolarWinds, PRTG, Nagios, Zabbix, and Wireshark for performance checks and troubleshooting.
• Automation & Configuration: Ansible, Puppet, Chef, Python, or Bash scripts to streamline repetitive tasks.
• Cloud & Virtualization: AWS, Azure, GCP, plus tools like VMware or Docker for virtual environments.
• Security Solutions: Firewalls, intrusion detection systems, VPN software, and encryption tools to protect data.
• Diagramming & Documentation: Visio, Lucidchart, or draw.io for visualizing network layouts.

What Are the Qualifications and Educational Background of Network Engineers?

Most network engineering positions will have certain baseline qualifications in terms of education and training. Let’s find out what companies exactly look for when they circulate a network engineer job description. 

Educational Degrees

A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field is often the standard entry requirement. 

• Common degrees for network engineers include Computer Science, Information Technology, Electronics & Communications, or Computer Engineering. 
• Some professionals come from related fields like telecommunications or even mathematics. The degree provides a foundation in computing principles.

Certifications

Industry certifications carry a lot of weight in network engineering. Certifications show that you have specific, vetted knowledge, and they can sometimes compensate for a lack of formal experience. 

• The Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is one of the most popular certifications for network engineers – it covers network fundamentals, routing/switching, basic security, and more. Check out these CCNA certification books that’ll help you clear your exams!  
• CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional) is another certification that digs into the heart of complex networking and is great for career advancement. 

Check out upGrad’s certifications and courses in network engineering from elite foreign universities. 

Hands-On Training or Lab Experience

Beyond formal education, practical experience is gold. This can be gained through:

• Lab work (universities or training institutes often have networking labs where you configure real or simulated networks)
• Personal projects

On-the-Job Experience

Entry-level roles such as network support engineer, junior network engineer, or IT support technician can provide crucial on-the-job training. Many network engineers start their careers in a support or help desk role to learn the ropes of how networks operate in a business.  

Summary of Network Engineer’s Qualifications: Most network engineers have a blend of formal education and industry certifications. A typical profile might be a Bachelor’s in IT + CCNA certification + a couple of years of hands-on experience. If you don’t tick all those boxes yet, don’t worry – there are multiple paths into the field. 

How Much Does a Network Engineer Make in India? 2025 Salary Insights

Average Annual Network Engineer Salary in 2025: INR 4.9L

In India, network engineer salaries can vary widely based on experience, location, and industry. Let’s explore every possible scenario. 

Network Engineer Salary by Experience

Here’s a simplified breakdown of Network engineers’ salaries by experience:

Source: AmbitionBox

Network Engineer Salary by Industry 

Here’s a simplified breakdown of Network engineers’ salaries by industry:

Source: AmbitionBox

Network Engineer Salary by Geography

Here’s a simplified breakdown of Network engineers’ salaries in different parts of India:

Source: AmbitionBox

Network Engineer Salary in India vs The World 

Finally, let’s compare the salaries of network engineers in India to those in the US, UK, Germany, Canada, and Australia.

*Please Note: The global salaries for network engineers can vary based on fluctuations in the currency conversion charges in real time. 

Source: Glassdoor, AmbitionBox

What Are the Career Prospects for a Network Engineer in 2025?

Demand remains high as organizations shift to cloud-based solutions and prioritize robust network security. 

Skilled network engineers who stay current with evolving technologies can advance into the following job roles:

• Network Architect: Shape large-scale architectures and guide strategic design decisions.
• Network Security Specialist: Deploy advanced firewalls, encryption, and intrusion detection to safeguard data.
• Cloud Networking Engineer: Set up and maintain virtual networks on AWS, Azure, or hybrid clouds.
• Network Automation Engineer: Use scripting (Python, Bash) and tools (Ansible) to streamline repetitive tasks.
• Network Manager: Lead teams, develop policies, and handle capacity planning.
• DevOps Collaboration: Merge network infrastructure with continuous integration and deployment practices.
• Independent Consultant: Offer specialized network services to multiple clients, from design to troubleshooting.

How to Become a Network Engineer? Step-by-step Guide

If the roles, skills, and pay of network engineers appeal to you, you might be wondering: How do I get started on this career path? 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to becoming a network engineer in India (and it applies generally worldwide, too):

• Lay the Groundwork: Study basic networking concepts (IP addressing, subnetting, OSI model) through books, online courses, or college modules.
• Get a Relevant Degree or Certification: Look into a bachelor’s in IT or Computer Science, or secure entry-level certifications like CCNA.
• Practice Hands-On: Use tools like Cisco Packet Tracer or GNS3 to simulate real network configurations and explore projects that involve setting up routers, switches, and firewalls.
• Pursue Internships or Junior Roles: Gain practical insight by assisting senior engineers, handling minor configurations, and participating in on-call troubleshooting.
• Earn Advanced Certifications: Level up with CCNP, specialized security, or cloud networking certifications to stand out in a competitive job market.
• Refine Soft Skills: Strengthen communication, time management, and problem-solving. These traits help you address issues swiftly and collaborate with diverse teams.
• Stay Current: Regularly update your knowledge to adapt to emerging trends, whether it’s software-defined networking or cloud-based solutions.

Which Companies Hire Network Engineers in India? Top Organizations to Explore

Network engineers are needed in a variety of industries – from IT services companies to telecom operators to large multinational corporations. In India, many organizations actively hire network engineers, offering roles that range from managing internal networks to working on client projects around the globe. 

Top Companies Known to Hire Network Engineers in India:

Future Job Outlook for Network Engineers: Growth in India and Worldwide

The future of network engineers and all associated roles looks bright, not just in 2025 but beyond. 

Here are the future trends and technologies that’ll be most seen in network engineering: 

• Cloud Integration: More businesses are using public, private, or hybrid clouds, leading to an increased need for engineers who can build virtual networks on platforms like AWS or Azure.
• Security Emphasis: Cyber threats drive companies to strengthen defenses with skilled network experts who can configure firewalls, encryption, and intrusion prevention systems.
• 5G and IoT: Telecom operators and enterprises need specialists to handle advanced wireless networks and manage billions of connected devices.
• Software-Defined Networking: Automated and programmable network solutions reduce manual tasks, raising the demand for engineers who can work with APIs and scripting tools.

Going forward, network engineers who blend technical expertise with automation and security skills will find rewarding opportunities in both Indian and global markets.

Conclusion

Network engineers design, build, and maintain the invisible highways of data that connect humans and devices alike. It’s a role that carries a lot of responsibility – after all, when the network is down, basically everything is down! However, it also offers great rewards, from intellectual satisfaction in solving complex problems to a strong career outlook and competitive pay.

If you have any career-related doubts and you want expert guidance in resolving them, you can get in touch with our career counseling experts, or visit your nearest upGrad offline center for help.

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