What Does An IP Engineer Do?

WHAT DOES AN IP ENGINEER DO?

Updated: Dec 08, 2025 - The Internet Protocol (IP) Engineer designs, builds, and maintains customer IP network infrastructures across the global MPLS network while enforcing cybersecurity standards and ensuring compliance with client requirements. This role provides expert-level technical support, collaborates on global network deployments, and develops scalable, resilient solutions, including LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, QoS, and VPN. The engineer also mentors peers, drives continuous improvement, and contributes to operational best practices for optimal network performance.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for IP Engineer

1. IP Engineer Duties

Project Delivery: Deliver projects onsite or remotely professionally with high quality and customer satisfaction.
Network Planning: Be responsible for planning, implementing, integrating, migrating, and performing acceptance tests for IP Core and IPRAN networks.
Network Architecture: Be responsible for the protocol inter-networking and the architecture of Huawei networks.
Technical Learning: Demonstrate strong learning capabilities to acquire new technologies through lab simulations and practical exercises to grasp concepts quickly.
Network Configuration: Configure and troubleshoot network engineering using BGP, OSPF, ISIS, MPLS, L3VPN, and L2VPN, and manage small and medium-scale network operations and maintenance procedures.
Network Analysis: Analyze networks and troubleshoot network bugs to successfully mitigate small and medium-scale issues.
System Upgrade: Perform upgrades, service creation, and system diagnosis for live networks.
Hardware Configuration: Configure routers, switches, and firewalls, as well as upgrade software and patches on routers, switches, and firewalls in small and medium-scale networks.
Technical Training: Provide training and technical support to subcontractors and the local team.
Customer Engagement: Engage directly with the marketing team, project team, and customers to promote and deliver strategic services.
Project Support: Be responsible for supporting onsite and remote projects on customer networks.
Documentation Preparation: Prepare LLDs for small and medium-scale networks.

2. IP Engineer Responsibilities

IP Management: Be responsible for IP management from the demarcation of the Core MPLS network.
Customer Experience: Be responsible for customers’ IP experience, end-to-end and through the core team, excluding setup and maintenance of the Core MPLS network.
IP Standards: Be responsible for building and enforcing IP standards for remote sites, non-core IP networks, and equipment such as LAN, WLAN, WAN, VoIP/Telephony, QoS, and Security/VPN.
Asset Tracking: Track and report IP hardware in the Asia Pacific region.
Cybersecurity Enforcement: Enforce cybersecurity policies on IP hardware and harden devices of non-core equipment.
Core Support: Support the Core Network team's requests.
Network Management: Manage all IP network equipment in the Asia Pacific region.
Technology Research: Research and implement new technologies to increase network performance, security, and efficiency.
Solution Development: Contribute to the development of customer solutions in coordination with the Sales Engineering team to ensure optimal solutions and supportability.
Process Improvement: Develop or improve network operational best practices and processes.
Performance Monitoring: Monitor and analyze network performance, and perform capacity planning on IP networks.
Network Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot, isolate, and correct service-affecting issues on the network in areas including routing protocols, routers, switches, firewall administration, MPLS, BGP, VPN, load balancing, and implement improved design methodologies.
Network Documentation: Define and maintain documentation that articulates the current state of the network.
Technical Escalation: Provide technical escalation support by offering end-to-end subject matter expertise.
Solution Recommendation: Recommend technical solutions that enhance redundancy, survivability, and flexibility for existing global systems, networks, and VSAT platforms.

3. Sr. IP Engineer Job Summary

IP Portfolio Management: Manage the IP portfolio for the Asia business unit.
Invention Support: Assist inventors with invention disclosures and present them to the IP Review Board for filing decisions.
Patent Coordination: Interface with engineers and outside patent attorneys to prepare and coordinate patent application drafting, foreign filing, prosecution, and maintenance.
Expense Management: Manage and track IP-related expenses.
Record Maintenance: Maintain invention disclosure records in the database.
Patent Database: Maintain the China scroll patent database and generate various reports for presentations or requested data.
Patent Research: Perform patentability, competitive, and other types of searches for the business unit.
Product Development Support: Coordinate with new product development to clear IP barriers and file patent applications for new product features.
Policy Execution: Work with HR and MIS to execute IP security-related policies.
Global Coordination: Coordinate with other global IP personnel within Emerson.

4. IP Engineer Functions

Network Migration: Assist with network migration activities.
Technical Expertise: Provide senior-level expertise.
Hardware Certification: Perform testing and certification for both hardware and software.
Implementation Support: Support initial implementation efforts.
Lifecycle Engineering: Provide lifecycle engineering of network architecture.
IA Assessment: Provide Information Assurance (IA) testing and assessment support.
Interoperability Support: Support mission partners in satisfying interoperability requirements.
Technology Research: Investigate and recommend emerging technologies, including new features and capabilities.
NOC Support: Provide operational network and theater Network Operations Center (NOC) escalation support.
Configuration Management: Provide required documentation in support of Configuration Control Board (CCB) changes.
Lab Management: Provide lab equipment configuration management.
SDN Provisioning: Support future DISN architectural changes, including Software Defined Networking (SDN) provisioning efforts for JB-CE.

5. IP Engineer Job Description

System Documentation: Document the current system architecture.
Site Configuration: Document the hardware and software configurations for each site.
Lab Configuration: Document the hardware and software configurations used for lab testing.
Technology Insertion: Provide emerging insertion technologies, including new features and capabilities.
Interoperability Support: Support mission partners in satisfying interoperability requirements.
MPLS Implementation: Implement MPLS service offerings on the DISN network, known as IP Transport Provider Edge (IPTPE).
VPN Implementation: Perform testing and support implementation of the DMZ COI VPN (part of the NIPRNet Hardening project), providing separation of NIPRNet traffic and Mission Critical Community of Interest (COI) traffic using MPLS L3VPN service.
Security Assessment: Review security threats to the current DoD NIPRNet/Internet gateway IA infrastructure, architecture, and technology, and determine or implement effective countermeasures in accordance with established policies, regulations, and directives.
Test Reporting: Deliver router and firewall test plans and resulting test reports.
Field Recommendations: Prepare field recommendations and configuration guides.
Configuration Documentation: Provide all required documentation in support of Configuration Control Boards (CCB).
Technical Design: Provide technical expertise in design review, lab testing, test reporting, implementation planning, and deployment of new advanced large-scale complex DoD networks.

6. IP Engineer Overview

Network Infrastructure: Build and maintain customers’ IP network infrastructure within the Speedcast Global MPLS network.
Cybersecurity Enforcement: Enforce cybersecurity policies and harden non-core managed network devices.
Solution Development: Contribute to the development of customer-facing solutions in coordination with Sales, Sales Engineering, Product, and Remote Site Engineering teams to ensure optimal solutions and supportability.
Engineering Compliance: Ensure that all engineering parameters and configurations meet client requirements and are fulfilled promptly.
Technical Escalation: Provide 3rd and 4th-level technical escalation support by delivering end-to-end subject matter expertise.
Network Design: Design and implement customer functional networks such as LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, QoS, and Security/VPN.
Global Collaboration: Collaborate with IP Network Engineers, Project Engineers, and Remote Site Engineers globally in the design and deployment of new services or enhancements to existing network services.
Solution Recommendation: Advise and recommend technical solutions that enhance redundancy, survivability, and flexibility of global Speedcast systems, networks, and VSAT platforms.
Team Mentorship: Coach and mentor team members on complex technical issues to deliver the highest level of customer service.
Team Development: Assist in strengthening the IP Network Engineering Team, Remote Site Engineering, and Customer Support Teams.
Process Improvement: Assist in developing or improving network operational best practices and processes to enhance customer network performance, capacity, and scalability.
Problem Resolution: Ensure appropriate actions are taken to anticipate, investigate, and resolve system and service problems.
Remedy Coordination: Coordinate the implementation of agreed remedies and preventive measures.
Trend Analysis: Analyze patterns and trends to improve network operations.
Quality Control: Control, update, and distribute new and revised quality, configuration, and service standards, including technical changes, and maintain related documentation.

7. IP Engineer Details and Accountabilities

Network Support: Configure, troubleshoot, and support complex virtualized networks and firewall appliances.
Device Configuration: Configure and support devices, including satellite modems, routers, switches, firewalls, computers, and servers with various operating systems (Windows, Linux, etc.).
Technical Documentation: Create diagrams, whitepapers, and training materials to document networks and products.
Pre-installation Coordination: Provide pre-installation coordination between internal departments, customers, equipment vendors, and local terrestrial vendors.
Technical Accuracy: Be responsible for the technical accuracy of orders, issue and project documentation, problem resolution, customer communications, and task or problem resolution notifications.
Subject Matter Expertise: Serve as a backup subject matter expert (SME) on all data product offerings.
Technical Training: Provide product and technical training to field technicians and customer representatives requiring hands-on instruction.
Field Installation: Perform field installations of data and voice equipment, including routers, iDirect modems, switches, computers, and other telecommunications or company-related equipment.
Technical Support: Provide technical support during standard and non-standard workdays or hours to ensure 24/7/365 coverage.

8. IP Engineer Additional Details

Customer Support: Handle customer service requests from all over Europe for Datacom and Secospace products, including routers, switches, firewalls, security gateways, WLAN devices, and more.
Incident Management: Take initial corrective actions to isolate and neutralize reported incidents and escalate them to the next level of technical support when necessary.
Problem Troubleshooting: Troubleshoot hardware or software issues, identify root causes, and provide effective solutions within contractual SLA timeframes.
Network Upgrades: Perform network upgrades and updates in accordance with the Change Management process.
Product Configuration: Provide detailed guidance on setting up, configuring, or upgrading IP products and their associated features.
Ticket Management: Use the trouble ticketing system to track customer interactions and conduct fault analysis.
Customer Interaction: Identify customer concerns and critical problems based on direct customer interactions.
System Integration: Prepare, implement, and verify the configuration and integration of nodes, systems, or services.
Field Coordination: Coordinate with the field team when on-site support is required to resolve faults.

9. IP Engineer Role Purpose

Requirements Management: Be responsible for managing requirements development to apply the best technology that satisfies business needs.
Strategic Planning: Interact with senior staff to develop strategies and optimal solutions.
Project Management: Develop Project Management Plans for customers to improve performance and achieve positive results in the short term.
Customer Relations: Maintain strong customer relationships by demonstrating high technical expertise and a professional approach to addressing problems and inquiries.
Project Follow-up: Conduct follow-up meetings with customers and project managers to ensure projects remain on schedule.
Network Response: Be part of the reaction team to address network issues that may occur during or after network operations.
Device Configuration: Implement and configure multivendor IP devices such as switches, routers, and firewalls.
Incident Management: Serve as a key player in the Incident Management process.
Incident Ownership: Take ownership of incidents and queries related to the IP network.
System Documentation: Author system design and network configuration documents for the national IP infrastructure and OSS.
Cross-Team Collaboration: Work closely with and support OSS, Security, and Transmission specialists.
Fault Isolation: Lead efforts to perform electrical and physical fault isolation on first silicon, Yield/QUAL/REL, and RMA failures.
Production Testing: Collaborate with the production team to make scan test flows diagnosable.
Database Management: Build layout databases to conduct scan failure diagnosis at the physical level.
Pattern Generation: Conduct scan diagnosis pattern generation (ATPG) for fault isolation.
Defect Analysis: Develop and apply diagnosis patterns for Soft-Defect-Location or Laser-Voltage-Imaging.
Design Collaboration: Work with design and DFX teams to create diagnosable designs.

10. Senior IP Engineer General Responsibilities

Memory Design: Be part of a design team developing advanced components of the memory subsystem.
IP Ownership: Own multiple blocks within a complex, coherent fabric IP, including protocol bridges and hardware-managed coherency.
Design Flow Management: Be responsible for all aspects of the design flow, including RTL coding, timing closure, and contributions to unit and memory subsystem micro-architecture.
Interface Definition: Collaborate with team members to define interfaces and make optimal design decisions.
Verification Support: Work with verification teams to develop test plans and ensure functional correctness.
Cross-Team Collaboration: Interface with performance modeling, physical design, and design-for-test teams to optimize trade-offs.
Debug Innovation: Drive innovative debug capabilities through enhancements in IP Design for Debug (DFD), debug tools, and scripts to continuously improve debug practices.
Debug Leadership: Lead IP debug strategies and drive debug task forces involving cross-functional teams.
Project Participation: Participate in exciting and motivating design projects.
Technical Solutions: Design and support technical solutions for datacenter customers.
Technology Awareness: Maintain awareness of technology trends in the area of responsibility and apply appropriate advancements.

11. IP Engineer Roles and Details

Network Troubleshooting: Ensure troubleshooting analysis and all repair actions, including vendor support escalation, to achieve service restoration of the IP network.
Preventive Maintenance: Perform proactive maintenance activities to prevent incidents and continuously optimize network performance.
Performance Management: Take corrective measures based on performance management data and trend analysis of network indicators.
Planned Activities: Assure quality execution of planned work activities, network rollout, software upgrades, and parameter changes in the IP network while maintaining service quality and avoiding regressions.
Network Integration: Perform acceptance testing and integration/configuration of new network elements within the IP network.
Knowledge Sharing: Share technical knowledge to enhance the skills of other teams involved in network deployment and operations.
Patent Monitoring: Report to the IP Officer for reviewing invention disclosures, patent prosecutions, and monitoring third-party patents.
Invention Review: Conduct technical reviews of inventions submitted by employees.
Patent Evaluation: Review patentability opinions with patent attorneys and inventors.
Prosecution Support: Support patent attorneys during the prosecution process of the organization’s patent portfolio.
Patent Tracking: Share new relevant third-party patent applications with reviewers, monitor their legal status changes, and manage cases accordingly.

12. IP Engineer Responsibilities and Key Tasks

Software Development: Conduct design and development of the host-side software stack to drive the FPGA.
Graph Compiler: Develop a deep learning graph compiler tool, enhancing and adding support for new layers and graph topologies.
Compiler Optimization: Optimize the compiler tool to ensure instruction streams driving the soft IP efficiently implement customer deep learning graphs.
Framework Integration: Integrate software tools with the OpenVINO deep learning framework.
RTL Implementation: Implement new features and optimizations in Verilog RTL.
Performance Analysis: Interact with deep learning researchers to understand and analyze the performance of various deep learning graphs on FPGAs.
Timing Model Development: Develop, improve, and maintain timing model libraries for PLLs, SerDes, and LVDS products.
Characterization Flow: Develop, enhance, and maintain internal characterization flows.
Verification Methodology: Develop verification methodologies, perform analysis, and visualize timing model libraries.
Technical Documentation: Write and maintain technical documentation in English.