Senior Director of Engineering (Central Engineering)

Arista Networks is an industry leader in data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large data center, campus and routing environments. What sets us apart is our relentless pursuit of innovation. We leverage the latest advancements in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and software-defined networking to provide our clients with a competitive edge in an increasingly interconnected world. Our solutions are designed to not only meet the current demands of the digital landscape but to also anticipate and adapt to future challenges.

At Arista we value the diversity of thought and perspectives that each employee brings to the table. We  believe that fostering an inclusive environment, where individuals from various backgrounds and experiences feel welcome, is essential for driving creativity and innovation.

Our commitment to excellence has earned us several prestigious awards, such as Best Engineering Team, Best Company for Diversity, Compensation, and Work-Life Balance. At Arista, we take pride in our track record of success and strive to maintain the highest standards of quality and performance in everything we do.

Who You’ll Work With

As the Senior Director of Engineering for Central Engineering, you will lead a distributed team of over 100 engineers responsible for development validation, testing, compliance, safety, packaging design, program management, component and quality engineering, and successfully supporting hardware products through the NPI process. You will also be a key member of the Engineering and Operations Leadership Team, collaborating closely with internal and external stakeholders.

The ideal candidate should demonstrate the ability to make a strong contribution to the Arista Engineering and Operations Leadership and Management Team by building and leading a best-in-class engineering support organization. You should be customer-focused, with the ability to form strong networks internally and externally to successfully deliver plans and commitments. Additionally, you should have experience leading enterprise-level change to expand the support organization’s capabilities while maintaining operational and technical excellence. This role involves some collaboration across different time zones.

What You’ll Do

• Lead and develop Arista's Central Engineering team, ensuring high-quality customer support.
• Manage a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technical specialists, ensuring the effective execution of engineering and system studies while meeting project deadlines and maintaining high standards of quality and budget adherence.
• Report on engineering performance, program and project activity, and quality metrics while building and communicating a clear strategy and execution plan.
• Influence across the organization, particularly within engineering, and work closely with business lines and engineering groups to align with Arista’s goals and market needs.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, regulations, and best practices while fostering a collaborative and innovative culture within the department.
• Provide strategic direction and leadership to the engineering team, mentoring and developing team members to ensure professional growth and technical excellence.
• Act as the primary point of contact for resolving engineering-related challenges and ensuring the timely and successful completion of projects while meeting quality and budgetary objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with vendors, consultants, test labs, and industry partners.
• Lead initiatives to enhance organizational efficiency by identifying and implementing process improvements that maximize team efficiency while maintaining the quality and timeliness of program deliverables.
• Demonstrate strong decision-making, negotiation, and influence skills when engaging with large groups or high-level stakeholders.
• Plan, problem-solve, and prioritize tasks to ensure successful outcomes, applying a hands-on and technical approach with strong project management and strategic planning skills.
• Develop detailed roadmaps for successful project delivery while driving continuous improvement through creativity, innovation, and automation.
• Exhibit effective interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills, collaborating, mentoring, and fostering relationships based on trust and transparency.

• Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Computer/Systems Engineering.
• 15+ years of engineering management experience.
• 15+ years of relevant experience in hardware design or technical development management.
• Broad experience with hardware system product development and NPI from at least two large public companies.
• Proven experience in building and leading effective engineering teams.
• Excellent presentation, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Inspirational leadership and capacity for transformational change.
• Ability to build networks and inspire change across a large organization.
• Strong relationship-building skills with vendors, partners, and customers.
• Collaboration and communication skills to foster relationships based on trust and transparency.
• Creativity and innovation to drive continuous improvement through new processes and automation.
• Team and personal development mindset to encourage growth and development.
• Ability to deliver results, overcome obstacles, and work with passion and resilience.

Compensation Information
The new hire base pay for this role has a salary range of $175,000 to $210,000. Arista offers different pay ranges based on work location, so that we can offer consistent and competitive pay appropriate to the market. The actual base pay offered will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, relevant experience, and work location. The pay range provided reflects base pay only and in addition certain roles may also be eligible for discretionary Arista bonuses and equity. Employees in Sales roles are eligible to participate in Arista’s Sales Incentive Plan, which pays commissions calculated as a percentage of eligible sales. US-based employees are also entitled to benefits including medical, dental, vision, wellbeing, tax savings and income protection. The recruiting team can share more details during the hiring process specific to the role and location.

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Arista Networks is an equal opportunity employer.  Arista makes all hiring and employment-related decisions in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or any other factor determined to be unlawful under applicable federal, state, or law law.  All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.