Duration:- 3 months contract.
Below is the JD for the same.
Job Description: Network Architect – Meraki Wireless and Guest Access
Role: Network Architect – Meraki Wireless and Guest Access
Experience: 10–15 years in enterprise networking, with at least 5 years in wireless architecture
Engagement Type: Contract / Full-time
Location: Remote
About the Role
InOpTra is looking for an experienced Network Architect to act as the design authority for a Meraki-managed wireless solution for an enterprise client. The architect will design, lead and validate the deployment of three Cisco CW9166 access points managed through the Meraki Dashboard and one Meraki MX450 dedicated to concentrating wireless Guest traffic. The solution must integrate with the client’s existing CLI-managed Catalyst 9300 switches and reproduce the intent of the Production and Guest SSIDs currently running on a Cisco Catalyst 9800 wireless controller.
The architect will turn this initial deployment into a validated, repeatable site architecture and template for rollout to additional sites. The role requires strong architecture judgment, hands-on capability, clear documentation and confident engagement with client stakeholders.
Key Responsibilities
1. Architecture and Design Leadership
- Act as the design authority for the Meraki wireless and Guest access solution
- Assess the current wireless, switching and Guest network environment, and document current-state diagrams
- Define the target architecture, including traffic flows, segmentation, authentication and Guest isolation
- Document design decisions, assumptions, risks and trade-offs, and obtain client sign-off
- Ensure the design aligns with the client’s security, compliance and operational standards
2. Meraki Wireless Design and Deployment
- Design and oversee deployment of three CW9166 access points in native Meraki-managed mode
- Define RF design standards, including band strategy, channel planning, transmit power and 6 GHz use
- Validate access point connectivity, RF performance, client association and roaming
- Define standard Meraki Dashboard structure (organization, networks, tags and templates) for multi-site use
3. SSID Architecture
- Design new Production and Guest SSIDs in Meraki, using the Catalyst 9800 configuration as the reference (a new build, not a migration)
- Translate 9800 WLAN, policy and RADIUS settings into equivalent Meraki configurations, identifying any feature differences
- Define authentication and RADIUS integration (such as 802.1X with Cisco ISE), VLAN tagging, bridged versus tunneled traffic, security policies, firewall rules and traffic shaping
- Ensure SSID security meets Wi-Fi 6E requirements where 6 GHz is used (such as WPA3)
4. Guest Traffic Concentration Architecture
- Design the MX450 as a dedicated Guest traffic concentrator, including its placement, connectivity, routing and VLANs
- Define Layer 3 and Layer 7 firewall policies and security controls for Guest traffic
- Design and validate tunneling of the Guest SSID from access points to the MX450
- Confirm that SD-WAN and Auto VPN remain out of scope unless required specifically for Guest traffic transport
- Advise the client on resilience options, including the impact of a single MX450
5. Catalyst 9300 Integration
- Define the integration standard between Meraki access points and CLI-managed Catalyst 9300 switches
- Specify and validate switch port, VLAN, trunk, PoE, QoS, spanning tree and uplink configuration
- Confirm PoE budgets and multigigabit port requirements for CW9166 access points
- Ensure no conversion of the Catalyst 9300 switches to Meraki management
6. Validation, Templates and Handover
- Produce the low-level design (LLD) for the MX450 and Meraki wireless solution
- Define and execute the test plan covering RADIUS authentication, Production and Guest connectivity, Guest traffic forwarding, firewall policy, roaming and agreed failure scenarios
- Create a repeatable site template and rollout guide for additional sites
- Lead knowledge transfer and operational readiness sessions with the client’s teams
- Guide and review the work of deployment engineers where involved
Must-Have Requirements
- Experience: 10–15 years in enterprise networking, with significant experience as a network or wireless architect
- Design authority: Proven experience owning enterprise wireless and campus network designs, including HLDs, LLDs and design sign-off
- Meraki wireless: Hands-on experience designing and deploying Meraki access points through the Meraki Dashboard, including SSIDs, RF profiles, firewall rules and templates
- Wi-Fi 6 / 6E: Experience with Catalyst Wi-Fi 6E access points (such as the CW916x series) in Meraki mode, including 6 GHz design and WPA3
- Meraki MX: Experience designing Meraki MX appliances, including VLANs, routing, Layer 3 and Layer 7 firewalls and use as a concentrator for tunneled SSIDs
- Cisco Catalyst 9800: Deep understanding of 9800 WLAN, policy and RADIUS configuration, and the ability to map it to Meraki equivalents
- Catalyst 9300 switching: Strong IOS-XE knowledge for switch ports, VLANs, trunks, PoE, QoS and spanning tree
- Authentication and security: Strong knowledge of 802.1X, RADIUS, Cisco ISE and Guest network isolation
- Multi-site standards: Experience creating repeatable network designs and templates for multi-site rollouts
- Documentation and communication: Ability to produce clear designs and present them to technical and business stakeholders
Nice-to-Have
- Cisco CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure or Enterprise Wireless, or CCNP Enterprise with wireless specialization
- Cisco Meraki certifications (for example CMNA or ECMS)
- Wireless certifications such as CWNA or CWDP
- Experience with RF survey and design tools such as Ekahau
- Experience with Cisco ISE guest portals or Meraki splash pages
- Experience in hybrid environments combining Meraki and traditionally managed Cisco infrastructure
- Experience designing network solutions for regulated industries
Key Deliverables
| Current-state wireless and Guest network diagram |
| 2 | Target architecture and design decision record |
| 3 | Low-level design for the MX450 and Meraki wireless solution |
| 4 | Three CW9166 access points deployed and validated |
| 5 | Production and Guest SSIDs configured to match the 9800 reference intent |
| 6 | MX450 deployed and configured as the Guest traffic concentrator |
| 7 | Catalyst 9300 integration standard and validated switch configuration |
| 8 | Test plan and completed test results |
| 9 | Repeatable site template and rollout guide |
| 10 | Knowledge transfer and operational readiness session |
Design Assumptions
The architect will confirm and document these assumptions as part of the design:
- CW9166: Deployed in native Meraki mode; no Catalyst-to-Meraki conversion is required
- MX450: Dedicated to wireless Guest traffic concentration only; not deployed as a branch SD-WAN appliance
- Catalyst 9300: Remains CLI-managed; no conversion to Meraki management
- Cisco 9800: Used only as the reference configuration for Production and Guest SSIDs; SSIDs are rebuilt, not migrated
- Initial scope: Three access points and one MX450, with the resulting configuration becoming the standard site template
- High availability: No MX450 redundancy is in scope unless the client explicitly requests it. Failure testing will cover only the failure paths that exist in the agreed architecture