Senior Network Planner

About the Team

We are seeking an experienced, highly motivated Senior Network Planner to join our Infrastructure Capacity – Backbone Network & Connectivity team. You will independently own the strategic planning, procurement, and management of our core network connectivity, keeping it expanding, reliable, and efficient. You will play a lead role in growing our backbone network, including our international (EMEA/APAC) carrier and fiber footprint. You will also set the technical and commercial bar for other planners and mentor team members as we scale.

Key Responsibilities:

• Capacity Procurement: Own the end-to-end evaluation and procurement of new backbone network capacity (wavelength and dark fiber) between locations. This includes independently negotiating commercial terms with telecommunications vendors and carriers, in line with business requirements and network growth forecasts.
• Solution Review & Design: Independently review and approve proposed capacity solutions from vendors, setting the technical bar for fit, cost-effectiveness, and adherence to network design principles. Own circuit diversity standards across your sites or region to strengthen network resilience and minimize single points of failure.
• Capacity Management: Own capacity management across multiple sites or a full region. Monitor utilization proactively, spot bottlenecks early, and drive multi-quarter upgrade or reconfiguration plans instead of reacting to exhaustion as it happens.
• Network Planning & Forecasting: Own long-term capacity forecasts for the backbone and edge network, incorporating cross-regional trends and technological advances. Turn forecasts into actionable, multi-site expansion plans that Capacity, Supply Chain, and Construction can plan against.
• Vendor Relationship Management: Own strategic vendor and carrier relationships. Independently negotiate favorable commercial terms and set the technical and commercial evaluation standards other planners use to assess vendor proposals.
• Technical Documentation: Establish and maintain documentation standards for network designs, circuit inventory, capacity utilization, and planning activities across the broader planning team.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Represent Network Backbone & Connectivity in cross-functional planning forums, aligning Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Construction, and Product teams on expansion plans. Provide technical guidance that shapes how those teams carry out network expansions.
• Mentorship & Process Ownership: Mentor and guide other Network Planners, including region-focused planners. Continuously refine the team’s processes for carrier evaluation, forecasting, and documentation as the backbone team scales.
• Problem Solving: Independently resolve complex, often ambiguous technical and commercial issues related to network capacity, diversity, and performance. Escalate only the highest-stakes trade-offs, not routine decisions.
• Industry Trends: Track emerging network technologies, industry best practices, and vendor roadmaps. Turn them into forward-looking recommendations that shape the team’s backbone strategy, beyond your own planning work.
• International Carrier & Fiber Strategy: Apply deep, hands-on knowledge of international carrier markets (EMEA and/or APAC) and the fiber/subsea landscape to independently lead regional backbone expansion tied to CoreWeave’s global growth. Represent CoreWeave directly in carrier and vendor negotiations for these regions.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Proven experience (typically 7+ years) in backbone network planning for large-scale telecommunications, hyperscaler, data center colocation, or cloud/content networks, including senior-level ownership of complex, multi-site or multi-region initiatives.
• Extensive, hands-on experience with wavelength (DWDM/coherent optics) and dark fiber-based network solutions, including independently negotiating commercial terms with vendors and carriers.
• Demonstrated experience independently leading network capacity forecasting, management, and optimization across multiple sites or regions, not just a single site or project.
• Deep understanding of network architecture principles (redundancy, diversity, and resilience), with a track record of improving how a team evaluates and designs for them, not just applying existing standards.
• Direct experience with international carrier markets (EMEA and/or APAC) and the fiber/subsea landscape, including representing the company in carrier negotiations for these regions.
• Experience mentoring or providing technical guidance to less-senior planners or engineers.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the judgment to navigate ambiguity and make high-stakes decisions with limited guidance.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to represent the team in cross-functional and leadership-level discussions.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent, often cross-regional projects and prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency in network planning tools and software (e.g., GIS systems, FiberLocator, capacity management platforms).
• Experience with specific vendor equipment (e.g., Ciena, Nokia, Infinera, Cisco).
• Knowledge of IP routing and switching principles.
• Familiarity with network automation concepts.
• Experience formally mentoring or training junior planners or engineers.
• Experience presenting network planning or capacity topics in executive-facing forums (e.g., MBR/S&OP).
• Formal negotiation or vendor-management training or certification.

Why CoreWeave?

At CoreWeave, we work hard, have fun, and move fast! We’re in an exciting stage of hyper-growth that you will not want to miss out on. We’re not afraid of a little chaos, and we’re constantly learning. Our team cares deeply about how we build our product and how we work together, which is represented through our core values:

• Be Curious at Your Core
• Act Like an Owner
• Empower Employees
• Deliver Best-in-Class Client Experiences
• Achieve More Together

We support and encourage an entrepreneurial outlook and independent thinking. We foster an environment that encourages collaboration and enables the development of innovative solutions to complex problems. As we get set for takeoff, the organization’s growth opportunities are constantly expanding. You will be surrounded by some of the best talent in the industry, who will want to learn from you, too. Come join us!

Compensation & Benefits

The base salary range for this role is $157,000 to $210,000. The starting salary will be determined by job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and the market location. We strive for both market alignment and internal equity when determining compensation. In addition to base salary, our total rewards package includes a discretionary bonus, equity awards, and a comprehensive benefits program (all based on eligibility).