Senior Network Engineer

Job Summary

Reports to the Assistant CIO for Networking/Telecom and Classrooms, providing leadership and supervision for the network team in day-to-day operations. Steers and directs the network team in supporting connectivity across 115+ ETSU buildings and 18+ remote sites. Provides leadership oversight for the management of 221 communications rooms, 3,000+ network devices (switches, routers, access points), and 26,000+ network drops.

Leads and coordinates the networking team responsible for installation, maintenance, and ongoing support of the university network. Oversees and prioritizes network requests and operational needs including IOS updates, device configuration, moves, adds, changes, repairs, upgrades, and troubleshooting.

Provides leadership in delivering network services through specialized Cisco devices including traffic filtering devices, wireless networking infrastructure, wireless LAN controllers, and network management and monitoring systems. Guides the team in maintaining and administering network-related databases including DHCP, DNS, network subnets, and device inventory while ensuring operational standards and reliability of network services.

PLEASE SEE THE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR THE POSITION.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Communicates ideas both verbally and in written form in a clear, concise, and professional manner.
• Direct the network team on day-to-day operations and all ITS network projects.
• In-depth knowledge and experience of network technologies (i.e. routers, switches, load balancers, firewalls, network and routing protocols, DNS).
• Knowledge of basic IT technologies (i.e. operating systems, network devices, software development and architecture).
• Demonstrated ability to design, install, configure, and maintain enterprise network infrastructure including routers, switches, firewalls and servers to support academic, research, and administrative needs.
• Design and implement state of the art company networks.
• Demonstrated ability to design, install and maintain wireless network infrastructures (Wi-Fi).
• Knowledge of appropriate utilization of Internet Service Providers in a multi-homed environment.
• Ability to design and implement “high availability” into network design.
• Knowledge of network traffic management and optimization including application visibility and control.
• Knowledge of infrastructure support requirements and technical understanding of Voice over IP deployments (VoIP).
• Knowledge of threat assessment and mitigation.
• Knowledge of DHCP and DNS operations including namespace and IP address management.
• Knowledge of network and server virtualization.
• Knowledge of network inventory management.
• Knowledge of disaster recovery planning and business continuity.
• Knowledge of Electronic Industries Association/Telecommunications Industry Association (EIA/TIA) structured cabling.
• Ability to design and implement network infrastructure and service solutions following accepted current security best practices.
• Ability to implement WAN and VPN connectivity to remote sites.
• Ability to provide infrastructure support for server environments.
• Ability to install and maintain network monitoring systems.
• Ability to install and maintain authentication and access control systems: Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service RADIUS, Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA), Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP).
• Ability to participate as a member of cross functional teams.
• Ability to participate in compliance and security audits including Payment Card industry-Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
• Ability to communicate effectively and coordinate with customers and vendors.
• Ability to perform network troubleshooting, diagnostics, and failure analysis for complex network and connectivity issues.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience as a Network Engineer, with a focus on network design, implementation, and troubleshooting.
• Two (2) years of demonstrated leadership or supervisory experience in IT, with strong preference for experience leading networking or IT infrastructure teams and overseeing technical operations, projects, and staff in an IT services environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced industry certifications (e.g., CCNP/CCIE, JNCIP/JNCIE, CWNP, or equivalent).
• Experience supporting large capital or construction projects involving network design.

Compensation & Benefits

• Job Family - IT Management 2
• Market Range - 10 (Salary Schedules)
• For information on benefits please visit www.etsu.edu/human-resources/benefits/.

Application Instructions

• Exempt positions are only required to be posted for a minimum of fourteen (14) calendar days. The closing date for this posting is subject to change without notice to applicants.
• Please clearly demonstrate on your resume and in your cover letter how you meet all minimum requirements for this position, including two (2) years of IT supervisory experience.
• Applications Needed to Apply:
  • Cover Letter
  • Resume
  • List of Three (3) Professional References

ETSU is an equal opportunity employer.

University Overview

East Tennessee State University (ETSU) is an institution with over 14,000 diverse students highly ranked graduate and undergraduate programs. Located in the Southern Appalachian Mountains of Northeast Tennessee, ETSU serves as a hub for community, discovery, and service. Aligned with the institution's mission, we value efforts to engage in teaching, scholarship, creative activities, and service that involve community partners and address significant societal needs in our region and beyond. Recognized in 2024 as a Great College to Work For, recent strategic initiatives prioritize the institution’s focus on community engagement.

Disclaimer: The Job Summary is intended to describe the general nature and level of work individuals perform in this classification. It is not intended to be a complete list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Management reserves the right to revise the job or require different tasks to be performed as assigned to reflect changes in the position. Employees must be able to perform the position's essential functions satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations.