Network Engineer – Project Lead

The Network
Engineer – Project Lead will provide daily network engineering operations and
support for the University of South Carolina’s enterprise wired and wireless
network infrastructure. The role includes monitoring, maintaining, configuring,
troubleshooting, and supporting switching, routing, wireless networking,
firewalls, VPNs, and network connectivity services. Responsibilities also
include network equipment deployment, incident resolution, system upgrades and
patching, performance optimization, network security support, and maintaining
technical documentation and network diagrams. The engineer will collaborate
with network, security, infrastructure teams, vendors, and stakeholders to
ensure reliable, secure, and highly available network services.

• Monitor,
  maintain, and support enterprise wired and wireless network
  infrastructure, including switching, routing, and connectivity services
  across campus environments to ensure availability, reliability, and
  performance.
  
• Perform
  field installation and deployment of network equipment, including
  configuring, racking, stacking, cabling, and testing switches.
  
• Diagnose,
  troubleshoot, and resolve network issues through monitoring, analysis, and
  root cause investigation.
  
• Investigate
  and resolve network incidents through remote analysis and field-based
  troubleshooting, including testing network equipment and validating
  configurations.
  
• Coordinate
  network repairs to maintain service availability and escalate complex
  technical issues as appropriate.
  
• Participate
  in on-call support activities to ensure continuity and availability of
  network services.
  
• Perform
  routine network maintenance, including system upgrades, patching,
  configuration changes, and performance optimization.
  
• Minimize
  service interruptions during maintenance activities while adhering to
  established operational best practices.
  
• Maintain
  accurate operational documentation, network diagrams, incident records,
  and runbooks.
  
• Collaborate
  with network engineering and architecture, security, infrastructure teams,
  vendors, and stakeholders to support reliable technology services.
  
• Communicate
  technical information effectively to technical teams, vendors, and
  stakeholders.
  
• Support
  and maintain network security technologies, including firewalls, VPNs, and
  related security controls.
  
• Assist
  with troubleshooting and responding to network security-related incidents
  in accordance with established procedures and standards.
  

Requirements

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelor’s
  degree or equivalent work experience.
  
• Cisco
  Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
  
• Cisco
  Certified Network Professional (CCNP)
  
• Juniper
  Networks Certified Associate (JNCIA)
  
• Juniper
  Networks Certified Specialist / Professional (JNCIS / JNCIP)
  
• Aruba
  Certified Network Technician (ACNT)
  
• Aruba
  Certified Switching Associate (ACSA)
  
• Aruba
  Certified Mobility Associate (ACMA)
  
• Fortinet
  Certified Associate (FCA)
  
• Fortinet
  Certified Professional (FCP)
  

Required Skills:

• 2+ years
  of experience with enterprise network technologies, including switching,
  routing, wireless networking, and TCP/IP protocols.
  
• 2+ years
  of experience configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting Cisco, Juniper,
  Aruba, AND Fortinet network devices.
  
• 2+ years
  of experience diagnosing and resolving network connectivity, performance,
  and security-related issues using standard troubleshooting methodologies
  and tools.
  
• 2+ years
  of experience with network security, including firewalls, VPNs, access
  controls, and security best practices.
  
• 2+ years
  of experience installing, configuring, and supporting network
  infrastructure equipment, including field deployment activities such as
  racking, stacking, cabling, and testing.
  
• 2+ years
  of experience maintaining technical documentation, network diagrams, and
  operational records.
  
• 2+ years
  of experience with routing protocols and technologies, including OSPF,
  BGP, VLANs, spanning tree, and high-availability architectures.
  

Preferred Skills:

• Experience
  supporting large-scale enterprise or higher education network
  environments.
  
• Experience
  with wireless network administration and troubleshooting in dense-user
  environments.
  
• Experience
  supporting network security technologies, including firewalls, VPNs,
  Network Access Control (NAC), and multi-factor authentication solutions.
  
• Familiarity
  with network monitoring, logging, and performance management tools.
  
• Experience
  with network automation, scripting, or infrastructure management tools,
  including Python, Ansible, and APIs.
  
• Experience
  performing network upgrades, migrations, and lifecycle replacement
  projects.
  
• Experience
  working in ITIL-based operational environments, including incident,
  problem, and change management processes.
  

Additional Skills:

• Strong
  analytical, problem-solving, and customer service skills.
  
• Ability
  to communicate technical information effectively and collaborate with
  technical teams, vendors, and stakeholders.
  
• Ability
  to work independently, prioritize tasks, and respond effectively in a
  fast-paced operational environment.
  
• Experience
  mentoring junior technical staff and providing technical leadership during
  operational incidents.
  

Benefits