Network Architect

Network Architect

This position will provide advanced engineering expertise necessary to complete critical enterprise networking projects improve infrastructure resiliency modernize aging systems and establish technical standards that support the Universitys long-term strategic objectives. The engagement will also provide technical leadership and knowledge transfer to strengthen ongoing operational support capabilities. This is an on-site position at the downtown Columbia USC campus. Occasional remote work is permissible but the majority of work will take place on site. The Senior Network Engineer will serve as the Divisions senior technical resource for enterprise network architecture engineering modernization and operational excellence. Working collaboratively with Enterprise Architecture Network Operations Information Security Cloud Services Facilities Planning project teams vendors and campus stakeholders the incumbent will design implement and optimize the Universitys enterprise networking environment.

• Define and advance the long-term technical vision and architecture for the Universitys Enterprise Data Network (EDN) translating institutional requirements into scalable secure resilient network solutions.
  
• Provide architecture and engineering leadership for enterprise LAN WAN wireless data center cloud hybrid networking and network security technologies.
  
• Lead complex network infrastructure projects and modernization initiatives that improve reliability resiliency scalability security and operational efficiency.
  
• Develop enterprise network architecture standards engineering standards reference architectures technical roadmaps lifecycle recommendations and supporting documentation.
  
• Design highly available network infrastructure and connectivity across campus data center cloud and external service environments.
  
• Advance network automation orchestration Infrastructure as Code and deployment practices that improve consistency efficiency and reliability.
  
• Develop and improve enterprise monitoring observability alerting analytics capacity planning and operational metrics supporting proactive infrastructure management.
  
• Provide senior technical leadership for complex infrastructure issues priority incidents architecture decisions and advanced engineering challenges.
  
• Coordinate network architecture and engineering initiatives with Network Operations Information Security Cloud Services Physical Network Infrastructure Facilities Planning project teams vendors contractors and campus stakeholders.
  
• Evaluate emerging technologies support technical procurement and vendor evaluations and provide knowledge transfer and documentation supporting long-term operational sustainability.
  
• Provide technical and project leadership for enterprise network architecture advanced engineering modernization and infrastructure implementation initiatives including hands-on engineering when required.
  
• Design and engineer scalable resilient and secure LAN WAN wireless data center cloud VPN firewall and Network Access Control solutions.
  
• Develop and maintain enterprise network architectures engineering standards technical roadmaps network diagrams and other technical documentation; review and validate network designs and engineering solutions developed by other technical staff.
  
• Analyze institutional business and technical requirements and translate them into enterprise network designs and implementation strategies.
  
• Lead network modernization lifecycle planning capacity planning and remediation of aging or at-risk infrastructure.
  
• Develop and implement monitoring observability automation orchestration and operational metrics to proactively assess and improve enterprise network health capacity performance and operational efficiency.
  
• Serve as a senior technical resource and Tier III escalation point for complex network incidents and engineering issues performing advanced troubleshooting and providing architecture-level guidance and resolution when required.
  
• Coordinate architecture and engineering activities with Network Operations Information Security Physical Network Infrastructure Facilities Planning project teams contractors consultants vendors and other stakeholders.
  
• Evaluate emerging technologies and solutions and provide technical recommendations supporting procurement investment and long-term infrastructure planning.
  
• Provide technical mentoring knowledge transfer and engineering guidance to Network Operations and other technical personnel; participate in maintenance windows and after-hours support when required.
  
• Perform other duties as assigned.
  

Education and Certifications:

• Bachelors degree in Computer Science Information Technology Network Engineering Computer Engineering or a closely related discipline or equivalent work experience.
  

Required Skills:

• 4 years of experience with enterprise network architecture and engineering within complex mission-critical environments.
  
• 4 years of experience with LAN/WAN technologies including Juniper enterprise routing and switching TCP/IP enterprise routing protocols DNS DHCP and IPAM.
  
• 4 years of experience leading complex network architecture and engineering initiatives from requirements and design through implementation troubleshooting and operational transition.
  
• 4 years of experience with enterprise infrastructure modernization lifecycle planning capacity planning resiliency and high-availability design.
  
• 4 years of experience with network security architecture and technologies including Fortinet firewalls and VPN/SASE technologies Network Access Control (NAC) segmentation and security policy implementation.
  
• 4 years of experience with cloud and hybrid networking including AWS or Microsoft Azure.
  
• 4 years of experience with network automation orchestration scripting and Infrastructure as Code concepts and technologies.
  
• 4 years of experience with enterprise network monitoring observability analytics metrics and performance management.
  

Preferred Skills:

• Juniper Networks Certified Professional Enterprise Routing and Switching (JNCIP-ENT) or higher.
  
• Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP) or higher certification relevant to network security firewalls or secure networking.
  
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP Enterprise) or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).
  
• Aruba networking certification relevant to enterprise switching wireless or network architecture.
  
• AWS or Microsoft Azure certification relevant to advanced networking or cloud network architecture.
  
• ITIL Foundation or higher.
  
• CompTIA Security
  
• Experience developing enterprise network strategy architecture standards reference architectures and long-term technology roadmaps.
  
• Experience supporting network architecture and engineering in a complex higher education environment including academic research administrative and other diverse institutional technology requirements.
  
• Experience with Aruba and Cisco enterprise switching and wireless technologies including software-defined and centrally managed network architectures.
  
• Experience implementing enterprise observability telemetry automation and proactive or self-healing infrastructure capabilities.
  
• Experience with virtualization cloud networking and hybrid cloud infrastructure.
  
• Experience coordinating infrastructure projects with facilities organizations architects contractors consultants and external engineering firms.
  
• Experience supporting enterprise cybersecurity zero-trust segmentation and secure network architecture initiatives.
  

Additional Skills:

• Technical documentation standards development and architecture diagrams.
  
• Project management and enterprise implementation experience.
  
• Technical mentoring and knowledge transfer.
  
• Excellent written verbal analytical and customer service skills.
  
• Advanced troubleshooting and technical leadership during complex or mission-critical network incidents.