Assists in the maintenance of the MDREN WAN:

• Provides maintenance and support for routers, switches, OSPF, BGP, VPLS and VPN connections.
• Vigilantly monitors network activity to identify and promptly address security incidents, events, and intrusions.
• Acts as a consultant for other network and application technologies, while also serving as a liaison on committees, task forces, evaluation groups, and negotiations related to associated projects. Demonstrates effective communication and interaction skills with users, staff, faculty, management, executive-level personnel, and external vendors.
• Proactively monitors all enterprise communication systems to ensure their stability and proper functioning and taking corrective measures as necessary.
• Coordinates networking maintenance and upgrades with relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborates with network equipment vendors to find effective solutions for network issues and upgrades.
• Creates implementation plans and schedules for network improvements.

Provides customer service and support to members of MDREN:

• Delivers exceptional customer support while conducting research and resolving technical issues.
• Actively engages in monthly MDREN technical committee meetings through participation and contribution.

Remains current with best practices pertaining to enterprise-wide communication systems:

• Keeps abreast of the latest trends in WAN technologies by leveraging internet resources such as reading blog posts, attending webinars, and watching instructional videos.
• Actively participates in training and professional development classes to enhance skills and knowledge.

Develops and maintains documentation, policies, procedures, and methods for the operation of the MDREN network:

• Generates comprehensive documentation for projects and equipment configurations.
• Develops user-friendly documentation for MDREN services targeted toward end-users.
• Maintains operational documents, standards, and guidelines as necessary.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Education Level/Certifications:

High School Diploma or GED.

Required Experience:

2 years’ experience in the field of local area networking or 1 year of experience in the field of wide area networking.

Required Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

• Ability to establish goals, priorities, structures, and processes necessary to implement complex network infrastructure projects.
• Strong teambuilding skills, with the ability to cultivate relationships both internally and externally with institutions.
• Exceptional networking and interpersonal skills, enabling effective partnerships with key stakeholders within and outside the University System of Maryland (USM).
• Proficiency in adapting to changing and evolving network environments, displaying the ability to effectively navigate and implement network changes to meet evolving business needs.
• Proficiency in prioritizing ongoing and new projects, conducting research, and gathering relevant information to inform decision-making.
• Expertise as a technical troubleshooter, demonstrating logical thinking and problem-solving abilities to define and resolve complex network issues. Skilled in collecting data, establishing facts, and drawing valid conclusions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate complex network issues and strategies to individuals with varying levels of network knowledge and experience.
• Understanding of various networking technologies, services, and protocols typical of a large enterprise network, including Ethernet, TCP/IP, SNMP, SMTP, DHCP/BootP, DNS, OSPF, ARP/RARP, VPNs, VLANs, BGP, Subnets, and Routing.
• Familiarity with network management tools and command languages, as well as proficiency in graphical analysis tools.
• Hands-on experience with one or more of the following enterprise switches or routers: Cisco, Juniper, Arista, Extreme, Force 10, or Brocade.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative, team-oriented environment and Foster a culture where individuals feel comfortable seeking assistance and offering support when needed.
• Proactive and self-motivated, with the ability to identify and propose solutions to problems, including potential issues that may arise.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Preferred Education Level/Certifications:

Enterprise networking certifications

Preferred Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

Working knowledge of Unix system administration, Polycom/Tandberg/Cisco video systems, VMware, and/or Linux.