Network Specialist V

About the role

Under the direction of the Director of Enterprise Telecommunications, the Network Specialist V supports telephony services for HHS. This position is responsible for performing senior level network systems work involving the implementation, maintenance, and monitoring of local area networks, wide area networks, Internet or intranet systems, and network segments. Work includes designing, configuring, troubleshooting, and maintaining routers, switches, gateways, and applications servers.

Responsibilities

• Monitor the status of the network to ensure that all devices are working properly.
• Perform tuning and capacity planning activities to enhance the performance of network resources.
• Gather data pertaining to customers’ needs and use information to identify, predict, interpret, and evaluate system and network requirements.
• Install, test, and maintain network hardware and software; analyze network utility and availability.
• Maintain the network’s physical and logical structures, including network connections.
• Maintain network support software, analyze user support statistics, and recommend appropriate measures.
• Troubleshoot multiple types of connections to include WAN and LAN fiber and copper connections.
• Monitor overall network health and identify areas of needed change and make recommendations to improve operations.
• Manage network installation in new projects.
• Perform advanced (senior-level) network systems work.
• Oversee and/or conduct major studies regarding system usage, make recommendations for improvements, and determine network system requirements.
• Review network system plans for completeness and accuracy, and plan and schedule network studies and system implementations.
• Analyze existing network and system procedures for efficiency and effectiveness.
• Analyze and define agency disaster recovery responsibilities and procedures.
• Respond to network outages, incidents and manage problem calls and service requests.
• Provide technical advice and assistance to business units and management to support new technology solutions.
• Respond and solve simple to complex network problems.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of: enterprise network infrastructure, including LAN/WAN environments, routers, switches, firewalls, network topologies, MPLS circuits, disaster recovery, change management, and network security.
• Skill in: configuring and troubleshooting network hardware and software, creating switch configurations and templates, resolving simple to complex network outages, managing remote-site connectivity, supporting network installations, analyzing network performance, and developing implementation, test, and backout plans for approved changes.
• Ability to: work independently at a senior level, exercise sound judgment, evaluate customer needs, recommend network improvements, manage multiple projects and service requests, support disaster recovery responsibilities, communicate technical guidance to business and management teams, and maintain the security and integrity of State of Texas infrastructure.

Preferred Certifications

• Cisco CCNA – Cisco Certified Network Associate
• Cisco CCNP Enterprise – Cisco Certified Network Professional
• CompTIA Security+
• CompTIA Network+

Requirements

• Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in computer science, computer information systems, MIS, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of experience in network management and systems administration, including three (3) years supervisory or lead worker experience.
• Experience with network topologies, configurations, and network management software.
• Experience in local, campus and wide area networks.
• Education and experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.
• Cisco network switch and router configuration experience.
• Firewall configuration experience.
• Ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure of the State of Texas.