Posting Details

Posting Summary

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Posting Number
STA00300PO26

Job Family
Information Technology

Job Function
Enterprise Network Engineering

USC Market Title
Enterprise Network Engineer

Link to USC Market Title
https://uscjobs.sc.edu/titles/205475

Job Level
P4 - Professional

Business Title (Internal Title)
Senior Network Engineer

Campus
Columbia

Work County
Richland

College/Division
Division of Information Technology

Department
IT Network Services

State Pay Range
T08

USC Market Range
MRM - $107,351 $136,872 $166,394

Anticipated Hiring Range
$107,351- $136,872

Location of Vacancy

Part/Full Time
Full Time

Hours per Week
37.5

Work Schedule

• Standard working schedule: 8:30am - 5:00pm
• Must be willing to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the department.

Basis
12 months

Job Search Category
Information Technology

Position Description

Advertised Job Summary

Senior Network Engineer

Spend your days enjoying one of the most beautiful university campuses in America at the University of South Carolina, located in the vibrant capital city of one of the nation's fastest-growing states. Join us in advancing the Division of Information Technology as we build and support a modern, secure, and high-performing network environment that powers teaching, research, and student success. As a Gamecock, you will work alongside a collaborative, talented, and forward-thinking team, applying your expertise to deliver reliable, innovative connectivity solutions that enhance the digital experience across our campus community.

The Senior Network Engineer is responsible for designing, implementing, and supporting enterprise wireless and wired network infrastructure across the university. This role serves as a technical expert in wireless networking, ensuring high availability, performance, and security while supporting academic, research, and administrative operations. The position also plays a key role in automation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of network services in a dynamic campus environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• Network Design & Management: Design, implement, and manage secure, high-performance wireless, LAN, and WAN network infrastructure, including RF design, site surveys, and capacity planning. This includes architecting and deploying infrastructure such as Wi-Fi, cellular, and microwave systems; routers, switches, and firewalls; and automation platforms for configuration management, monitoring, and incident response.
• Orchestration, Automation, and Network Engineering: Develop and maintain network automation and orchestration solutions and workflows using tools such as Python, Ansible, APIs, and Infrastructure-as-Code frameworks. Manage integrations of automation platforms with network management and security systems.
• Metrics, Monitoring, and Performance Optimization: Design and manage network metrics, telemetry, monitoring, and performance optimization solutions, including dashboards and KPIs; collaborate with cross-functional teams to analyze data and trends, establish benchmarks, and drive continuous improvements in reliability, scalability, and security.
• Tier 3 Network, Security, and Automation Support: Provide Tier 3 support for complex network and security issues, including troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and collaboration with internal teams and vendors. Responsible for diagnosing and resolving advanced problems related to network performance, configuration, interoperability, automation workflows, and cybersecurity across technologies such as Wi-Fi, cellular, microwave, and wired Ethernet systems.

What We're Looking For:

• Five (5) or more years of experience supporting enterprise wireless and wired network infrastructure in a higher-education or large-campus, multi-site environment.
• Strong knowledge of networking technologies (routing, switching, wireless, firewalling, 802.1X, RADIUS, NAC, automation, monitoring, metrics and telemetry, and security architectures.)
• Hands-on experience with tools and platforms such as Aruba, Cisco, Juniper, Fortinet, Clearpass, LibreNMS, Grafana, Netbox, Ansible, Python, Ekahau, AirMagnet.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex issues, automate processes, create detailed documentation, automation workflows, maintain pace with rapidly changing technology, and communicate effectively with stakeholders.

Why Join Us?

• Work on large-scale, complex network environments that support a major research university, offering unique technical challenges and opportunities to grow your expertise at scale.
• Play a key role in shaping and advancing wireless networking strategy and innovation across a large, dynamic campus environment.
• Join a collaborative, high-performing team with opportunities to mentor others and expand your leadership and technical influence.
• Work hands-on with cutting-edge technologies, including network automation, telemetry, and advanced security design, to drive modern, scalable solutions.

Perks of the University of South Carolina:

• Downtown COLA Location: Enjoy working in the heart of Columbia, SC, with easy access to vibrant city life, dining, and cultural events.
• Energetic Leadership: Thrive under the guidance of an energetic and innovative leadership team dedicated to transforming IT at USC, making your role impactful and exciting.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Competitive salary, state retirement plan, and generous health benefits
• Work-Life Balance: Paid time off, university holidays, and flexible work opportunities
• Professional Growth: Access to training, certifications, and career development resources

Job Related Minimum Required Education and Experience

• Requires a bachelor's degree in a job-related field and 4 or more years of job-related experience, which may be substituted by an equivalent combination of job-related certification, training, education, and/or experience.

Required Certification, Licensure/Other Credentials

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field and 5 years of professional network engineering experience; or equivalent.
• Five (5) or more years of experience supporting enterprise wireless and wired network infrastructure in a higher-education or large-campus environment.
• Professional certifications such as Cisco CCNP Enterprise/CCNA, Aruba ACMP/ACSP, Juniper JNCIS/JNCIP, CWNA/CWNP, or Fortinet Certified Professional with NSE4 (FortiOS Administrator) and NSE5 (Secure Networking).
• Experience with Aruba networking, Juniper, wireless systems, wireless controllers, and RF design tools (Ekahau, AirMagnet) at an enterprise level.
• Experience with Cisco access layer.
• Experience with 802.1X, RADIUS, NAC, and ClearPass.
• Experience with automation (Python, Ansible, APIs), monitoring (LibreNMS, Grafana, NetBox), proficient with Fortinet security architecture, tools, and administration with the ability to coordinate multi-site deployments with internal teams and vendors.

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities

• Knowledge of networking standards, behavior, authentication systems, automation concepts, and network security best practices.
• Skill in designing and deploying enterprise environments, troubleshooting complex network issues, performing RCA, automating configuration tasks, analyzing performance data, and maintaining documentation.
• Ability to create and support campus infrastructure, develop documentation and topology maps, secure network systems, perform RF analysis, monitor networks via KPIs and telemetry, automate tasks, mentor junior staff, and communicate effectively with stakeholders.
• Ability to present summary and detailed data to various audiences, and to write comprehensive reports and keep detailed records.
• Ability to establish and maintain working relationships with users, vendors, and other employees.
• Employees must be able to self-train and maintain pace with rapidly changing technology as required.

Job Duties

Job Duty

Network Design & Management:

Responsible for the design, implementation, and management of secure, high-performance communication networks across wireless, LAN, and WAN environments. This includes architecting and deploying infrastructure such as Wi-Fi, cellular, and microwave systems; routers, switches, and firewalls; and automation platforms for configuration management, monitoring, and incident response.

Conduct detailed site surveys, spectrum analyses, and network assessments to ensure optimal coverage, capacity, and resilience. Configure and troubleshoot network and security devices, implement advanced routing, switching, and segmentation strategies, and apply automation tools (e.g., Python, Ansible, or similar frameworks) to streamline provisioning and maintenance tasks.

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate secure wireless and wired technologies into broader enterprise architectures, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives and regulatory compliance. Continuously monitor and analyze network performance and security posture, applying proactive improvements to enhance reliability, scalability, and protection against evolving threats.

Maintain comprehensive documentation of network designs, configurations, automation workflows, and performance metrics to support operational excellence and ongoing optimization.

Essential Function
Yes

Percentage of Time
40

Job Duty

Orchestration, Automation, and Network EngineeringResponsible for designing, developing, and implementing automated solutions that streamline the deployment, configuration, monitoring, and optimization of secure wireless, LAN, and WAN networks. This includes creating and maintaining orchestration workflows, scripts, and Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) frameworks to minimize manual intervention, enhance reliability, and ensure consistent performance across diverse network environments.

Integrate automation platforms with network management and security systems, leveraging APIs and tools such as Ansible, Python, RESTful services, and CI/CD pipelines to enable dynamic provisioning, real-time configuration management, and automated compliance enforcement. Implement automation for network security functions-such as firewall policy updates, access control validation, and vulnerability scanning-to ensure continuous alignment with cybersecurity and regulatory standards.

Continuously monitor and analyze automated processes and network telemetry to ensure operational accuracy, scalability, and performance optimization. Collaborate with cross-functional engineering and security teams to integrate orchestration and automation capabilities into the university's broader IT and research infrastructure, supporting innovation, resilience, and rapid service delivery.

Essential Function
Yes

Percentage of Time
25

Job Duty

Metrics, Monitoring, and Performance Optimization

Responsible for developing and managing comprehensive metrics frameworks to measure, analyze, and optimize the performance, reliability, and security of wireless, LAN, and WAN networks. This includes defining and tracking Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as signal strength, throughput, latency, packet loss, availability, and security event metrics to ensure the network meets established Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and organizational objectives. Collect and aggregate performance and security data from network monitoring, automation, and orchestration systems to provide actionable insights. Design and maintain real-time dashboards and reports that visualize network health, trends, and anomaly detection using tools