Network Administrator (IT Network & Telecoms – Journey)

State of Washington•Thurston County – Lacey, WA

6d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Ecology is hiring a Network Administrator (IT Network & Telecoms – Journey) within the Information Technology Services Office (ITSO). This role serves as an advocate and technical resource for the agency's on-prem and Public Cloud networking infrastructure. It combines hands-on network engineering with project management to plan, implement, operate, and maintain the converged and integrated network services that keep Ecology's applications and staff connected across the state. This is a journey-level position (one level below Senior) where you will work with a high degree of independence on complex on-prem and network infrastructure while collaborating closely with senior technical staff, ITSO's IT Security team, Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech), and external vendors.

Requirements

Five years of experience and/or education related to the duties of the position, which includes the following:
Project Coordination – Ability to plan and organize tasks and timelines to support the successful delivery of network-related projects.
Documentation Management – Ability to keep accurate and up-to-date network records, diagrams, and instructions to support troubleshooting and compliance.
Network Engineering & Troubleshooting – Ability to install, configure, maintain, and repair network equipment and connections to ensure reliable, secure communication across the agency.
Infrastructure Maintenance & Optimization – Ability to update software and equipment, manage certificates and configurations, and keep systems current to reduce downtime and security risk.
Network Design & Evaluation – Ability to assess business needs, evaluate options, and recommend network designs that balance cost, resiliency, security, and performance.
Education involving a major study in IT, Computer Science, or closely related field.
Examples of how to qualify:
5 years of experience.
4 years of experience AND 30-59 semester or 45-89 quarter college credits.
3 years of experience AND 60-89 semester or 90-134 quarter college credits (Associate’s degree).
2 years of experience AND 90-119 semester or 135-179 quarter college credits.
1 year of experience AND a Bachelor’s degree.

Nice To Haves

A Bachelor’s degree with focus on computer science, or Network hardware or architecture.
Four years of information technology experience designing and maintaining Cisco wireless controllers, Cisco Core Infrastructure, Cisco Prime Infrastructure, ISE (Identity Service Engine), and Data Center experience.
Proficient with Cisco iOS and working knowledge of routing protocols and services required to support wired/wireless network infrastructure.

Responsibilities

Provide primary network engineering support for Ecology’s on-prem and cloud infrastructure by installing, configuring, and maintaining Layer 2/3 components, gateways, and firewalls, and coordinating work with internal teams and external partners.
Monitor LAN/WAN performance and operational health across all agency sites, identifying anomalies, bandwidth issues, outages, and security-related events and ensuring timely follow-up with ISPs and the IT Security team.
Deliver Tier 2 and Tier 3 support statewide, resolving complex wired and wireless networking issues, authentication failures, and WAN disruptions, and conducting root cause analysis to prevent recurrence.
Perform routine maintenance to keep network infrastructure secure and optimized, including software updates, patching, password rotations, certificate management, and compliance with ITSO/State standards.
Maintain accurate and current network documentation, including IP address assignments, topology diagrams, configuration guides, and full inventory records for network hardware.
Provide technical consultation on network design and implementation, serving as a subject matter expert for planning, guiding technology choices, and mentoring support staff.
Build vendor relationships and research emerging on-prem and cloud networking technologies to recommend solutions that support business needs and maintain high reliability.
Lead and support project planning and implementation by analyzing dependencies, designing work plans, strengthening network security, and coordinating timelines across service delivery teams.