Network Engineer

City of Gainesville•Gainesville, FL

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This is a professional technical position that performs complex network engineering and administration work for the City of Gainesville. It involves design, implementation, configuration, monitoring, and maintenance of enterprise-level network infrastructure, including MPLS, MAN, WAN, wireless networks, and network security systems. Work supports a multi-site municipal computing environment serving government operations and public services. There is an emphasis on team-oriented network architecture, security, and planning within an ITIL framework. Work is performed both remotely and on-site in a secure, regulated, and audited environment. Work requires advanced knowledge of network protocols, routing, switching, firewall management, VPN technologies, and integration with cloud-based SaaS platforms. The position requires expertise in Cisco technologies, including routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless solutions. Incumbents in this classification report to a designated supervisor and work under general supervision. Work in this class is distinguished from higher classes by its focus on implementation and administration rather than enterprise architecture design, and from lower classes by its advanced technical skill in network infrastructure management.

Requirements

Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university with major course work in computer science, information systems, information technology, or a related technical field is preferred.
Five (5) years of professional experience in network engineering, network administration, or related information technology experience (must include at least two (2) years of hands-on experience with enterprise network infrastructure, including routing, switching, and firewall management).
A valid State of Florida Driver's License is required at all times while employed in this classification.
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) is required.
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) is required within 12 months of hire.
Comprehensive knowledge of network protocols, including TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, MPLS, VLANs, spanning tree protocol, and routing principles.
Advanced knowledge of Cisco networking technologies, including routers (ISR, ASR series), switches (Catalyst series), firewalls (ASA, Firepower), and wireless solutions (Meraki, Catalyst wireless).
Knowledge of network security principles, best practices, and technologies, including firewalls, VPN, IDS/IPS, network segmentation, and access control.
Familiarity with Software-Defined Networking (SDN) concepts and technologies (e.g., Cisco ACI, VMware NSX, or Azure Virtual Network Manager).
Experience or working knowledge of Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) environment such as Microsoft Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud Platform — including virtual networking, security groups, VPN gateways, and load balancers.
Understanding of hybrid connectivity between on-prem and cloud environments (e.g., ExpressRoute, Direct Connect, SD-WAN).
Knowledge of MPLS, MAN, WAN, and wireless network technologies and their application in enterprise environments.
Knowledge of site-to-site and point-to-site VPN technologies, including IPSec, SSL VPN, and remote access authentication methods.
Knowledge of network monitoring and management tools such as SolarWinds, PRTG, Cisco Prime, or similar platforms.
Knowledge of ITIL framework and best practices for IT service management, change management, and incident management.
Knowledge of industry standards and regulatory compliance requirements relevant to municipal government IT operations.
Ability to design, implement, and troubleshoot complex network infrastructure, including routing, switching, firewalls, and wireless systems.
Ability to analyze network performance data, identify bottlenecks and issues, and implement effective solutions.
Ability to read and interpret network diagrams, technical documentation, and vendor specifications.
Ability to work effectively with vendors, service providers, and partner organizations to resolve technical issues and coordinate service delivery.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and as part of a collaborative team.
Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with technical and non-technical audiences, including IT staff, management, end users, and external partners.
Ability to create clear and comprehensive technical documentation, including network diagrams, standard operating procedures, and troubleshooting guides.
Ability to provide technical leadership, guidance, and training to less experienced IT staff.
Ability to respond to emergencies and critical network outages outside of normal business hours.
Ability to learn new technologies and adapt to changing business requirements.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
Strong customer service orientation and commitment to supporting the City's mission and values.

Nice To Haves

Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) or other advanced networking certifications are highly desirable.
Experience with VoIP network configuration and support is preferred.
Direct experience with telephony platforms (Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Microsoft Teams Phone, Avaya, or similar) is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Network Infrastructure Design, implement, configure, administer, monitor, and troubleshoot enterprise-level network infrastructure, including MPLS networks, Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN), Local Area Networks (LAN), and Wireless LAN (WLAN) systems.
Configure and maintain Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless access points to ensure stable network operations, optimal performance, and adherence to established best practices and security standards.
Support the integration of on-premises systems with cloud-hosted infrastructure and applications, and design scalable, secure network architectures for hybrid and cloud-native systems.
Implement and manage VLANs, Quality of Service (QoS), spanning tree protocol, and other advanced switching and routing protocols to optimize network traffic and ensure business continuity.
Manage network IP addressing schemes, DHCP services, DNS services, and network documentation to maintain an accurate inventory of all network infrastructure components.
Monitor network performance using network management tools and implement proactive measures to prevent service disruptions and optimize bandwidth utilization.
Partner with the Information Security team to establish and configure secure baseline configurations for network devices.
Configure, maintain, and monitor network security devices, including next-generation firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), intrusion detection systems (IDS), and network access control systems.
Implement and enforce network security policies, access control lists (ACLs), and firewall rules to protect City networks from unauthorized access and cyber threats in conformance with industry’s best practices and regulatory requirements.
Implement network segmentation and micro-segmentation strategies to isolate critical systems and limit the impact of potential security breaches.
Monitor network traffic for anomalies, security incidents, and policy violations; respond to security alerts and incidents promptly.
Design, implement, and maintain site-to-site VPN connections between City facilities, remote offices, and partner organizations to ensure secure and reliable connectivity in compliance with Information Security standards and governance.
Configure and support point-to-site VPN solutions for remote staff, contractors, and vendors requiring secure access to City network resources.
Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) and certificate-based authentication for VPN connections to enhance security.
Troubleshoot VPN connectivity issues, optimize VPN performance, and maintain documentation of all VPN configurations and policies.
Coordinate with Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to procure, implement, and maintain internet connectivity services, including bandwidth management, circuit provisioning, and service level agreement (SLA) monitoring.
Work with Software as a Service (SaaS) vendors and third-party partners to establish and maintain secure network connectivity, including firewall rule configurations, network peering, and API integrations.
Manage relationships with network equipment vendors and service providers, coordinate maintenance windows, software updates, and technical support escalations.
Review and evaluate new networking technologies, products, and services; provide recommendations for network infrastructure improvements and upgrades.
Design and implement network redundancy across City sites, including redundant data center connectivity, diverse ISP circuits, and automatic failover mechanisms to ensure continuous operations for critical services such as public safety communications and essential government functions
Develop and maintain network disaster recovery plans and procedures; participate in disaster recovery testing and exercises.
Maintain backup configurations for all critical network devices and document recovery procedures for network infrastructure.
Configure and maintain network infrastructure to support Voice over IP (VoIP) telephony systems, including voice VLANs, QoS policies, and prioritization of voice traffic to ensure clear and reliable voice communications.
Coordinate with telephony vendors and service providers for SIP trunk provisioning, phone system maintenance, and troubleshooting of voice quality issues related to network configuration.
Monitor and troubleshoot voice network performance, including jitter, latency, packet loss, and bandwidth utilization for voice traffic.
Support implementation and maintenance of unified communications platforms and their network integration requirements.
Participate in network capacity planning, performance analysis, technology evaluation, and strategic planning initiatives for network infrastructure.
Create and maintain comprehensive network documentation, including network diagrams, standard operating procedures, configuration templates, and troubleshooting guides.
Provide technical support and troubleshooting for network-related issues during business hours and participate in after-hours on-call rotation for critical network incidents.
Collaborate with other IT teams, including systems administration, security, applications, and service desk, to ensure seamless integration and support of City IT services.
Work within an ITIL framework for change management, incident management, problem management, and service delivery; participate in change advisory board (CAB) meetings.
Perform network maintenance activities during scheduled maintenance windows, including firmware upgrades, security patches, and configuration changes.
Attend work on a continuous and regular basis.
Develop and deliver training materials and presentations for IT staff and end users on network technologies and best practices.
Research emerging network technologies, security threats, and industry trends to support continuous improvement of network infrastructure.
Perform cost-benefit analyses for proposed network infrastructure projects and provide recommendations to management.
Perform other related duties as assigned.