Network Operations Center Analyst - Associate

UPMC • Pittsburgh, PA

3d • Onsite

About The Position

The NOC Analyst Associate supports a 24x7x365 Network Operations Center responsible for monitoring, maintaining, and restoring UPMC’s enterprise data and voice networks. This role performs real-time surveillance of a large multi-vendor environment, ensuring network uptime, performance, and SLA compliance. Using a suite of enterprise monitoring tools, the analyst responds to alerts, troubleshoots issues across switches, routers, firewalls, and WAN circuits, and works toward rapid incident resolution. The position collaborates closely with senior NOC staff, network engineering teams, and external service providers to escalate, coordinate, and communicate issues effectively.

Requirements

• Foundational understanding of networking concepts, including OSI model, TCP/IP, VLANs, and routing basics (Layer 2 vs Layer 3).
• Basic familiarity with IP addressing, subnetting, and the role of default gateways in network communication.
• Exposure to network devices such as switches, routers, and firewalls, including logging in and performing basic verification or troubleshooting tasks.
• Understanding of common network protocols (e.g., TCP, UDP, SNMP, OSPF, BGP) at a conceptual level.
• Awareness of modern network architectures such as MPLS, SD-WAN, or segmentation (overlay vs. underlay concepts preferred but not required).
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills with the ability to follow established procedures and escalate issues appropriately.
• Effective communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with technical teams and non-technical stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in information technology, Networking, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Entry-level certification such as CCNA (or actively pursuing).
• Prior exposure to a NOC, help desk, or IT support environment.
• Familiarity with packet capture tools (e.g., Wireshark) or network monitoring platforms.

Responsibilities

• Provide Level 1 support across UPMC’s enterprise network infrastructure, delivering strong customer service and clear communication with engineers, vendors, and internal stakeholders.
• Monitor network performance and availability using enterprise tools (e.g., Stablenet, Nokia Wavesuite/NFM-P, Splunk, Palo Alto Panorama), identifying and responding to issues proactively.
• Respond to alarms, outages, and abnormal network conditions, following established procedures to restore service or escalate when appropriate.
• Troubleshoot network issues across switches, routers, firewalls, and WAN circuits, working toward resolution while partnering with senior staff as needed.
• Coordinate testing and repair of WAN circuits with telecommunications providers and external vendors to ensure timely resolution.
• Document incidents, troubleshooting steps, and network changes while maintaining accurate operational records and knowledge resources.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed