Senior Network Engineer/Architect (Network Communications Analyst IV)

San Diego State University • San Diego, CA

5d • $8,231 - $11,990 • Hybrid

About The Position

San Diego State University is seeking an experienced Senior Network Engineer/Architect to help shape the future of the enterprise network infrastructure connecting SDSU’s campuses, research environments, and university operations. In this senior technical role, you’ll architect and engineer large-scale wired, wireless, WAN, data center, cloud-connected, and research networks while leading complex infrastructure modernization initiatives from design through deployment. You’ll combine hands-on engineering with long-term architectural strategy—solving SDSU’s most challenging network problems, evaluating emerging technologies, and helping ensure the university’s network remains secure, resilient, scalable, and ready for what’s next.

Requirements

• Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in a related field and five years of relevant experience.
• Extensive experience supporting and maintaining enterprise-level wired and wireless network environments, including complex, multi-protocol routed networks.
• Advanced knowledge of TCP/IP, switching, routing, network security, wireless technologies, protocols, and network architectures.
• Experience supporting and managing Palo Alto firewalls, including security configuration and administration within an enterprise environment.
• Hands-on experience with enterprise networking technologies such as HPE Aruba wireless, Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise (ALE) routing and switching, Aruba ClearPass, or comparable platforms.
• Advanced ability to design, engineer, implement, troubleshoot, and validate complex enterprise network solutions while maintaining continuity of critical services.
• Experience leading network infrastructure projects, including hardware upgrades, lifecycle replacements, migrations, and other large-scale modernization initiatives.
• Experience using network management, monitoring, analysis, and diagnostic tools to troubleshoot connectivity and assess network performance.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and communicate effectively with technical teams, vendors, and stakeholders, while managing multiple priorities and projects in a fast-paced technical environment.
• Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

Nice To Haves

• Additional experience which demonstrates acquired and successfully applied knowledge and abilities shown above may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.
• An advanced degree in a related field may be substituted for the required experience on a year-for-year basis.
• Experience supporting networks in a higher education, research, or similarly complex large-enterprise environment.
• Advanced experience with enterprise networking platforms such as Aruba, ALE, Palo Alto Networks, Infoblox, ClearPass, or comparable technologies.
• Advanced experience with network observability, packet analysis, RF engineering, performance analysis, and diagnostic tools.
• Advanced industry certifications in enterprise networking, network security, wireless, or cloud networking, such as CCIE, CCNP, Aruba advanced/expert-level certifications, PCNSE, AWS/Azure Advanced Networking, or equivalent.

Responsibilities

• Design and evolve highly available enterprise wired, wireless, core, WAN/Internet, data center, cloud-connected, and research network architectures.
• Engineer complex Layer 2 and Layer 3 environments, including routing, switching, segmentation, redundancy, QoS, IPv4/IPv6, BGP, OSPF, and related technologies.
• Assess capacity, performance, resiliency, lifecycle needs, and technical debt to guide network modernization.
• Develop network architecture strategies and multi-year roadmaps that support university growth and technology priorities.
• Serve as technical lead and network architect for complex, university-wide infrastructure projects and network lifecycle initiatives.
• Lead projects from requirements and architectural design through migration, testing, deployment, validation, and operational transition.
• Develop implementation plans, migration strategies, testing criteria, risk mitigation, and rollback procedures.
• Coordinate complex projects across IT teams, campus partners, Facilities, vendors, consultants, service providers, and other stakeholders.
• Serve as a senior escalation resource for complex routing, switching, wireless, connectivity, segmentation, performance, and interoperability issues.
• Perform advanced packet, protocol, routing, telemetry, RF, and performance analysis to identify root causes and long-term solutions.
• Engineer high-availability and fault-tolerant network services and support restoration during significant network incidents.
• Use network observability and analysis technologies to optimize performance, coverage, security, and infrastructure reliability.
• Develop network architecture diagrams, engineering standards, reference architectures, configuration standards, and technical runbooks.
• Evaluate emerging networking, cloud, wireless, automation, security, observability, and research technologies.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to network engineers and analysts while promoting strong engineering and documentation practices.
• Review and validate vendor and integrator designs to ensure solutions meet SDSU’s technical, security, resiliency, and architectural standards.

Benefits

• 15 paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• CalPERS pension plan with retiree healthcare, and reciprocal agreements with other California public retirement systems, including the UC.
• Medical, dental, and vision options at low or no cost.
• CSU tuition fee waiver for employees and eligible dependents.
• FlexCash, life and disability insurance, legal and pet plans.
• Access to the library, campus events, employee groups, and volunteer and social activities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior