Senior Wide Area Network Engineer

University System of Maryland Office • Adelphi, MD

4d • $160,500 - $182,000

About The Position

The Senior Network Engineer reports to the Executive Director of MDREN and contributes to the long-term development of MDREN’s statewide, complex, heterogeneous data communications systems. The role evolves MDREN’s architecture to provide scalable, resilient, high-performance connectivity for research, education, and partner networks, including integration with regional and national research and education networks.

The position provides technical leadership in designing, implementing, and operating MDREN’s statewide Wide Area Network (WAN) and optical transport infrastructure. This includes advanced routing and switching, and Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM)-based optical systems supporting high-capacity 100G/400G+ backbone services. The engineer leads day-to-day network operations and develops technical solutions for data, video, and voice-system convergence. The position also provides leadership and strategic input while working with staff and technical contacts at member institutions. Its activities support the mission and goals of MDREN, member institutions, and the University System of Maryland (USM).

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED.
• Seven years of networking-field experience with increasing responsibility.
• Demonstrated experience managing large network design and implementation projects.
• Experience working in changing and evolving environments.
• Experience supervising staff.
• Ability to establish goals, priorities, structures, and processes needed to implement a complex network infrastructure.
• Leadership and team-building skills to cultivate relationships with internal and external institutions.
• Ability to build and support effective partnerships with key constituencies and institutions inside and outside the USM.
• Ability to prioritize existing and new projects, conduct research, and gather information.
• Strong technical troubleshooting skills, logical problem-solving ability, and ability to collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
• Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex network issues or strategies to audiences with varying levels of network knowledge.
• Ability to relate system design, media, and operating-level outputs to scheduling and coordinating a 24-hour operation with limited staff.
• Knowledge and experience with large-enterprise networking technologies, services, and protocols, including Ethernet, TCP/IP, SNMP, SMTP, DHCP/BootP, DNS, OSPF, ARP/RARP, VPNs, VLANs, BGP, MPLS, subnets, and routing.
• Knowledge of network management and command-language tools, as well as graphical analysis tools.
• Hands-on experience with Cisco, Juniper, Brocade, or Arista switches and routers.
• Demonstrated programming skill in more than one language.
• Ability to work in a collaborative team environment.
• Self-starter who can proactively identify actual or potential problems and propose solutions.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s or advanced degree in computer science, network engineering, or a related discipline.
• Experience working for an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or similar business.
• Outside fiber plant experience.
• Knowledge of WAN design, architecture, and operational principles.
• Skill analyzing network traffic with flow technologies such as Cisco NetFlow, Juniper JFlow, and sFlow.
• Skill performing packet capture and analysis using tools such as Wireshark.
• Knowledge of optical networking technologies, including transponders, muxponders, and ROADMs.
• Knowledge of optical transport and amplification technologies, including EDFA and Raman amplification.
• Knowledge of optical channel planning and wavelength management.
• Knowledge of traffic engineering principles and routing policy design.
• Knowledge of multi-domain network architectures and interconnection models, including REN and ISP peering.
• Unix/Linux system administration skills, including configuration and management of DNS (BIND), web servers such as Apache, databases such as MySQL, backups, and software package management.
• Skill with Cacti, EXFO OTDRs, DWDM technologies, MPLS VLL, VPLS, Microsoft Windows Server, and VMware.
• Programming or scripting skill in languages such as Perl, C/C++, and Unix shell scripting, including CGI scripting.
• Ability to create and maintain web content using WordPress or a similar content management system.

Responsibilities

• Maintain and operate MDREN’s statewide WAN infrastructure, including core, edge, and optical transport layers.
• Ensure high availability, performance, and resilience across backbone and interconnection services.
• Respond to and correct problems within the MDREN network.
• Monitor network activity to detect, identify, and address security issues, events, and intrusions.
• Proactively monitor enterprise communication systems and take corrective action when needed.
• Coordinate network maintenance and upgrades with affected parties.
• Work with network equipment vendors to resolve network issues and plan upgrades.
• Maintain computer systems, software packages, and network appliances that support the network.
• Develop implementation plans, schedules, and documentation, policies, procedures, and methods for network operations.
• Design, engineer, and maintain MDREN’s statewide WAN, including backbone, regional aggregation, and partner interconnects.
• Lead the architecture and deployment of DWDM optical transport systems, including wavelength services, ROADM configurations, and optical path engineering.
• Integrate and operate optical/IP convergence architectures, using router-based DWDM optics where applicable.
• Engineer and support high-capacity backbone upgrades, including 100G/400G and beyond.
• Collaborate with member institutions and partner research and education networks on interconnection design and capacity planning.
• Maintain accurate, current technical content on MDREN’s website concerning network services, infrastructure status, and member resources.
• Coordinate with MDREN leadership and administrative staff so website content reflects current services, network architecture, and strategic initiatives.
• Provide technical oversight of website content about network operations, including service documentation, outage notifications, and performance information.
• Assist with website administration and continuous improvement, including recommending enhancements to structure, usability, and design.
• Provide technical support and guidance to member institutions on effective use of network services.
• Serve as a primary technical resource for member institutions on network services and connectivity.
• Troubleshoot and resolve network issues reported by members.
• Communicate network changes, outages, and upgrades to affected members.
• Support onboarding of new member connections and services.
• Identify and evaluate emerging technologies and best practices to enhance network capabilities.
• Research technologies, tools, and methodologies relevant to enterprise and research network environments.
• Evaluate and recommend improvements to network architecture, performance, and security.
• Support long-term strategic planning for network evolution.

Benefits

• 22 days of annual leave, 15 days of sick and safe leave, 16–17 holidays, 3 personal leave days, and 12 weeks of paid family medical leave.
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with flexible spending accounts.
• Mandatory and supplemental retirement plans with providers including Fidelity and TIAA.
• Optional term life and AD&D benefits through MetLife.
• Tuition remission for employees and their families.
• Free professional development conferences and unlimited LinkedIn Learning access.
• Eligibility for membership in SECU, Maryland’s largest credit union.
• Free counseling, legal, financial, and work-life support through the Employee Assistance Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: High school or GED