Network Administrator - Immaculata University

The network administrator, reporting directly to the director of technology services, is responsible for the day-to-day operation, maintenance and security of the University’s campus network, which includes Cisco switching and routing infrastructure, Fortinet FortiGate firewalls, VLAN design that segments campus traffic and the wireless network and access points that serve students, faculty, staff and guests. The network administrator applies an understanding of network environments to keep the network reliable, secure and well documented and supports related server, telecom and data center operations., Cisco Switching and Routing

• Configure, maintain and troubleshoot Cisco switches and routers, including access-layer, distribution and core devices.
• Perform scheduled Cisco IOS / NX-OS / IOS-XE software upgrades following vendor guidance and approved change windows.
• Maintain Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) settings, port security, link aggregation (EtherChannel) and Power over Ethernet (PoE) budgets.
• Replace failed hardware, manage spares and coordinate vendor support (Cisco TAC) and warranty/maintenance contracts.

FortiGate Firewalls and Network Security

• Administer FortiGate firewalls: firewall policies, NAT, address and service objects, and security profiles (IPS, web filtering, antivirus, application control).
• Configure and support site-to-site and remote-access VPNs.
• Maintain firewall high availability (HA) and confirm failover operates as designed.
• Plan and perform FortiOS firmware upgrades following Fortinet’s documented upgrade path, with configuration backups taken before every change.
• Review firewall logs and alerts (e.g., FortiAnalyzer or syslog) and respond to suspicious activity.
• Monitor Cisco and Fortinet security advisories (PSIRT) and apply critical patches promptly.
• Design, create, and maintain effective Access Control Lists (ACL) to ensure appropriate network security

VLANs and Network Segmentation

• Design, create and maintain VLANs to separate traffic types (e.g., administrative, academic, student/residential, guest, voice, security cameras, building systems and network management).
• Configure 802.1Q trunk and access ports, native VLANs and allowed-VLAN lists on switches, firewalls and wireless infrastructure.
• Maintain inter-VLAN routing and the firewall policies that control traffic between VLANs.
• Coordinate DHCP scopes, DHCP relay (IP helper) and IP addressing for each VLAN.
• Keep an up-to-date VLAN and IP address register (VLAN ID, name, subnet, gateway, purpose and location).

Wireless Network and Access Points

• Install, configure and maintain wireless access points and wireless controllers or cloud management platforms.
• Map each SSID to its correct VLAN and security settings, including WPA2/WPA3-Enterprise with 802.1X/RADIUS authentication and a segmented guest network.
• Plan AP placement, channels, and transmit power; perform wireless site surveys and resolve coverage, interference and capacity issues.
• Verify switch-port configuration, PoE availability and cabling for every access point.
• Update AP and controller firmware and track AP inventory, locations and status.

Systems, Support, and Operations

• Support server and network services, including DNS, DHCP, LDAP and Active Directory integration.
• Ensure network device configurations and critical files are backed up routinely and stored securely.
• Monitor network health, performance and availability and respond to outages to maintain continuity of University operations.
• Provide Tier 2/3 technical support to users and the IT help desk for network and connectivity issues.
• Deliver responsive, courteous service to students, faculty and staff across campus.

Documentation and Projects

• Create and maintain network documentation: topology diagrams, VLAN/IP records, firewall rule rationale, wireless coverage maps and standard operating procedures.
• Follow change-management procedures for configuration changes and maintenance.
• Serve as project lead for network, wireless and security infrastructure projects.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

• Degree in information technology, networking or a related field and at least 2 years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Working knowledge of Cisco switching and routing, including VLANs, 802.1Q trunking, inter-VLAN routing and STP.
• Experience administering enterprise firewalls; FortiGate / FortiOS experience strongly preferred.
• Experience with enterprise wireless controllers and access points, including SSID-to-VLAN mapping and 802.1X authentication.
• Knowledge of TCP/IP, subnetting, DNS, DHCP, LDAP and Active Directory.
• Cisco CCNA certification, or the ability to obtain it within 12 months of hire.
• Working knowledge of current Microsoft Windows operating systems.
• Understanding of network security practices, including access control, password and credential management, and file protection.
• Ability to troubleshoot end-user connectivity issues at the desktop and device level.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to listen carefully and explain technical information clearly and concisely.
• Demonstrated ability to defuse and resolve customer complaints professionally.

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience in technology services within higher education.
• Fortinet certification (e.g., Fortinet Certified Professional ? Network Security, formerly NSE 4).
• Experience with VMware or other virtualization platforms.
• Experience with network monitoring tools and centralized logging.
• Hands-on experience with a variety of computer hardware, software, and peripherals, including Microsoft 365.
• ITIL Foundation certification.