Academic Technology Infrastructure Specialist

NWACC; Minnesota; On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) seeks an Academic Technology Infrastructure Specialist to manage and enhance local academic IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, virtualization, local cloud, cybersecurity labs, and learning platforms. This 100% in-person role supports classrooms, labs, and campus-wide IT services.

You will collaborate with faculty, departments, and vendors, maintain security, monitor health, implement improvements, and assist with approved web updates for

Qualifications

• Associate degree in networking, cybersecurity, information systems, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Four years of experience supporting networks, servers, virtualization, or cloud environments.
• Experience troubleshooting and maintaining networked systems in labs or classrooms.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot instructional networks and servers.
• Support instructional technology environments and learning platforms.
• Maintain secure configurations, patches, backups, and system readiness.
• Collaborate with faculty, IT teams, and vendors to implement infrastructure solutions.
• Document networks, diagrams, inventories, and disaster recovery materials.

Skills

Network infrastructure

Server administration

Virtualization

Cloud computing

Cybersecurity basics

Education

Associate degree or equivalent

Tools

Virtualization platforms

Job description

NorthWest Arkansas Community College (NWACC) provides quality and affordable higher education to empower lives and strengthen communities within Northwest Arkansas and surrounding areas.

As the largest community college in Arkansas, NWACC is recognized as a leader in education. NWACC offers a full range of associate degrees, certificates and workforce training programs that prepare students for rewarding futures and careers.

NWACC employees are dedicated to fostering a diverse educational community and cultural learning environment that supports student success.

The Academic Technology Infrastructure Specialist helps manage, support, and enhance locally administered academic technology infrastructure, including instructional networks, servers, virtualization platforms, virtual desktop infrastructure, local cloud environments, cybersecurity labs, data and analytics systems, and AI-supporting computing resources. This position focuses on systems used in academic programs and laboratory environments that are separate from the college’s enterprise administrative infrastructure. The position also supports learning platform systems, approved web updates, and related IT services for assigned buildings and across campus as needed.
Responsibilities include monitoring system and network health, maintaining secure configurations, troubleshooting technical issues, supporting instructional technology environments, and coordinating infrastructure improvements. Responsibilities also include assisting with approved web updates for learning platforms and related digital resources and providing building and campus IT support as needed. The specialist works with faculty, academic departments, information technology teams, and vendors to maintain reliable, secure, and instructionally effective systems. This position is governed by state and federal laws and agency/institution policy. This is a 100% in-person position and is not eligible for remote work.

Essential Duties:

• Installs, configures, maintains, and troubleshoots locally managed instructional networks, servers, storage, virtualization platforms, virtual desktop infrastructure, local cloud environments, and related academic computing infrastructure
• Supports instructional technology environments, including classrooms, laboratories, cybersecurity labs, virtual labs, AI-supporting resources, specialized applications, and approved learning platform systems
• Maintains secure system and network configurations, user access, authentication, permissions, patches, updates, backups, and system readiness in coordination with faculty and technology teams
• Monitors system and network performance, reviews logs and alerts, tracks capacity and availability, and responds to outages, access issues, equipment failures, and connectivity disruptions
• Troubleshoots complex network, server, storage, virtualization, cloud, VDI, application, integration, hardware, software, and performance issues affecting instructional environments
• Provides building-based and campus-wide IT support as needed, including classroom, lab, office, endpoint, connectivity, and instructional technology support
• Completes approved web updates for learning platform systems, Workforce-related pages, and instructional technology resources in coordination with content owners and institutional standards
• Works with faculty, academic departments, centralized information technology teams, vendors, and service providers to identify needs, resolve issues, and implement practical infrastructure solutions
• Maintains documentation, including network diagrams, configuration standards, inventories, support procedures, reporting, and disaster recovery or continuity materials
• Assists with planning, testing, installing, and improving instructional laboratories, equipment, platforms, and academic technology initiatives to support reliability, security, scalability, usability, and instructional effectiveness
• Additional duties may be assigned as necessary to support the goals and objectives of the department and college

Rate of Pay:$65,061 annualized *Higher compensation may be considered based on qualifications directly related to position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• The formal education equivalent of an associate degree in networking, cybersecurity, information systems, computer technology, server administration, cloud systems, data systems, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and related experience
• Four years of experience supporting networks, servers, virtualization platforms, cloud environments, instructional technology, or related infrastructure
• Experience troubleshooting and maintaining networked systems in laboratory, classroom, technical, or organizational environments

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of network infrastructure, server environments, virtualization platforms, storage systems, virtual desktop infrastructure, local cloud platforms, and related security fundamentals.
• Knowledge of secure systems administration practices, including identity management, authentication, permissions, access controls, patching, backups, and configuration management.
• Familiarity with instructional technology environments, learning platform systems, virtual laboratories, cybersecurity ranges, web content updates, digital accessibility expectations, and academic computing resources.
• Ability to monitor infrastructure, analyze complex technical issues, troubleshoot connectivity and performance problems, and implement effective solutions with minimal disruption to instruction.
• Ability to configure, maintain, document, and improve network, server, virtualization, storage, cloud-based, and instructional technology systems.
• Ability to manage multiple technical priorities, provide responsive building and campus IT support, and coordinate effectively with faculty, staff, students, vendors, academic departments, and centralized technology teams.
• Skill in maintaining technical documentation, network diagrams, inventories, configuration records, service management records, monitoring reports, and support procedures.
• Ability to remain current with networking, server administration, virtualization, cybersecurity, cloud computing, analytics, AI infrastructure, and emerging instructional technology practices.

Physical Demands/Work Environment:

The following physical activities are representative of those that must be performed by an employee to successfully complete the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

While performing the functions of this job, the employee is:

Frequently:

• Manipulating items with fingers, including keyboarding
• Sitting
• Standing
• Walking

Constantly:

• Hearing
• Performing repetitive motions
• Talking

The employee may occasionally be required to lift, move, install, or reposition computers, servers, networking equipment, cables, and other technology-related materials.

The employee must have sufficient close visual acuity to prepare and analyze data and figures, view computer terminals, read technical documentation, inspect equipment, and perform detailed technology-related work.

Environmental Conditions:

The work environment typically includes professional offices, classrooms, instructional laboratories, server rooms, network equipment areas, and academic computing spaces. Noise levels may range from moderate office noise to elevated equipment noise in server rooms or technical laboratories. Work may also include providing technology support in assigned buildings and other campus locations as needed.

The position may require work in confined technology spaces, beneath desks, near equipment racks, or in locations containing cables and electronic equipment. Employees may occasionally visit storage areas, outdoor locations, or other campus facilities where temperature, lighting, noise, and environmental conditions may vary.

Occasional work outside normal operating hours may be required to complete maintenance, installations, upgrades, or emergency repairs while minimizing disruptions to instructional activities.

NWACC is an Equal Opportunity Employer, please see our EEO policy.