IT SPECIALIST

The Helmsman Group LLC; Des Moines (IA); Remote; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Helmsman Group LLC is seeking an IT Specialist focused on network administration. You will support, monitor, and troubleshoot our network infrastructure across corporate locations, users, servers, and cloud environments.

Collaboration with network engineers, cybersecurity teams, and vendors is essential, including remote offices and secure VPNs. Ideal candidates have 2–5 years in network administration, strong TCP/IP, DNS/DHCP, and firewall/VPN experience.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor’s degree in IT/CS/Network Administration or related field.
• 2–5 years of experience in network administration or related IT roles.
• Strong knowledge of TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing, switching, and VPNs.
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting network devices and wireless infrastructure.
• Experience with network monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
• Understanding of LAN/WAN/Wi‑Fi and remote-access technologies.
• Familiarity with network security principles and access controls.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot network infrastructure and connectivity.
• Administer and support routers, switches, firewalls, wireless APs, VPNs, and other devices.
• Monitor network performance, availability, bandwidth, and connectivity.
• Troubleshoot LAN, WAN, Wi‑Fi, VPN, DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, and related issues.
• Respond to incidents and service requests with timely resolution.
• Configure and maintain devices per security requirements.
• Perform upgrades, firmware updates, and configuration changes.
• Maintain network diagrams, inventories, IP documentation, and configs.
• Assist with network design, implementation, and infrastructure projects.
• Support remote offices and remote users with connectivity.
• Configure and troubleshoot secure remote-access and VPN connections.
• Administer wireless networks, access points, controllers, and authentication.
• Assist with firewall configuration and access control rules.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity teams to resolve security incidents.
• Monitor logs and alerts; investigate unusual activity.
• Test network performance and connectivity with diagnostic tools.
• Coordinate with ISPs and equipment vendors; manage IP addressing.

Skills

Network Troubleshooting

Network Security

LAN / WAN

TCP/IP

DNS / DHCP

Routing & Switching

Wireless Networking

VPN Administration

Firewall Administration

Cloud Networking

Incident Management

Change Management

Documentation

Education

IT/CS/Network Administration degree

Tools

Cisco IOS

SolarWinds

PRTG

Nagios

Datadog

AWS/Azure/GCP networking

Job description

Job Title: IT Specialist

Job Type: (Remote)

Job Summary

The IT Specialist — Network Administration is responsible for supporting, maintaining, monitoring, and troubleshooting the organization's network infrastructure. This position ensures reliable, secure, and efficient network connectivity across corporate locations, users, applications, servers, and cloud environments.

The IT Specialist works with network engineers, systems administrators, cybersecurity teams, vendors, and business users to maintain network availability, resolve connectivity issues, implement network changes, and support infrastructure projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot network infrastructure and connectivity.
• Administer and support routers, switches, firewalls, wireless access points, VPNs, and other network devices.
• Monitor network performance, availability, bandwidth utilization, and connectivity.
• Troubleshoot LAN, WAN, Wi‑Fi, VPN, DNS, DHCP, TCP/IP, and other network-related issues.
• Respond to network incidents and service requests and ensure timely resolution.
• Configure and maintain network devices according to organizational standards and security requirements.
• Perform network device upgrades, firmware updates, configuration changes, and maintenance activities.
• Monitor network health and identify potential performance, capacity, and availability issues.
• Maintain accurate network diagrams, device inventories, IP address documentation, and configuration records.
• Assist with network design, implementation, expansion, and infrastructure improvement projects.
• Support remote offices, branch locations, and remote users with network connectivity.
• Configure and troubleshoot secure remote‑access solutions and VPN connections.
• Administer and troubleshoot wireless networks, including access points, controllers, authentication, and coverage issues.
• Assist with firewall configuration, access control rules, and network security policies.
• Work with cybersecurity teams to investigate and resolve network security incidents.
• Monitor network logs and alerts and investigate unusual network activity.
• Perform network performance and connectivity testing using appropriate monitoring and diagnostic tools.
• Manage IP addressing, subnetting, DHCP scopes, DNS configurations, and network documentation.
• Coordinate with internet service providers, telecommunications providers, and network equipment vendors.
• Support cloud networking environments and connectivity between on‑premises and cloud infrastructure.
• Participate in network disaster recovery, business continuity, and backup connectivity planning.
• Maintain network configurations and ensure appropriate backup and recovery procedures are followed.
• Document network incidents, troubleshooting steps, changes, and resolutions.
• Participate in change management and ensure network changes are properly tested, documented, and approved.
• Provide technical guidance and support to help desk and desktop support teams.
• Assist with network capacity planning and recommendations for infrastructure improvements.
• Ensure network operations comply with organizational IT policies, security standards, and applicable requirements.

Qualifications

• Associate or bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Network Administration, or a related field.
• 2–5 years of experience in network administration, network support, infrastructure support, or a related IT role.
• Strong knowledge of networking fundamentals, including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing, switching, and VPNs.
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting network switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless infrastructure.
• Experience with network monitoring and troubleshooting tools.
• Strong understanding of LAN, WAN, Wi‑Fi, and remote‑access technologies.
• Experience with network security principles and access controls.
• Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent communication and documentation skills.
• Ability to respond effectively to network incidents and service interruptions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Cisco CCNA or CCNP certification.
• CompTIA Network+ or Security+ certification.
• Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco, Aruba, or similar networking certifications.
• Experience with Cisco IOS or other network operating systems.
• Experience with enterprise firewalls and VPN technologies.
• Experience with network monitoring platforms such as SolarWinds, PRTG, Nagios, Datadog, or similar tools.
• Experience with cloud networking in AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Knowledge of network automation and scripting using Python or PowerShell.
• Experience with SD-WAN, SASE, or modern enterprise networking technologies.
• ITIL Foundation certification or knowledge of IT service management practices.

Key Skills

• Network Administration
• Network Monitoring
• LAN / WAN
• TCP/IP
• DNS / DHCP
• Routing & Switching
• VLAN Configuration
• Wireless Networking
• VPN Administration
• Firewall Administration
• Network Security
• IP Address Management
• Network Troubleshooting
• Network Performance Monitoring
• Cisco Networking
• Cloud Networking
• SD-WAN
• Network Documentation
• Incident Management
• Change Management

Core Competencies

• Network Troubleshooting: Ability to diagnose and resolve complex connectivity, performance, and network availability issues.
• Technical Expertise: Strong understanding of networking technologies, protocols, devices, and infrastructure.
• Network Security: Ability to implement and maintain secure network configurations and access controls.
• Problem Solving: Ability to identify root causes of network issues and develop effective solutions.
• Monitoring & Performance: Ability to proactively monitor network performance and identify potential problems before they affect users.
• Documentation: Ability to maintain accurate network diagrams, configurations, inventories, and technical records.
• Communication: Ability to explain technical network issues clearly to users, IT teams, vendors, and management.
• Incident Response: Ability to respond quickly and effectively to network outages, security events, and service disruptions.