Network Administrator

University of California, Riverside; California (MO); On-site; USD 88,000 - 162,000; Full time

Job summary

University of California, Riverside seeks a Network Administrator to manage and modernize campus network infrastructure, including wired/wireless networks and the lifecycle of equipment. The role emphasizes automation and IaC, using Ansible playbooks executed via GitLab pipelines.

The candidate will grow from executing existing playbooks to authoring new ones, maintaining strong expertise in routers, switches, and firewalls, while collaborating with ITS teams.

Qualifications

• Proficient in network concepts and problem solving.
• Experience with diverse network hardware platforms and protocols.
• Familiarity with Ansible and Git-based workflows.

Responsibilities

• Manage wired/wireless networks and network equipment lifecycle.
• Provide on-call support and troubleshooting for 24/7 operations.
• Support automation via Ansible, GitLab pipelines, and IaC practices.
• Collaborate with Network Engineering and ITS teams to ensure seamless infrastructure delivery.

Skills

Network concepts

OSI layer 3

OSI layer 2

Network diagnostics

Network management systems

Ansible

Git workflows

Automation

Communication skills

Team player

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

GitLab

VPN

Firewall management

Job description

Position Information

The Network Administrator shares responsibility for the operation and ongoing modernization of UCR's network infrastructure. Responsibilities include managing wired/wireless networks and the installation, configuration, and lifecycle of network equipment, with an emphasis on version-controlled automation, building toward routine and repeatable changes being executed through Ansible playbooks via GitLab pipelines. The incumbent is expected to grow from executing existing playbooks to authoring and contributing new ones as proficiency develops. The Network Administrator must maintain a high level of network-related expertise and awareness of technologies implemented within the university (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls, wireless), while building fluency in the tools that support automated and AI-assisted operations (Ansible, Git-based change workflows, and emerging AIOps tooling for monitoring, diagnosis, and remediation). The incumbent works closely with Network Engineering and other ITS teams to ensure seamless delivery of infrastructure implementations, acts as a line of support for the Network team, and provides timely troubleshooting and diagnosis for incident/problem resolution, increasingly informed by automated telemetry and AI-assisted root cause analysis. This position is classified as on-site and MUST actively participate in an on-call rotation supporting a 24/7 IT operation. The full salary range for the Network Administrator is $88,301.52 - $162,425.52 annually. However, the pay scale for this position is up to $113,000 annually. We base salary offers on a variety of considerations, such as education, licensure and certifications, experience, and other business and organizational needs. Applicants must have current work authorization when accepting a UCR staff position. Currently, UCR is unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa for staff. As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

Requirements

Educational Requirements

Degree: Bachelor’s degree in related area and/or equivalent experience/training.

Experience Requirements

4 - 7 years of related experience.

Minimum Requirements

• Demonstrated thorough knowledge of professional communications and network concepts necessary to resolve issues using established parameters, creativity and independent judgment, escalating as necessary.
• Thorough understanding of various network hardware platforms, network related protocols and software including understanding of OSI layer 3 protocols at a basic level and layer 2 protocols at a complex level and related technical standards critical to the operation of interconnected networks.
• In-depth experience with network diagnostic and performance management tools and software.
• Thorough and broad knowledge and experience working with network management systems.
• Ability to gather, organize and analyze data in the completion of a variety of functional assignments.
• Able to learn effectively and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information to technical and non-technical personnel at various levels in the organization.
• Self-motivated and works independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated diverse problem-solving skills.
• Able to support Network WAN/LAN infrastructure and maintain Enterprise networking services such as (VPN, NAC, routers, switches, wireless infrastructure).
• Able to monitor, maintain and upgrade network equipment. Provide Tier 3 network support and troubleshoot with Network Engineering and Operation team with limited supervision.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills to build and foster partnerships with customers, technical teams, and management in an audience-friendly manner.
• Demonstrated attention to details, practical problem solving abilities, ability to proactively identify opportunities and quickly implement solutions.
• Able to work independently and has the desire to learn and share knowledge with team members.
• Strong team player with excellent customer service skills along with a demonstrated commitment to service excellence, quality and client communication. Adhere to our mission of "Enabling Customer Success."
• Aware of best practices in Information Technology service delivery such as ITIL.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Windows and Linux networking systems, Microsoft Active Directory, Office 365, DNS, WINS, SSL VPN, IPSEC VPN, and standards such as Ethernet, LAN, WAN, VoIP, UDP, TCP/IP, 802.1x
• Ability to exercise sound judgement and make decisions within scope of the position.
• Working knowledge of, or demonstrated ability to quickly develop, network automation and configuration management tools (e.g., Ansible) and Git-based version control workflows, in support of Infrastructure-as-Code practices.
• Ability to read, execute, and, with growing proficiency, modify or author automation playbooks and scripts used for network configuration and remediation.

Preferred Qualifications

Additional Information: In the Heart of Inland Southern California, UC Riverside is located on nearly 1,200 acres near Box Springs Mountain in Southern California; the park-like campus provides convenient access to the vibrant and growing Inland region. The campus is a living laboratory for the exploration of issues critical to growing communities’ air, water, energy, transportation, politics, the arts, history, and culture. UCR gives every student, faculty and staff member the resources to explore, engage, imagine and excel.

UC Riverside is recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse research universities in the country boasting several key rankings of which we are extremely proud.

• UC Riverside is proud to be ranked No. 12 among all U.S. universities, according to Money Magazine's 2020 rankings, and among the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, according to the 2019-20 Center for World University rankings.
• UC Riverside is the top university in the United States for social mobility. - U.S. News 2020
• UCR is a member of the University Innovation Alliance, the leading national coalition of public research universities committed to improving student success for low-income, first-generation, and students of color.
• Among top-tier universities, UC Riverside ranks No. 2 in financial aid. - Business Insider 2019
• Ranked No. 2 in the world for research, UCR's Department of Entomology maintains one of the largest collections of insect specimens the nation. - Center for World University Rankings
• UCR's distinguished faculty boasts 2 Nobel Laureates, and 13 members of the National Academies of Science and Medicine.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories under state or federal law. It is the policy of the University of California to undertake affirmative action and anti-discrimination efforts, consistent with its obligations as a Federal and State contractor.

For information about our generous employee benefits package, visit: Employee Benefits Overview

Job Description Details

Generic Scope: Experienced professional who knows how to apply theory and put it into practice with in-depth understanding of the professional field; independently performs the full range of responsibilities within the function; possesses broad job knowledge; analyzes problems/issues of diverse scope and determines solutions.

Custom Scope: Applies skills as a seasoned, experienced communications professional with a full understanding of industry practices and relevant policies and procedures. Resolves a wide range of complex issues. Demonstrates competency in selecting methods and techniques to obtain solutions.

Department Custom Scope: The Network Administrator shares responsibility for the operation and ongoing modernization of UCR's network infrastructure. Responsibilities include managing wired/wireless networks and the installation, configuration, and lifecycle of network equipment, with an emphasis on version-controlled automation, building toward routine and repeatable changes being executed through Ansible playbooks via GitLab pipelines. The incumbent is expected to grow from executing existing playbooks to authoring and contributing new ones as proficiency develops. The Network Administrator must maintain a high level of network-related expertise and awareness of technologies implemented within the university (e.g., routers, switches, firewalls, wireless), while building fluency in the tools that support automated and AI-assisted operations (Ansible, Git-based change workflows, and emerging AIOps tooling for monitoring, diagnosis, and remediation). The incumbent works closely with Network Engineering and other ITS teams to ensure seamless delivery of infrastructure implementations, acts as a line of support for the Network team, and provides timely troubleshooting and diagnosis for incident/problem resolution, increasingly informed by automated telemetry and AI-assisted root cause analysis.