Network Engineer, Senior Network Engineer

University of Connecticut; Hartford (CT); On-site; Full time

Job description

ORGANIZATIONAL OVERVIEW

The Connecticut Education Network (CEN) is Connecticut’s trusted internet partner, dedicated to empowering our member community and driving their success. For over 25 years, we’ve upheld this commitment—growing our network and earning a reputation as one of the state’s most valued and high-performing Internet Service Providers.

Join CEN and experience a culture built on innovation, collaboration, and purpose. Imagine loving what you do, where you do it, and contributing to a mission that delivers exceptional value to Connecticut.

At CEN, meaningful work is more than a job—it’s a calling. We’re seeking a talented professional to join our network services team, bringing expertise and creativity to advance our network architecture and deliver impactful solutions to some of the most vital sectors: K-20 education, state and local government, healthcare, cultural institutions, and more.

We offer a flexible, family-friendly work environment, including hybrid work-from-home options, 7-hour workdays, and a culture that values work-life balance.

Our sense of community extends beyond Connecticut. We collaborate with state-level research and education networks nationwide, sharing best practices and tackling challenges together—unlike the competitive private sector, we thrive on partnership over profit.

Professional growth matters to us. We invest in your development through vendor training, hands‑on labs, industry conferences, and leadership programs. Our goal is simple: help you become the best version of yourself.

Our members know us by name—and we know their networks. They are some of our strongest advocates at local and state levels, championing shared economies of scale that drive transformative technologies and value for all.

JOB SUMMARY

CEN, through UConn Information Technology Services (ITS), is seeking two (2) Network Engineers to join our Network Services team. Reporting to the Network Services Manager, you’ll manage a Tier 2 service‑provider network offering services such as dedicated internet, internet, exchange peering, content caching, l2/3 VPNs, cloud connect onramps, managed firewall, hosted DNS, content filtering, and more.

We’re looking for someone who is highly motivated, collaborative, and skilled at evaluating complex, interconnected network systems.

This role offers a fast‑paced, rewarding environment where you’ll grow professionally while advancing CEN’s mission and brand. Our office is located at 55 Farmington Ave, Hartford, CT, and as part of UConn, you’ll enjoy excellent benefits and work‑life balance.

UConn is consistently ranked as the top public university in New England and among the nation’s best, recognized as a Carnegie Foundation Research University—a distinction shared by only the most prestigious institutions.

SALARY

• $80,790 – $105,027 Network Engineer (P6, Network Administrator 2)
• $90,485 -$117,630 Senior Network Engineer (P7, Network Administrator 3)
• Final salary will be based on the successful candidate's background and experience.

BENEFITS INCLUDE

• Defined contribution with employer match or defined benefit program retirement options
• Excellent and affordable healthcare options
• 35-hour work week
• 22 paid vacation days per year, in addition to paid sick leave and 13 paid holidays
• Annual merit increase program
• Employee and dependent tuition waivers
• A highly desirable work environment and work‑life balance

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Network Engineer (Network Administrator 2)

• Ensure the continuous, uninterrupted availability, security, and functionality of the network.
• Perform installation, provisioning, and decommissioning of devices and services.
• Troubleshoot and resolve network related problems, occasionally under extreme pressure.
• Manage timely response to service requests and incidents within ticketing systems.
• Produce and maintain diagrams, records, as‑built documentation, and operating procedures.
• Maintain and monitor inventory, assets, and tracking of equipment, parts, and materials.
• Participate in on‑call rotation, including after‑hours escalation support as needed.
• Maintain vendor relationships, manage contract installations, and liaise with end users.
• Lead, execute, and contribute to all aspects of projects from inception to completion.
• Create, debug, test, and deploy network automation scripts and programming languages.
• Contribute to and execute business continuity/disaster recovery plans as needed.
• Perform optimizations including tuning, upgrading, troubleshooting, capacity planning, etc.
• Oversee network implementation processes, including setting schedules and budgets.
• Research network technologies and stay up to date on advancement in the field.
• Lead testing and recommend purchases of hardware, software, security, and related products.
• Contribute to technical specifications and requirements for procurement documents.
• Participate in virtual and/or physical events and presentations to peers and/or CEN community.
• May provide leadership, supervision, training, and/or professional development plans for staff.
• May represent team and organization on advisory boards, councils, forums, etc.
• Must have a driver’s license and ability to travel to sites within CT, New England, and New York.
• Perform other duties as required.

Network Engineer (Network Administrator 3)

• Lead long‑range planning of the overall network, architecture, security, and capacity.
• Lead outage resolution and post incident reviews including detailed root cause analysis.
• Lead design and implement complex network systems including physical and logical topology.
• Lead business continuity/disaster recovery planning, testing, and execution.
• Present network plans to management staff/key stakeholders aligning strategy and need.
• Serve final as escalation point for incidents, requests, design reviews, and vendor escalations.
• Mentor and guide junior engineering staff and help with cross‑team competency.
• Serve as a subject matter expert (SME) on optical, packet, security, and/or cloud services.
• Write technical specifications and requirements for procurements needs and documents.
• Perform other duties as required.

RELATED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

• Problem Solving: Demonstrates sound analytic and diagnostic skills dealing with issues that are defined and/or where information is available but must be further manipulated. Once decisions are made, will follow and direct action to implement intended results. Breaks a problem down to manageable pieces and implements effective, timely solutions. Openly and directly confronts issues until resolved.
• Team Orientation: Builds relationships with peers and other departments to achieve objectives. Balances team and individual responsibilities. Exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views. Gives and welcomes feedback. Puts success of team above self. Responsibilities are assigned with some latitude for setting priorities and decision‑making using established policies and procedures. Results are reviewed with next‑level team lead/manager for clarification and direction before proceeding.
• Productivity, Planning, and Time Management: Is proficient in office productivity software such as O365 suite, MS Teams, Google Apps, etc. for collaboration, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, e‑mail etc. Works with the project or team lead in identifying those tasks that are most important, establishes clear priorities and understands the larger picture. Executes tasks and creates documentation as required.
• Physical Demands: This position involves extended periods of sitting and the extensive use of computer and the office equipment. May involve stooping, kneeling, crouching and/or working on step ladders. Involves close vision, color vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment. Must be able to lift 40 lbs. to shoulder height and must have a valid license and ability to drive.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Network Engineer (Network Administrator 2)

1. Bachelor’s Degree in a related field and 4 years of related experience, OR an equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Experience leveraging BGP, OSPF, and/or ISIS in medium to large scale enterprise networks.
3. Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills.
4. Demonstrated