OT Network System Administrator

University of Colorado Boulder; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 71,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Tuition assistance

Transit/ECO Pass

Job summary

The Infrastructure and Resilience Information Technology (I&RIT) department at CU Boulder invites applications for an OT Network System Administrator. The role designs, configures, administers, and secures OT network infrastructure supporting campus facilities and Boulder operations.

The team collaborates with IT staff, vendors, and system owners to ensure reliable, secure services. The ideal candidate will manage VLANs, firewalls, switches, subnets, and related network services, while

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field and 1 year IT/OT experience with security administration.
• 1 year of recent experience as Windows System Administrator and Network Administrator.
• Ability to learn and follow complex policies and procedures; strong analytical and decision‑making skills.

Responsibilities

• Design, configure, administer, document, monitor, and support OT network infrastructure and connectivity.
• Coordinate firewall changes with I&R IT, OIT Networking, OIT Security, vendors, and system owners.
• Provide administration for virtualization platforms, servers, storage, and directory services.
• Assist with planning, testing, validation, cutover activities, and documentation for OT projects.
• Develop technical documentation and support procedures to improve reliability and maintainability.

Skills

VLANs

Firewalls

Switches

Subnets

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science or related field

Tools

Cisco

Juniper

Dell networking

Windows Server

Unix/Linux

VMware/Hyper-V

vSAN

SQL/Oracle

IT Security

Job description

Job Summary

The Infrastructure and Resilience Information Technology (I&RIT) department at CU Boulder encourages applications for an OTNetwork System Administrator! This work unit designs, configures,implements, administers, maintains, secures, and renews theinfrastructure and technology platforms supporting departmentaloperations and Boulder campus infrastructure. The work unit isresponsible for servers, virtualization platforms, networks,firewalls, storage, backup services, and related infrastructuresupporting Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology(OT), and Industrial Control Systems (ICS). System Administrationconsults and collaborates with users, service owners, campuspartners, vendors, and other I&R IT work units to identifyappropriate solutions, maintain reliable and secure services,manage technology lifecycles, and support organizational continuityand resilience.

Who We Are

The I&R Office areas of responsibility include long-rangecapital planning, architecture, design and construction, theoperation and maintenance of all campus facilities and utilities,transportation services, workplace accident prevention and thecreation of a safe working environment for campus employees,environmental health and safety, campus logistics, and effortsaround sustainability and resiliency.

What Your Key Responsibilities Will Be

OT Network Infrastructure Administration

Purpose:

• Design, configure, administer, document, monitor, and supportOT network infrastructure and connectivity.
• Administer subnets, network segmentation, IP addressing, VLANs,switch connectivity, data jacks, network ports, and related networkservices supporting OT and facilities technologies.
• Develop, document, and maintain network architecture diagrams,connectivity documentation, addressing information, and operationalrecords.
• Draft firewall policy requirements, network accessrequirements, connectivity requests, and technical implementationplans based on operational and security requirements.
• Coordinate implementation of approved network and firewallchanges with I&R IT, OIT Networking, OIT Security, vendors,contractors, and system owners.
• Monitor network performance, capacity, availability, andlifecycle status, and recommend improvements to improve operationalreliability and supportability.
• Support connectivity requirements for building automation,utility metering, lighting controls, access control systems,security systems, and other OT technologies.

OT Infrastructure Diagnostics and Technical Coordination

Purpose:

• Investigate and resolve complex OT connectivity andcommunications issues involving field devices, servers,applications, vendors, network infrastructure, and operationalsystems.
• Determine whether failures originate at the device, network,firewall, server, application, vendor, or operational-processlayer.
• Collect, validate, interpret, and document troubleshootingevidence to support technical analysis and decision-making.
• Coordinate investigations involving operational staff,facility-system owners, vendors, contractors, OIT, consultants, andI&R IT technical staff.
• Identify missing information, unsupported assumptions,documentation gaps, ownership issues, and recurring technicalproblems.
• Develop technical recommendations and proposed correctiveactions based on available evidence.
• Support root-cause analysis efforts and operational problemresolution.
• Improve troubleshooting processes, evidence collectionpractices, escalation quality, and diagnostic procedures.

System Administration and Infrastructure Support

Purpose:

• Provide administration and operational support forvirtualization platforms, servers, directory services, storageplatforms, monitoring systems, enterprise applications, and relatedinfrastructure.
• Assist with maintenance, upgrades, lifecycle replacements,troubleshooting, and implementation of supported infrastructuresystems.
• Participate in cross-training and operational backup coveragefor shared System Administration responsibilities.
• Develop and maintain technical procedures, supportdocumentation, and operational records.
• Collaborate with other System Administration staff to improvereliability, documentation, and supportability of sharedservices.

OT Infrastructure Projects and Implementation

Purpose:

• Participate in capital projects, operational projects, systemupgrades, and infrastructure initiatives involvingnetwork-connected OT systems.
• Review OT networking requirements including VLANs, subnets,firewall requirements, data jacks, network ports, and connectivityneeds.
• Coordinate with project managers, system owners, consultants,contractors, vendors, OIT, and I&R IT staff.
• Assist with implementation planning, testing, validation,cutover activities, operational turnover, and documentation.
• Identify technical risks, unsupported designs, operationalconcerns, and lifecycle implications.

Professional Development, Documentation, and Knowledge Sharing

Purpose:

• Maintain and expand technical knowledge related to networking,OT systems, IC technologies, infrastructure, cybersecurity,diagnostics, and troubleshooting.
• Participate in professional development activities, trainingevents, certifications, technical communities, and industrylearning opportunities.
• Share knowledge through documentation, cross-training,mentoring, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Develop standards, procedures, troubleshooting guides, andother documentation improving operational consistency andcapability.
• Find opportunities to reduce organizational dependency onindividual experts through improved documentation, knowledgetransfer, and operational practices.

What You Should Know

• We are unable to offer visa sponsorship at this time.
• This is a primarily in-person position. Limited hybrid work maybe available after onboarding, but is not guaranteed. This role hasan anticipated work schedule of Monday – Friday during regularbusiness hours. This position will be expected to respond toemergencies and minimal after hours work as needed.

What We Can Offer

The salary range for this role is $70,900 - $79,700 annually, withthe potential for a future base pay increase of 5% based onexceptional performance.

Benefits

At the University of Colorado Boulder , we are committed to supporting the holistic health and well-being of our employees. Our comprehensive benefits package includes medical,dental, and retirement plans; generous paid time off; tuition assistance for you and your dependents; and an ECO Pass for local transit. As one of Boulder County’s largest employers, CU Boulder offers an inspiring academic community and access to world-class outdoor recreation. In fact, CU Boulder has been named one of Forbes' America's BestLarge Employers, ranking #4 among large employers in Colorado and #28 among universities nationwide. Explore additional perks and programs through the CU Advantage program.

Be Statements

Be daring. Be resourceful. Be Boulder.

What We Require

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a closely relatedfield, and 1 year of experience in an IT/OT driven field with afocus in security administration using current technologies, plus 1year of recent experience as a Windows System Administrator andNetwork Administrator.
• Additional work experience in IT/OT may be substituted on ayear-for-year basis for the degree.

What You Will Need

• Networking – VLANs, Firewalls, Switches, Subnets,Troubleshooting, etc.
• Demonstrated strong analytical and decision-making skills withthe ability to work both independently and in a teamenvironment.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to learn, interpret, and follow complex policies andprocedures.
• Demonstrated ability to identify and implement solutions thataddress multi-faceted requirements.
• Ability to anticipate system issues and resolve proactively orescalate appropriately.

What We Would Like You to Have

Formal training, certifications, or demonstrated work experience in 3 or more of the following areas:

• Experience managing Operational Technology.
• Network Administration (Cisco, Juniper, or Dellpreferred).
• Windows Administration.
• Unix/Linux Administration.
• VMware Enterprise or Microsoft Hyper-V.
• Storage Area Networks / vSAN.
• Endpoint Hardening / IT Security.
• Database Administration (SQL or Oracle preferred).
• Experience supporting facilities, building systems, orindustrial control systems.

Posting Contact Information

Posting Contact Name: Boulder Campus Human Resources

Posting Contact Email: [e-mail]