SENIOR NETWORK/SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR

Centre County Government; Bellefonte (Centre County); On-site; USD 30,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

Centre County Government is seeking a Dispatcher Trainee to support Public Safety Telecommunication and IT/Network operations. You will assist with call handling, incident coordination, and ensure reliable network and communications services in a dynamic environment.

Minimum education includes a high school diploma or GED, with preferred networking certifications or an associate degree. The position requires on-site work with potential travel for training and duties.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED required; associate degree or networking certification preferred.
• Five to seven (5-7) years of progressive IT experience with expertise in both systems and network administration.
• Hands‑on experience with Active Directory, Group Policy, Microsoft 365, VOIP, Windows Server, and virtualization technologies.
• Experience with network design, administration, and troubleshooting (IP addressing, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing, switching, and firewalls).
• Experience with backup solutions, disaster recovery planning, and systems monitoring tools.
• Must possess a valid Pennsylvania driver's license and a willingness to travel.

Responsibilities

• Leads the administration and support of the County’s network infrastructure, including switches, routers, firewalls, VPN, and wireless systems.
• Administers servers, storage, virtualization platforms, and enterprise applications, ensuring high availability and performance.
• Manages user accounts, security groups, group policies, and access controls across AD, Microsoft 365, and other enterprise systems.
• Monitors and optimizes network and system performance; analyzes logs, proactively identifies issues, and implements long-term solutions.
• Designs, implements, and maintains backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions.
• Oversees patch management, system upgrades, and firmware/software updates to maintain security and compliance.
• Implements and enforces network and systems security best practices, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, and MFA.
• Serves as escalation point for complex technical issues, working independently and with IT staff and vendors.
• Develops and maintains technical documentation, system inventories, and SOPs.
• Collaborates with IT leadership on strategic initiatives, project planning, and technology roadmaps.
• Mentors and provides guidance to junior IT team members.
• Manages vendor relationships and coordinates support for telecommunications, internet, and technology services.

Tools

Active Directory

Group Policy

Microsoft 365

VOIP

Windows Server

VMware/Hyper‑V (Virtualization)

Networking (DNS, DHCP, IP, VLANs)

Firewalls

Backup & DR tools

Job description

911 DISPATCHER TRAINEE - PUBLIC SAFETY TELECOMMUNICATOR

Shift Available: Full – Time (Exempt) (40HRS)

Summary of Job Functions

• Leads the administration and support of the County’s network infrastructure, including switches, routers, firewalls, VPN, and wireless systems.
• Administers servers, storage, virtualization platforms, and enterprise applications, ensuring high availability and performance.
• Manages user accounts, security groups, group policies, and access controls across Active Directory, Microsoft 365, and other enterprise systems.
• Monitors and optimizes network and system performance; analyze logs, proactively identify issues, and implement long-term solutions.
• Designs, implements, and maintains backup, disaster recovery, and business continuity solutions.
• Oversees patch management, system upgrades, and firmware/software updates to maintain a secure and compliant environment.
• Implements and enforces network and systems security best practices, including firewalls, intrusion detection/prevention, and multi-factor authentication.
• Serves as escalation point for complex technical issues, working independently and in coordination with other IT staff and vendors.
• Develops and maintains technical documentation, system inventories, and standard operating procedures.
• Collaborates with IT leadership on strategic initiatives, project planning, and technology roadmaps.
• Mentors and provides guidance to junior IT team members.
• Manages vendor relationships and coordinate support for telecommunications, internet, and technology services.
• Performs other related duties as assigned by the Deputy Director ITS.
• Attends meetings and trainings as required.
• Performs other job-related duties as required.

Minimum Training and Experience: High school diploma or GED required; associate degree or networking certification preferred. Five to seven (5-7) years of progressive IT experience with demonstrated expertise in both systems and network administration. Extensive hands‑on experience with Active Directory, Group Policy, Microsoft 365, VOIP, Windows Server, and virtualization technologies (VMware, Hyper‑V, or similar). Experience with network design, administration, and troubleshooting (IP addressing, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing, switching, and firewalls). Experience with backup solutions, disaster recovery planning, and systems monitoring tools. Must possess a valid Pennsylvania driver's license and a willingness to travel as needed.

Centre County Government is an Equal Opportunity Employer