1st Line Network Engineer

Mindmatch Consulting; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 200,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm in Cape Town seeks a skilled Technical Support Engineer to provide Tier 2 diagnostics and customer support across various technologies. Ideal candidates should have expertise in Cisco R&S and strong problem-solving skills. This role emphasizes team collaboration and communication with stakeholders. Shift pattern covers Monday to Friday during UK hours.

Qualifications

• Experience with Cisco routing & switching at Tier 2 level.
• Knowledge of network security principles.
• Experience in incident response and security handling.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support and diagnostics to customers.
• Manage time in accordance with SLA targets.
• Support customers effectively via phone and email.

Skills

Problem-solving skills

Excellent communication skills

Leadership qualities

Attention to detail

Tools

ServiceNow

Cisco R&S

Juniper Firewalls

F5 Configuration

Job description

The primary function of this role is to provide a technical response / fix to incidents and service requests reported by our customers, performing second line diagnostics to resolve or identify the best possible next escalation path.

This role is based within a team that works as part of a shift pattern covering Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm (UK Time).

Required previous technical experience with a proven ability to perform diagnostics and administration across areas such as:

• Cisco R&S at a Service provider level
• Cisco management tools
• Juniper and Extreme Firewalls
• Nexus 1-7K support
• Cisco ACE and F5 Configuration and fault finding

Broadband Support including Traffic shaping (Tier 2 level)

The responsibilities include:

• Supporting customers by understanding their needs and recording key information
• Providing support via phone or email
• Adhering to company & client processes to deliver excellent service
• Using remote access & monitoring tools for troubleshooting
• Managing time to meet SLA targets
• Owning issues and keeping clients informed
• Working with clients for quick resolutions
• Delivering effective communication, including to Directors
• Updating documentation in the relevant systems
• Ensuring accurate data recording for reporting purposes
• Liaising with third-party suppliers and ensuring their SLA targets are met

Skills / Interests Required

• A focus on continuous improvement and personal development
• Team-oriented with leadership qualities for guiding junior engineers
• Excellent communication skills, able to explain technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Ability to work under pressure and collaboratively
• Effective time management and self-motivation
• Keeping up with industry trends and emerging technologies
• Experience with ticketing systems (ServiceNow beneficial)
• High attention to detail and quality work
• Exceptional documentation skills
• Adaptability to changing technologies and environments

Experience Required

• Cisco Routing & Switching (ISR, ASR, Catalyst, Nexus) at Tier 2 level
• Cisco Security Platforms including firewalls
• Cisco wireless platforms including controllers and access points
• Tier 2 Broadband support including traffic shaping
• Extreme routing and switching
• Knowledge of Meraki and Fortinet solutions
• Network design, implementation & troubleshooting
• Configuring VLANs, VPNs
• Network security principles
• Monitoring network performance and traffic analysis
• Firewall experience with FortiGate, Palo Alto, Meraki
• Incident response and handling security breaches