Job Description

Network Specialist Tier 3 Job Description

Lane H - J Contract and Benefits
250 Day Contract
Hourly rate: $42.80 - $68.60

Contact: Matt Johnson
MattJohnson@alpinedistrict.org
801-610-8005

Network Specialist Tier 3 Position Summary
The Network Specialist Tier 3 position is responsible for the reliability, security, performance, and ongoing administration of the organization's network and supporting infrastructure. This position maintains network systems and connectivity, administers core infrastructure services, manages directory and authentication platforms, supports firewall and content-filtering technologies, and coordinates with external service providers.
The Network Specialist also plays an important role in maintaining accurate technical documentation, troubleshooting complex infrastructure issues, improving operational processes, and developing the technical capabilities of other team members through training and knowledge sharing.
Key Responsibilities
Network Infrastructure & Connectivity

• Maintain, configure, monitor, and troubleshoot LAN, WAN, wireless, VPN, and internet connectivity.
• Manage network infrastructure including switches, routers, wireless access points, controllers, and related equipment.
• Monitor network availability, capacity, performance, and reliability and proactively address potential issues.
• Troubleshoot connectivity, routing, switching, DNS, DHCP, VLAN, VPN, and network performance issues.
• Maintain network segmentation and appropriate separation of systems, users, devices, and services.
• Assist with the design, implementation, and lifecycle management of network infrastructure.
• Participate in network upgrades, migrations, expansions, and technology refresh projects.

Systems Administration

• Perform administration and maintenance of physical and virtual servers, infrastructure services, and supporting systems as assigned.
• Provision, configure, maintain, monitor, and troubleshoot virtual servers and associated virtualization infrastructure.
• Monitor system health, availability, capacity, performance, storage utilization, and resource allocation.
• Troubleshoot infrastructure-related incidents and identify root causes.
• Manage system backups, archives, retention processes, and recovery procedures in accordance with organizational requirements.
• Perform and validate system recovery activities, including restoration of servers, services, configurations, and data when required.
• Support disaster recovery and business continuity processes related to server and infrastructure systems.
• Manage automated operating system, firmware, and security patching for supported servers and infrastructure systems.
• Monitor patch deployment status, investigate failed updates, and remediate systems that are out of compliance.
• Test and validate operating system, firmware, and infrastructure updates prior to broad deployment when appropriate.
• Support system upgrades, configuration changes, maintenance activities, and technology refresh initiatives.
• Maintain standardized server configurations, system baselines, recovery documentation, and maintenance procedures.
• Develop and maintain scripts, tools, or automation where appropriate to improve reliability, patching, system recovery, monitoring, and operational efficiency.

Directory Services, Identity & SSO

• Administer directory services and identity-management platforms.
• Maintain users, groups, roles, policies, authentication services, and related directory configurations.
• Configure and support Single Sign-On (SSO) integrations for organizational applications and services.
• Support authentication technologies such as SAML, OAuth/OIDC, LDAP, and multi-factor authentication where applicable.
• Troubleshoot authentication, authorization, account provisioning, and SSO-related issues.
• Work with application owners and vendors to integrate applications with organizational identity services.
• Apply security best practices including least privilege and role-based access controls.

Firewall, Security & Content Filtering

• Administer and maintain firewalls, security gateways, VPN services, and content-filtering systems.
• Create, review, document, and maintain firewall and network access rules.
• Monitor security systems and network traffic for unusual activity, configuration issues, or potential threats.
• Maintain web and content-filtering policies in accordance with organizational requirements.
• Troubleshoot firewall, VPN, filtering, and network-security issues.
• Regularly review configurations and rules to identify obsolete, unnecessary, or overly permissive access.
• Assist with security investigations, remediation activities, and implementation of security recommendations.

Network Documentation

• Maintain accurate and current documentation of the organization's network environment.
• Create and maintain logical and physical network diagrams.
• Document network segments, VLANs, subnets, IP address ranges, routing relationships, and network connections.
• Maintain documentation for WAN circuits, internet connections, VPNs, wireless networks, firewall configurations, and external connectivity.
• Document configuration standards, troubleshooting procedures, administrative processes, and recovery procedures.
• Ensure infrastructure changes are reflected in technical documentation in a timely manner.

Provider & Vendor Management

• Serve as a technical point of contact for internet service providers, telecommunications providers, network vendors, and other infrastructure partners.
• Coordinate installation, troubleshooting, repair, upgrades, and changes to provider-managed services.
• Open and manage technical support cases and escalate issues when necessary.
• Work with providers to diagnose outages, performance problems, and connectivity issues.
• Maintain relevant information regarding circuits, service identifiers, provider contacts, and escalation procedures.
• Participate in technical evaluations of infrastructure products and services.

Endpoint Device Management

• Administer and maintain endpoint management systems used to manage organizational computers and other supported user devices.
• Configure, deploy, monitor, and maintain endpoint policies, security settings, device configurations, and management profiles.
• Manage the lifecycle of user computers, including provisioning, configuration, deployment, maintenance, troubleshooting, reassignment, and retirement.
• Coordinate and perform firmware, BIOS/UEFI, operating system, driver, application, and software updates for managed endpoint devices.
• Maintain appropriate operating system and application patch levels and help ensure critical security updates are deployed in a timely manner.
• Test and validate firmware, operating system, driver, and software updates prior to broad deployment when appropriate.
• Monitor update compliance, device health, configuration status, and endpoint-management alerts and remediate devices that are out of compliance or fail to update successfully.
• Deploy, update, configure, and remove organizational applications and software packages using centralized management tools.
• Maintain endpoint security configurations including encryption, endpoint protection, host firewall settings, device-control policies, and other security requirements as applicable.
• Troubleshoot endpoint-management, software-deployment, update, driver, firmware, and device-configuration issues.
• Maintain standardized endpoint configurations and assist with the development and management of device baselines and configuration standards.
• Automate endpoint configuration, software deployment, inventory, remediation, and maintenance tasks where practical.
• Maintain accurate hardware and software inventory information for managed devices and support endpoint lifecycle and technology-refresh planning.
• Coordinate with users and other IT staff when endpoint maintenance, upgrades, restarts, or remediation activities may affect productivity or availability.

Monitoring, Troubleshooting & Incident Response

• Monitor network and infrastructure systems and respond to alerts and service interruptions.
• Troubleshoot complex network, system, authentication, and connectivity issues.
• Participate in incident response and service restoration activities.
• Perform root-cause analysis for significant or recurring incidents.
• Identify opportunities to improve network resilience, redundancy, security, and performance.
• Participate in scheduled maintenance and, when required, after-hours support for critical infrastructure.

Team Training & Knowledge Sharing

• Provide technical guidance and mentoring to other IT team members.
• Train team members on network troubleshooting, infrastructure systems, security tools, and operational procedures.
• Develop documentation, troubleshooting guides, and knowledge-base materials that enable other team members to resolve common issues.
• Cross-train team members to improve infrastructure support coverage and reduce dependency on individual staff members.
• Promote consistent technical standards, documentation practices, and troubleshooting methodologies across the team.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience administering and supporting enterprise network infrastructure.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP networking, subnetting, VLANs, routing, switching, DNS, DHCP, NAT, and VPN technologies.
• Experience configuring and troubleshooting managed switches, routers, wireless infrastructure, and firewalls.
• Experience with Windows and/or Linux system administration.
• Experience administering directory and identity services such as Active Directory, Entra ID, or comparable platforms.
• Experience supporting SSO and modern authentication technologies.
• Experience with firewall administration, network security policies, and content-filtering technologies.
• Strong troubleshooting and analytical skills.
• Ability to create and maintain clear technical documentation and network diagrams.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical staff, end users, vendors, and service providers.
• Ability to independently manage technical issues while collaborating effectively with the broader IT team.

Core Competencies

• Network and systems troubleshooting
• Infrastructure security
• Identity and access management
• Technical documentation
• Root-cause analysis
• Vendor and provider coordination
• Change management
• Automation and process improvement
• Technical mentoring and knowledge transfer
• Clear technical and non-technical communication
• Ownership, reliability, and attention to detail

Performance Expectations
Success in this position is demonstrated through reliable and secure network services, timely resolution of infrastructure issues, accurate and current documentation, effective management of external providers, continuous improvement of infrastructure systems, and increased technical capability across the IT team through training and knowledge sharing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in hybrid on-premises and cloud environments.
• Experience with Microsoft 365, Entra ID, or similar identity platforms.
• Experience with network monitoring and infrastructure-management platforms.
• Experience with virtualization and cloud infrastructure.
• Familiarity with PowerShell, Python, or other infrastructure automation and scripting technologies.
• Familiarity with zero-trust, least-privilege, and modern network-security principles.
• Experience participating in disaster recovery, business continuity, or infrastructure resilience initiatives.
• Relevant certifications such as CCNA/CCNP, Network+, Security+, Microsoft, Fortinet, Palo Alto, Cisco, or equivalent certifications.