Position Summary:
The Network Support Technician is responsible for supporting, maintaining, and optimizing Salem University’s network infrastructure to ensure reliable, secure, and efficient technology services across the University.
This hands-on technical position monitors network performance, troubleshoots complex connectivity and performance issues, configures and maintains network hardware, supports network security, and assists with the implementation and ongoing maintenance of LAN, WAN, wireless, VPN, and related network environments.
The Network Support Technician serves as a key technical resource for network-related incidents and service requests and collaborates with Information Technology personnel, vendors, service providers, and University departments to maintain the availability and performance of critical network services.
Success in this position requires strong technical troubleshooting skills, attention to network security and reliability, effective documentation, and the ability to communicate technical information to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The duties listed below are representative of the responsibilities of this position. Additional duties may be assigned based on departmental or institutional needs.
Network Support & Troubleshooting
- Serve as a primary technical resource for network-related incidents and service requests.
- Troubleshoot LAN, WAN, wireless, VPN, DNS, DHCP, routing, switching, and other network connectivity issues.
- Diagnose network performance, availability, configuration, and security problems using systematic troubleshooting methods.
- Investigate network outages and service disruptions and work to restore services in a timely manner.
- Escalate complex incidents to appropriate internal resources, vendors, or service providers when necessary.
- Provide technical support related to network access and connectivity for university employees, students, systems, and devices.
- Document troubleshooting activities, resolutions, and recurring issues to support knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
Network Monitoring & Maintenance
- Proactively monitor network health, availability, bandwidth utilization, and performance using approved network-monitoring tools.
- Identify potential performance or capacity issues and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
- Perform routine maintenance of network infrastructure.
- Apply approved firmware updates, patches, configuration changes, and upgrades to network equipment.
- Monitor network devices and services for availability and performance concerns.
- Assist with preventive maintenance and lifecycle management of network infrastructure.
- Support planned maintenance activities while minimizing disruption to university operations.
Network Infrastructure & Hardware
- Install, configure, maintain, and support enterprise network equipment, including switches, routers, firewalls, wireless access points, wireless controllers, and VPN appliances.
- Configure and maintain VLANs, routing, switching, wireless networks, and related network services.
- Support routing protocols and network configurations, including OSPF, BGP, and other protocols utilized by the University.
- Assist with the installation and replacement of network hardware and infrastructure.
- Support network connectivity associated with university buildings, classrooms, offices, residence facilities, and other campus environments.
- Maintain appropriate equipment configurations and backup documentation.
- Assist with network infrastructure upgrades, expansions, and technology refresh initiatives.
Network Security
- Support the implementation and administration of network-security controls and established security policies.
- Configure and maintain firewall rules in accordance with approved standards and authorization processes.
- Manage and troubleshoot VPN connectivity and remote network access.
- Support Network Access Control (NAC) solutions and other network authentication or access-management technologies.
- Assist with identifying and responding to network-related security concerns.
- Maintain appropriate segmentation and access controls within the University network environment.
- Collaborate with IT leadership on network-security improvements and risk mitigation.
- Promptly escalate suspected security incidents or vulnerabilities in accordance with university procedures.
Wireless & Communications Support
- Configure, monitor, and troubleshoot University wireless networks and wireless access points.
- Diagnose wireless connectivity, coverage, authentication, and performance issues.
- Support wireless controllers and applicable 802.11 technologies.
- Assist with VoIP and unified communications environments assigned.
- Troubleshoot network-related voice and communications issues and coordinate with vendors when necessary.
Documentation & Asset Management
- Create and maintain accurate network diagrams, configurations, standards, inventories, and technical documentation.
- Document changes to network configurations and infrastructure.
- Maintain troubleshooting procedures and technical knowledge documentation.
- Assist with maintaining an accurate inventory of network equipment and associated infrastructure.
- Ensure technical documentation remains current following network changes, upgrades, or implementations.
Vendor & Project Support
- Coordinate with hardware and software vendors, telecommunications providers, and other service providers to troubleshoot and resolve network issues.
- Escalate service outages and complex technical problems to appropriate vendors when necessary.
- Participate in IT infrastructure projects involving network design, implementation, upgrades, migrations, and expansion.
- Provide network-related technical expertise during technology projects.
- Assist with evaluating network equipment, solutions, and technologies as assigned.
- Collaborate with other Information Technology personnel to support University technology initiatives.
Operational & On-Call Support
- Participate in scheduled after-hours maintenance when required.
- Provide after-hours or weekend support for significant network incidents and emergencies as assigned.
- Communicate service disruptions, maintenance activities, and network issues to appropriate stakeholders.
- Maintain professionalism and responsiveness when addressing technology issues affecting University operations.
- Perform other duties as assigned by the Executive Director of Information Technology.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Computer Science, Network Administration, Cybersecurity, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, technical training, certifications, and relevant professional experience.
- Three to five years of hands-on experience in network support, network operations, network administration, or a related IT infrastructure role.
- Demonstrated experience troubleshooting LAN, WAN, wireless, and network connectivity issues.
- Experience configuring and supporting enterprise switches, routers, wireless access points, firewalls, or comparable network infrastructure.
- Working knowledge of TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, STP, routing, and switching.
- Experience with network security, firewall, VPN, or network-access technologies.
- Strong technical troubleshooting, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to provide after-hours or weekend support for planned maintenance and network emergencies as required.
Preferred Qualifications
- Active industry certification such as Cisco CCNA, CompTIA Network+, or relevant vendor-specific network certification.
- Experience with cloud-networking concepts and platforms such as Microsoft Azure Virtual Network or Amazon Web Services VPC.
- Experience with network-monitoring platforms such as SolarWinds, PRTG, Zabbix, or comparable technologies.
- Basic scripting or automation experience using PowerShell, Python, or similar technologies.
- Experience supporting VoIP or Unified Communications as a Service environment, including Microsoft Teams Phone, RingCentral, or comparable solutions.
- Experience supporting network infrastructure within a higher education or similarly complex organizational environment.
- Experience with network documentation, infrastructure diagrams, and configuration management.
Physical Requirements
The physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position.
- Prolonged periods of sitting and working at a computer.
- Ability to regularly move throughout university buildings and technology spaces to access network infrastructure.
- Ability to lift, carry, install, and position network equipment weighing up to 40 pounds.
- Ability to bend, stoop, kneel, reach, and work in areas where network equipment is installed.
- Ability to work with network racks, cabling, switches, wireless access points, and related technology equipment.
- Ability to communicate effectively in person, by telephone, and through electronic communication platforms.
Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position.
Work Environment
This position operates in a professional technology environment and may require work in offices, classrooms, telecommunications rooms, server/network areas, and other University facilities.
The position may require occasional work outside normal business hours for scheduled maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, system outages, or emergency network response.
The employee may occasionally work in areas containing network equipment, cabling, elevated noise levels, confined technology spaces, or other conditions normally associated with IT infrastructure support.
Equal Employment Opportunity
Salem University is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.
Job Description Disclaimer
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by individuals assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, or qualifications. Salem University reserves the right to modify responsibilities as institutional needs evolve.