Network Administrator I

General Purpose:

Perform network operations support and analysis by keeping DFA's plant, office, and data center networks available, performant, and secure. Respond to monitoring alerts and user-reported issues across wired, wireless, WAN, voice, security, and plant-floor (OT) networks at more than 200 sites. Troubleshoot and resolve routine problems, execute approved changes, coordinate field vendors, and escalate to senior administrators and Network Engineering with clear evidence. Keep tickets, documentation, and asset records accurate. Work independently within established runbooks and change processes, and receive general guidance on new work.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Monitor network devices, interfaces, and services through a custom monitoring platform integrated with PagerDuty and ServiceNow
• Triage automated alerts (access point disjoins, device down, err-disable, configuration compliance, environmental), separate real outages from alert noise, and correlate related alerts and user reports into a single incident
• Create, prioritize, and track incident tickets by impact and urgency, and escalate according to process
• Participate in the on-call rotation: issue outage notifications, join or initiate major-incident bridges, and take part in post-incident reviews
• Take a scheduled daily turn on proactive asset monitoring (PAM): review wireless controller join status, work the access point offline playbook, and record decisions in the team log
• Troubleshoot and support Cisco Catalyst access switching (VLANs, trunks, err-disabled ports, stacks, PoE) and Cisco Catalyst 9800 wireless controllers and access points
• Support Aruba EdgeConnect SD-WAN sites and work with carriers and ISPs on circuit outages and turn-ups, including satellite and cellular backup
• Execute approved configuration changes and software upgrades under the change management process, and remediate configuration compliance drift back to the gold standard
• Support firewall (Cisco FMC / FTD), Zscaler ZIA and ZPA, and Cisco ISE network access control troubleshooting at the Level 1 scope
• Complete service requests, including IP address assignments, DHCP reservations, DNS records, and network registration requests, in Infoblox and Active Directory DNS
• Use out-of-band console servers (Opengear Lighthouse) to reach and recover isolated devices
• Support telecom requests and incidents, including desk phone provisioning, moves, adds, and changes, and voicemail, on Cisco Unified Communications Manager, Unity Connection, and Webex Calling
• Connect and troubleshoot plant and specialty endpoints: printers, cameras, badge readers, digital signage, scales, lab devices, and handhelds
• Walk plant floors with OT and controls staff to locate and document OT network cabinets and hubs: industrial switches (Cisco IE series), daisy chains and device-level rings (DLR), the PLCs, HMIs, and drives on each port, and the path back to the IT network
• Photograph, label, and record OT findings for network refresh and expansion planning, and confirm device IPs and ports on site
• Support OT network expansions, industrial switch replacements, and the IT and OT firewall segmentation that separates plant-floor networks from corporate networks
• Help plant and visiting staff reach OT systems through approved remote access paths (Zscaler ZPA) rather than direct corporate connections
• Dispatch and coordinate field vendors for smart-hands, access point, switch, and cabling work at remote sites
• Support site builds, network refreshes, relocations, and closures by completing assigned project tasks, including cabling installs, changes, and removals
• Stage, test, and configure network equipment in the Lenexa warehouse before deployment, and support RMA and inventory requests
• Maintain accurate ticket notes, site documentation, runbooks, and network diagrams in ServiceNow and Confluence
• Close tickets with complete resolution notes, the correct category and subcategory, and an assigned owner
• Keep network asset and CMDB records (device status, location, IP) aligned with the installed hardware
• Review and approve knowledge articles as a subject matter expert
• Identify recurring issues and propose alert tuning, process, and automation improvements, including AI-assisted tooling
• Educate end users on technology, keep current on industry trends, and adhere to established policies, processes, and procedures
• The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required

Education and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree in computer science, information technology, or related curriculum (or equivalent combination of experience and education)
• 1 to 3 years in IT roles in a campus or enterprise environment (for example service desk, desktop support, systems, NOC, or network support)
• Exposure to networking fundamentals: TCP/IP, subnetting, VLANs, switching and routing basics, Wi-Fi, DNS, and DHCP
• Experience working in a ticketing system (ServiceNow preferred)
• Proficiency with the Microsoft 365 suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, Visio)
• Preferred: hands-on configuration and troubleshooting of Cisco layer 2 and layer 3 equipment, wireless LAN controllers, and access points
• Preferred: experience in an on-call or alert-driven operations environment, using monitoring, logging, and network diagnostic tools
• Preferred: installing and testing network software and firmware, including upgrades, fixes, and patches
• Preferred: exposure to SD-WAN, firewalls, cloud web security (Zscaler), or network access control (Cisco ISE)
• Preferred: exposure to Cisco voice (CUCM, Unity Connection, Webex Calling)
• Preferred: exposure to DNS, DHCP, and IPAM (Infoblox)
• Preferred: experience supporting manufacturing, plant-floor, or industrial (OT) networks
• Preferred: scripting or automation interest (Python, REST APIs)
• Preferred: familiarity with code editors and AI-assisted development tools (VS Code, Cursor, Claude Cowork)
• Certification and/or License – CCNA or equivalent Cisco certification preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Able to work individually with limited supervision and follow documented runbooks and change processes
• Able to prioritize a high-volume queue and tell real outages from alert noise
• Able to troubleshoot methodically, including research, interpreting data, and analyzing logs and metrics
• Able to use AI-assisted tools responsibly: verify their output against live systems, and review any change or ticket update before it is applied
• Understands change discipline: no production change without an approved change record, unless it falls under a documented standing exception
• Understands the separation between IT and OT networks and why plant-floor systems are protected
• Able to keep records accurate, including correct site and location codes, device status, and ticket categorization
• Able to write clear, professional ticket notes and updates for technical and non-technical audiences
• Able to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing, with plant staff, vendors, and IT peers
• Able to demonstrate a strong sense of professionalism, integrity, and ethics, and maintain confidentiality
• Able to work safely in plant and industrial environments, following site safety, PPE, and food-safety (GMP) rules
• Able to participate in an on-call rotation and travel to DFA sites
• Must be able to read, write and speak English