Network Administrator

UMGC Europe

Location: Kaiserslautern, Germany

Overseas Regular, 100% FTE, Full-time, Grade 005

The Network Administrator is responsible for managing field networks, Internet Service Provider (ISP) correspondence and supporting academic and administrative network and telephony operations throughout the division, including the headquarters and field sites.  This position is located on-site at the UMGC Europe HQ in Kaiserslautern, Germany and travel to regional sites is required. Work is on-site at the division's headquarters building and occasional TDY travel to education centers will be required as needed.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE:

• Be a technical lead on network projects; specify standards for network hardware and configuration; research and recommend upgrades.

• Design, install, upgrade, troubleshoot, and maintain network systems and equipment both remotely and by travel to field offices.

• Provide firsthand support for the HQ network infrastructure as guided by Stateside Network Operations

• Provide daily operational support; monitor the ticket queue (i.e., Service Now, etc.) and take ownership of network issues; provide status of ongoing issues via phone, email, and/or ticket notes.

• Proactively monitor and maintain network availability and performance at field locations; constantly working to ensure the most efficient and effective methods of monitoring are being used.

• Document telecommunications and network capabilities at each supported location.

• Coordinate vendor network and telephony troubleshooting and repair activities.

• Serve as the primary technical expertise to manage Internet Service Providers (ISP) contracts and maintenance.

• Conduct Telephone Control Officer (TCO) duties for all sites (i.e., cell phone procurements and services management, etc.)

• Function as an escalation point for Service Desk, information technology staff, and other departments for network and voice issues.

• Conduct physical and logical installations and maintenance to small satellite infrastructures (i.e. Starlink, etc.)

• Manage and maintain all logical and physical components of UMGC's internal cellular gateways (i.e., MG41, MG51, ISR1100, etc.)

• Communicate and coordinate with field leadership (Regional and Assistant Directors, Logistics Supervisors, and others as needed) regarding network issues and upgrades.

• Research network hardware/software in the marketplace and provide network improvement ideas and suggestions to the Associate Director of Technical Support, Director of Technical Support, and to UMGC division leadership.

• Conduct physical infrastructure upgrades and maintenance as needed (i.e., conduit installs, Access Point mounting, rack installations, etc.)

• Work with both technical and non-technical staff on network issues.

• Perform other job-related duties as assigned.

• Twenty-five percent (25%) travel for job related duties

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES MAY INCLUDE:

• Counsel division technical support director and senior leadership of future requirements and needed resources for network improvements, including hardware, software, and the costs.

• Advise senior leadership on infrastructure requirements to improve classroom live streaming technology, including how it best connects to the network.

• Lead the operations of the Technical Support department in the absence of the Director, Technical Support and Associate Director of Technical Support.

• Lead a task force of log supervisors, vendors, and UMGC staff when required to install and upgrade network equipment in the field.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or foreign degree equivalent in a technical field and three (3) or more years of experience with networking systems

• Firsthand experience with network monitoring, diagnostic and analytics tools

• Understanding of IPV4/IPV6 and associated network protocols

• Cisco CCNA, Cisco CCNP, or other recognized network industry certifications

• Excellent troubleshooting, problem solving and analytical skills, with strong attention to detail.

• Excellent communication skills and working knowledge of the military community as it relates to the position (re: networks)

• Cellular Related protocols (LTE, 5G NR Sub-6GHz, mmWave, etc.), RF engineering, wireless communication technologies

• Experience with satellite ground stations (i.e., Starlink, etc.), satellite communication protocols, RF engineering, and signal processing.

• Cloud Software Defined Networking (SDN-WAN) (i.e., Meraki cloud, etc.) experience

• Ability to obtain USAREUR driver's license and lift 40 lbs.

PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. institution or foreign degree equivalent in a technical field or ten (10) or more years of experience with networking systems

• Experience with firewall technology platforms

• Microsoft cloud experience (i.e., EntraID, etc.)

WHO MAY APPLY:  Local candidates with ILS preferred. Criteria under which applicants qualify for ILS are: must serve the US Forces exclusively; are not stateless persons; are nationals of a NATO state, excluding the host nation; are not ordinarily resident in the host nation.

All submissions should include a cover letter and resume. UMGC offers competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits for qualifying positions, such as tuition remission, generous leave and healthcare. For detailed benefits information, please visit: https://careers.umgc.edu/benefits.html.

The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination. UMGC is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, ancestry, political affiliation or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Workplace Accommodations:

The University of Maryland Global Campus Global Campus (UMGC) is committed to creating and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive working environment for people of all abilities. UMGC is dedicated to the principle that no qualified individual with a disability shall, based on disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of the University, or be subjected to discrimination. For information about UMGC's Reasonable Workplace Accommodation Policy or to request an accommodation, applicants/candidates can contact Employee Accommodations via email at employee-accommodations@umgc.edu.