Senior Network Engineer and Manager

JOB SUMMARY

The Connecticut Education Network (CEN) is Connecticut’s trusted, mission‑driven

Research and Education (R&E) network, delivering high‑performance Internet

connectivity and secure shared services to community anchor institutions

statewide. For more than 25 years, CEN has supported education, research,

healthcare, government, libraries, cultural arts, and open access organizations

by providing a resilient, scalable, and secure Internet and network service

platform. Built on trust, partnership, collaboration, and high-quality service,

CEN works closely with its members and peer research and education networks

nationwide to drive unparalleled value for the communities we serve.

Join and lead CEN's Network Services team and work hands-on with a large-scale

service-provider network supporting critical connectivity and security services

across Connecticut. This position bridges network operations, design, and

engineering, providing technical leadership for Internet, MPLS, security,

peering, DNS, and content delivery platforms. The ideal candidate combines

strong technical expertise, supervisory experience, sound operational judgment,

and a passion for delivering reliable services to education, healthcare,

government, and nonprofit organizations statewide.

CEN offers a challenging, fast-paced, and rewarding environment where incumbents

will grow professionally while advancing the CEN mission, vision, values,

business, and brand. The CEN office is located at 55 Farmington Ave, Hartford,

CT. As a team aligned under UConn, this position offers great work/life balance

and an excellent benefit package.

UConn has been named the top public university in New England for over a decade

and is ranked among the top public universities in the nation. The University is

also a Carnegie Foundation Research University; a prestigious honor shared by

only the nation's top higher education institutions.

SALARY

The hiring range for this position is $106,474 to $138,416; final salary will be

based on the successful candidate's background and experience.

BENEFITS INCLUDE

* Defined contribution with employer match or defined benefit program

retirement options

* Excellent and affordable healthcare options

* 35-hour work week

* 22 paid vacation days per year, in addition to paid sick leave and 13 paid

holidays

* Annual merit increase program

* Employee and dependent tuition waivers

* A highly desirable work environment and work-life balance

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

As a senior-level expert in network engineering, you will lead the design,

implementation, and strategic development of the Connecticut Education Network

(CEN), supporting a robust carrier-grade IP/MPLS infrastructure. Your

responsibilities will include:

* Build: Network Architecture & Strategy

* Design and implement complex physical and logical network systems aligned

with organizational goals.

* Lead long-range planning for architecture, capacity, and security.

* Provide engineering plans, detailed diagrams, implementation

specifications, and materials quotes.

* Develop network architecture to support evolving services and constituent

needs.

* Run: Operations & Incident Management

* Serve as the final internal escalation point for network incidents,

outages, and service requests.

* Lead outage resolution and post-incident reporting with detailed root cause

analysis.

* Ensure high availability and performance of services including DIA, MPLS

VPNs, DNS, firewalls, and content filtering.

* Plan and conduct software/firmware upgrades.

* Grow: Capacity planning

* Conduct software/hardware lifecycle management.

* Quarterly capacity planning.

* Network failure analysis.

* Repeat & Test: Automation & Optimization

* Develop and deploy advanced automation scripts and software to streamline

operations and telemetry.

* Perform system tuning, upgrades, and proactive optimizations to ensure

efficiency and scalability.

* Ensure config standardization and minimize drift.

* Conduct device-level testing with Ixia, identify software defects, and

behavior anomalies.

* Project & Business Development

* Provide project management support for customer provisioning and network

expansions.

* Collaborate with business units and leadership to develop new services and

support customer engagement.

* Contribute to procurement processes through technical specifications and

vendor coordination.

* Leadership & Mentorship

* Supervise and mentor junior staff, fostering professional development and

cross-team competency.

* Document and disseminate best engineering practices across University,

College, K-12, and Library participants.

* Represent CEN on advisory boards, councils, and forums as needed.

* Security & Compliance

* Maintain and test network security protocols in alignment with industry

best practices.

* Lead business continuity and disaster recovery planning, testing, and

execution.

* Documentation & Asset Management

* Maintain accurate records of fiber assets, equipment inventory, and network

documentation.

* Provide reports on network behavior, risk assessments, and strategic

recommendations to leadership.

* Community Engagement & Support

* Support virtual and physical events, presentations, and training sessions

for peers and the broader CEN community.

* Travel within Connecticut and to POP locations in NYC, BOS, SPRING is

required; a valid driver’s license is necessary.

* Perform other related duties as required.

RELATED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

* Problem Solving: Demonstrates sound analytic and diagnostic skills dealing

with issues that are defined and/or where information is available but must

be further manipulated. Once decisions are made, will follow and direct

action to implement intended results. Breaks a problem down to manageable

pieces and implements effective, timely solutions. Openly and directly

confronts issues until resolved.

* Team Orientation: Builds relationships with peers and other departments to

achieve objectives. Balances team and individual responsibilities. Exhibits

objectivity and openness to others’ views. Gives and welcomes feedback. Puts

success of team above self.

Responsibilities

• are assigned with some latitude
• for setting priorities and decision-making using established policies and
• procedures. Results are reviewed with next-level team lead/manager for
• clarification and direction before proceeding.
• * Productivity, Planning, and Time Management: Is proficient in office
• productivity software such as O365 suite, MS Teams, Google Apps, etc. for
• collaboration, word processing, spreadsheets, presentation, e-mail etc. Works
• with the project or team lead in identifying those tasks that are most
• important, establishes clear priorities and understands the larger picture.
• Executes tasks and creates documentation as required.
• * Physical Demands: This position involves extended periods of sitting and the
• extensive use of computers and office equipment. May involve stooping,
• kneeling, crouching and/or working on step ladders. Involves close vision,
• color vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment. Must be able to lift 40
• lbs. to shoulder height and must have a valid license and ability to drive.
• MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
• 1. Must be US Citizen or Green Card holder.
• 2. Bachelor’s degree and six years of directly related experience OR an
• equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3. Two (2) years of experience must be serving in a supervisory capacity with
• responsibility for staff, structure, and performance.
• 4. Three (3) years’ of total experience must be as the network lead or senior
• engineer in support of a service provider, R&E or large-scale enterprise
• network.
• 5. Demonstrated understanding of BGP, IS-IS, IPv6, OSPF, MPLS, Traffic
• Engineering, QinQ, G.8032, 802.3ad, 802.3ag, Y.1731.
• 6. Demonstrated understanding of VPN technologies such as L2VPNs (Martini,
• Kompella), RFC2547, VPLS, EVPN.
• 7. Demonstrated experience leveraging VRFs in complex network environments.
• 8. Proven experience in providing high profile outage resolution and post
• incident reviews.
• 9. Demonstrated communication and writing skills.
• PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
• 1. Bachelor’s Degree or higher in a STEM field or related to computer
• networking.
• 2. CCNP or JNCP or higher certification, with preference in the Service
• Provider track.
• 3. Demonstrated ability to write specifications, document existing and planned
• systems.
• 4. Experience in IP and Carrier Ethernet technologies, with a proven track
• record managing complex network infrastructures in service provider or
• multi-tenant environments.
• 5. Demonstrated familiarity with Metro Ethernet products & solutions as
• defined by MEF.
• 6. Demonstrated knowledge of LINUX OS derivatives and shell programming with
• PERL, Python, PHP, and MySQL being a plus.
• 7. Demonstrated familiarity with optical OTN/DWDM/ROADM transport systems.
• 8. Demonstrated familiarity with test and traffic generation equipment
• (Spirent, IXIA etc.)
• 9. Experience developing and/or maintaining emergency/incident response plans.
• 10. Experience in outside plant fiber optic cabling systems and design.
• APPOINTMENT TERMS
• This is a full-time, end-dated position with the possibility of renewal subject
• to performance and funding. The University offers a competitive salary, and
• outstanding benefits, including employee and dependent tuition waivers at UConn,
• and a highly desirable work environment. For additional information regarding
• benefits, please visit UConn Health Benefits
• [https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fhr.uconn.edu%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cadvertising%40uconn.edu%7C0e8c1fc9960748711d1e08dcf8e90d45%7C17f1a87e2a254eaab9df9d439034b080%7C0%7C0%7C638658927230035290%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=OIBK7Y1Y%2BPActU8OgKo4tlsui2bEC56wIZ7k84hDJM8%3D&reserved=0]
• and explore the sections under the Benefits & Leaves and Engagement & Learning
• headers. Other rights, terms, and conditions of employment are contained in the
• collective bargaining agreement between the University of Connecticut and the
• University of Connecticut Professional Employees Association (UCPEA).
• TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
• Employment of the successful candidate is contingent upon the successful
• completion of a pre-employment criminal background check.
• TO APPLY
• Please apply online at Faculty and Staff Positions [https://hr.uconn.edu/jobs],
• Search #499195 to upload a resume, cover letter, and contact information for
• three (3) professional references. Applicants must clearly demonstrate how they
• meet the stated minimum qualifications, and any preferred qualifications they
• may possess, in their application materials.
• This job posting is scheduled to be removed at 11:55 p.m. Eastern time on July
• 29, 2026.
• All employees are subject to adherence to the State Code of Ethics
• [https://portal.ct.gov/Ethics/Statutes-and-Regulations].
• All members of the University of Connecticut are expected to exhibit
• appreciation of, and contribute to, an inclusive, respectful, and diverse
• environment for the University community.
• The University of Connecticut aspires to create a community built on
• collaboration and belonging and has actively sought to create an inclusive
• culture within the workforce. The success of the University is dependent on the
• willingness of our diverse employee and student populations to share their rich
• perspectives and backgrounds in a respectful manner. This makes it essential for
• each member of our community to feel secure and welcomed and to thoroughly
• understand and believe that their ideas are respected by all. We strongly
• respect each individual employee’s unique experiences and perspectives and
• encourage all members of the community to do the same. All applicants will
• receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity,
• religion, age, sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, sexual
• orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disabilities, veteran’s
• status, status as a victim of domestic violence and/or sexual assault and/or
• trafficking in persons as defined by Connecticut law, prior conviction of a
• crime, workplace hazards to the reproductive systems, or gender identity or
• expression.
• The University of Connecticut is an AA/EEO employer including for Disability and
• Veteran status.