Senior Wide Area Network Engineer

University System of Maryland

. Maintains and operates MDREN’s statewide wide area network (WAN) infrastructure, including core, edge, and optical transport layers.

Posted 7/6/2026full-timeAdelphi • Maryland • 🇺🇸 United StatesSenior💰 $160,500 - $182,000 per yearWebsite

Tech Stack

Tools & technologies

DNSSMTPTCP/IP

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Maintains and operates MDREN’s statewide wide area network (WAN) infrastructure, including core, edge, and optical transport layers.
Ensures high availability, performance, and resilience across all backbone and interconnection services.
Responds to and corrects problems within the MDREN network.
Monitors network activity to detect, identify, and address security issues, events, and intrusions to the Network.
Proactively monitors all enterprise communication systems for proper, stable operation, taking appropriate corrective action if required.
Ensures networking maintenance and upgrades are coordinated with the affected parties.
Works with network equipment vendors to find effective solutions to network issues and upgrades.
Maintains related computer systems, software packages, and network appliances in support of the network.
Develops implementation plans and schedules.
Develops and maintains documentation, policies, procedures, and methods for the operation of the MDREN network.
Designs, engineers, and maintains MDREN’s statewide WAN, including backbone, regional aggregation, and partner interconnects.
Leads architecture and deployment of dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) optical transport systems, including wavelength services, reconfigurable optical add-drop multiplexer (ROADM) configurations, and optical path engineering.
Integrates and operates optical/IP convergence architectures, leveraging router-based DWDM optics where applicable.
Engineers and supports high-capacity backbone upgrades (100G/400G and beyond).
Collaborates with member institutions and partner research and education networks (RENs) on interconnection design and capacity planning.
Supports and contributes to MDREN’s web presence by maintaining accurate, up-to-date technical content related to network services, infrastructure status, and member resources.
Collaborates with MDREN leadership and administrative staff to ensure the website reflects current services, network architecture, and strategic initiatives.
Provides technical oversight for website content related to network operations, including service documentation, outage notifications, and performance information.
Assists in the administration and continuous improvement of the MDREN website, including recommending enhancements to structure, usability, and future design to better support member institutions and stakeholders.
Provides technical support and guidance to MDREN member institutions to ensure effective use of network services.
Serves as a primary technical resource for member institutions on network services and connectivity.
Troubleshoots and resolves member-reported network issues.
Communicates network changes, outages, and upgrades to affected members.
Supports onboarding of new member connections and services.
Identifies and evaluates emerging technologies and best practices to enhance network capabilities.
Researches new technologies, tools, and methodologies relevant to enterprise and research network environments.
Evaluates and recommends improvements to network architecture, performance, and security.
Supports long-term strategic planning for network evolution.

Requirements

What you’ll need

High School Diploma or GED.
7 years' experience in the networking field with increasing responsibility.
Demonstrated experience in managing large networking design and implementation projects.
Experience in changing and evolving environments.
Experience supervising staff.
Ability to establish goals, priorities, structures, and processes necessary to implement a complex network infrastructure.
Leadership and teambuilding skills to strengthen and cultivate relationships to internal and external institutions.
Ability to network and interact, as well as support effective partnerships with key constituencies and institutions both inside and outside the USM.
Ability to prioritize ongoing and new projects, as well as conduct research and gather information.
Must be skilled as a technical troubleshooter with the ability to think logically to define and solve problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions.
Strong interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate complex network issues or strategies to audiences with varying network knowledge or experience.
Knowledgeable and experienced in various networking technologies, services and protocols typical of a large enterprise network including Ethernet, TCP/IP, SNMP, SMTP, DHCP/BootP, DNS, OSPF, ARP/RARP, VPNs, VLANs, BGP, Subnets, and Routing.
On-hands experience with Cisco/Juniper/Brocade/Arista switches and routers.
Demonstrated skill in programming in more than one language.
Must be able to work in a collaborative, team environment.
Must be a "self-starter" and be able to proactively identify problems (or potential problems) and propose solutions.
Bachelor's or advanced degree in computer science, network engineering, or related discipline (preferred).
Experience working for an Internet Service Provider (ISP) or similar business (preferred).
Outside fiber plant experience (preferred).

Benefits

Comp & perks

Paid Leave: 22 days of annual leave, 15 days of sick & safe leave, 16-17 holidays, 3 personal leave days, and paid family medical leave
Health Benefits: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with flexible spending accounts.
Retirement Plans: Mandatory and supplemental options with major providers like Fidelity and TIAA.
Life Insurance: Optional term life and AD&D benefits through MetLife.
Tuition Benefits: Tuition remission for employees and their families.
Training & Development: Free professional development conferences and unlimited LinkedIn Learning access.
Credit Union Access: Membership eligibility for SECU, Maryland’s largest credit union.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Free counseling, legal, financial, and work-life support services.

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

Network DesignNetwork ImplementationTechnical TroubleshootingProgramming SkillsNetwork SecurityEthernetTCP/IPSNMPBGPRouting

Soft Skills

Interpersonal CommunicationWritten CommunicationVerbal CommunicationTeam CollaborationProblem Solving