Network Engineer I

Network Engineer I

The Network Engineer I supports the county's network infrastructure and cybersecurity initiatives. This entry-level position offers a great opportunity for individuals beginning their careers in network administration and cybersecurity. The ideal candidate will have a strong interest in networking and cybersecurity, a willingness to learn, and a commitment to maintaining the integrity of county IT systems.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to complete the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations. Reasonable accommodations may be requested by contacting Pender County Human Resources.

Essential Functions

• Network Maintenance: Assist in managing and maintaining network infrastructure, including switches, routers, firewalls, and wireless access points.

  Performance and Security Monitoring: Monitor network performance and security, responding to alerts and addressing potential threats or vulnerabilities.

  Security Tools Deployment: Help deploy and configure network security tools such as IDS/IPS, antivirus software, and endpoint protection solutions.

  Incident Response: Participate in cybersecurity incident response by conducting initial investigations, documenting findings, and supporting remediation efforts.

  User Account Management: Assist with managing user accounts, permissions, and access controls, ensuring compliance with security policies.

  Troubleshooting: Collaborate with IT team members to troubleshoot and resolve network issues, escalating as needed.

  Documentation: Maintain accurate documentation of network configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting steps.

  Professional Development: Stay updated on emerging threats and best practices in cybersecurity, participating in training to enhance skills.

  Additional Support: Contribute to other IT tasks and projects as needed, supporting overall departmental goals.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education & Experience

• Education: High school diploma or equivalent; Associate's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field preferred.

  Knowledge: Basic understanding of networking concepts (e.g., TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, Routing) and familiarity with cybersecurity principles and practices.

  Skills: Strong problem-solving abilities, attention to detail, and eagerness to learn new skills and technologies. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are essential.

  Commitment: Dedicated to following established policies, procedures, and best practices in network administration and cybersecurity.

  Additional Requirements

  · Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for system maintenance, upgrades, or critical incident response.

  · The Network Engineer I will be expected to participate in an on-call rotation to provide after-hours support as needed.

  · Valid North Carolina Driver's License.

Physical Requirements

This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 50 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, speaking or hearing and using hands to finger, handle or feel, frequently requires reaching with hands and arms and occasionally requires standing, walking, climbing or balancing, stooping, kneeling, crouching or crawling, pushing or pulling, lifting and repetitive motions; work has standard vision requirements; vocal communication is required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word; hearing is required to perceive information at normal spoken word levels; work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data, visual inspection involving small defects and/or small parts, using of measuring devices, assembly or fabrication of parts within arm's length, operating machines, operating motor vehicles or equipment and observing general surroundings and activities; work occasionally requires exposure to the risk of electrical shock; work is generally in a moderately noisy location (e.g. business office, light traffic).