Network Engineer Lead

Join the City of Chattanooga Team

Chattanooga , a vibrant and growing community of over 190,000 residents within a metropolitan area of nearly 600,000 is known as the "Scenic City" for a reason. Nestled along the Tennessee River and surrounded by the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, we are a hub of outdoor adventure and innovation. Home to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) and Chattanooga State Community College , our city blends a rich industrial history with a tech-forward future—famously powered by the nation’s first community-wide "Gig" fiber-optic network.​ The City of Chattanooga was also recently designated as a "National Park City,” the first of its kind in the United States.

Our Organization

As a City, we are powered by a dedicated workforce of approximately ​2,600 employees committed to excellence in public service and making Chattanooga the best community in the country. Our team ensures our city thrives through a wide range of municipal services, including:

• Public Safety: Chattanooga Police and Fire Departments.
• Infrastructure & Utilities: Public Works, Waste Resources, and specialized Stormwater management.
• Quality of Life: Award-winning Parks and Outdoors and Community Development systems and the Chattanooga Public Library.
• Transportation: The Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) and citywide transit and pedestrian friendly initiatives.
• Innovation: Leading-edge smart-city programs with a commitment to cutting edge workforce development policies to ensure all our residents can get ahead.

Why Choose Chattanooga?

The City of Chattanooga’s workforce is the heartbeat of our community. We don't just offer jobs; we offer careers with purpose: making Chattanooga the best city in America. We are committed to being the premier employer of choice in Southeast Tennessee by providing:

• Competitive Compensation: Robust pay scales that reflect our commitment to our staff.
• Work-Life Balance: Generous paid time off and flexible scheduling where possible.
• Exceptional Wellness: Comprehensive health benefits and wellness programs designed for you and your family that deliver savings to you beyond your paycheck, featuring a centralized health clinic and pharmacy for all City employees. .
• Growth: A focus on professional development and upward mobility within the organization.
• ​The Great Outdoors: Your Backyard Playground: Chattanooga isn't just near nature, it's immersed in it. As one of the most biodiverse cities in North America, the "Scenic City" offers an ecological richness that few places on earth can claim. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or a weekend wanderer, world-class adventure is always less than an hour away.
• ​Vertical Adventures: Scale legendary sandstone cliffs in what is widely considered the premier rock climbing hub of the Southeast.
• Water & Rapids: From the high-octane whitewater kayaking of the Ocoee River to world-class bass fishing and peaceful paddling on the Tennessee River.
• Trails for Miles: Explore a massive network of mountain biking and hiking trails that wind through lush ridges, hidden waterfalls, and deep river gorges.

In Chattanooga, "work-life balance" means you can finish your shift and be at a trailhead or on the water before the sun sets.

Our mission is to work together to build a safe, vibrant, and sustainable city for all Chattanoogans. To do that, it takes a team of skilled and passionate individuals. So, if you’d like to call Chattanooga home – or maybe you already do! – and want to further your career through meaningful work that makes a true impact where you live, we’d love to talk to you.

Salary: $64,024- $77,348 annually (GS.12)

Work Hours: Monday - Friday, 8:00 A.M. - 4:30 P.M. (EST)
*Hours may vary due to work assignments or projects.*

Work Location: 100 E. 11th Street, Chattanooga, TN

FLSA Status: This is an Exempt position.

Department: Technology Services

CLASSIFICATION SUMMARY:
The Network Engineer Lead works under the general supervision of the Director of IT Infrastructure and is the Lead of the Network Engineering Division. The incumbent of this position will ensure the stable operation of the computer networks, including: planning, developing, installing, configuring, maintaining, supporting, and optimizing all network hardware, software, and communication links. This position will also analyze and resolve network-related hardware and software problems in a timely and accurate fashion, and provide training where required to lower-level support personnel.

SERIES LEVEL:
The Network Engineer Lead is a stand-alone position.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: (The following duties ARE NOT intended to serve as a comprehensive list of all duties performed by all employees in this classification, only a representative summary of the primary duties and responsibilities. Incumbent(s) may not be required to perform all duties listed and may be required to perform additional, position-specific duties.)

Delegate support tickets in a priority-focused manner.

Manage numerous concurrent tasks and assignments, with frequent interruptions.

Manage a team including workload management, time off requests, performance evaluations, and mentorship.

Assist and mentor team members during the duration of an assignment or project when necessary.

Serve as a subject matter expert for all networking.

Install software and hardware on networking equipment and microcomputers.

Deploy LANs, WANs, and wireless networks, including routers, switches, firewalls, and other hardware.

Ensure upgrades of all network hardware and related software are performed in a timely manner.

Coordination with third-party vendors for installations.

Planning of new network build-outs and refreshing of equipment and cabling.

Monitor network performance and troubleshoot problem areas as needed.

Maintain network performance history and provide network performance statistics and reports.

Perform network asset management, including maintenance of network component inventory and related documentation and technical specifications information.

Participate in managing all network security solutions.

Perform all job responsibilities in alignment with the industry’s best security practices and regulatory guidelines to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of protected information and other sensitive data.

Assist with purchasing and acquisition of network components and services.

Assist the Director of IT Infrastructure with short-term planning and long-term planning for network operations; work with end-users to understand utilization and networking needs.

Assist with the development of procedures and standards pertaining to network operations.

Receive, prepare, and process a variety of reports, correspondence, inventories, and other documentation as necessary to carry out job responsibilities and comply with departmental or city procedures.

Participate in/on a variety of meetings, conferences, training sessions, and/or other related groups in order to receive and convey information.

Be available during the normal business hours, and may occasionally be asked to vary their schedule and/or work overtime to meet department requirements.

Must be able to maintain good interpersonal relationships with staff, co-workers, managers, and citizens.

Must accomplish the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner.

Performs other duties as assigned.

DEPARTMENT SPECIFIC DUTIES (if any):
None

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology, Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field and four (4) years of professional experience in data communications, networking, troubleshooting and repair, supplemented by the necessary years of education/technical training in data communications; or any combination of equivalent experience and education.

LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS:
Valid Driver’s License
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise preferred.
Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) Enterprise Infrastructure preferred.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
Communicate professionally and maintain effective relationships with administrative and elected officials, vendors, outside government agencies, the public, and fellow employees through oral and written communication. Expert knowledge of network and routing protocols. Expert knowledge of switch configuration and programming. Expert knowledge of enterprise network designs. Expert knowledge of firewall administration (Zones and Policies). Checkpoint firewall experience is a plus. Continually gain new knowledge and understand new technologies by reading and understanding technical publications. Ability to determine, define, and analyze problem definitions and requirements, and propose solutions. Ability to configure, test, and troubleshoot network equipment. Ability to work in a team-based environment. A complete understanding of the OSI model. Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing. Ability to problem-solve and think logically. Ability to be a team player who is self-organized, self-disciplined, and eager to constantly improve themselves and team processes for efficiency and progress. Ability to adapt to a changing work environment.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:
Positions in this class typically require fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing, and repetitive motions.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull, or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met. Work will generally be performed using computer equipment in an indoor office environment. Some work will require outdoor configurations and installation. Setup or maintenance of some peripheral equipment may require work in areas such as data rooms or wiring closets with restricted room for movement.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

Safety Sensitive: N
Department of Transportation - CDL: N
Child Sensitive: N

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION:

This position requires pre-employment screening(s) that include: background check/ fingerprinting / CJIS check.

The City of Chattanooga, Tennessee is an Equal Opportunity Employer. In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the City will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities and encourages both prospective and current employees to discuss potential accommodations with the employer.

KNV 8/10/2026

KJF