Senior Network Engineer

Here at Ellucian, we are motivated by a mission – power education so institutions can empower student success. We are the global market leader in EdTech for higher education, serving more than 2,900 customers and reaching over 22 million students in 50 countries. We are dedicated to helping higher education unlock learning for all by providing solutions that support the entire student lifecycle and deliver insights needed now and into the future.

We embrace the power to lead, the courage to innovate, and the determination to grow. At our core, we believe in humanizing our approach, recognizing that our people are our greatest strength. With a shared vision of transformation, we endeavor to shape a brighter future for higher education.

We are seeking a skilled Senior Network Engineer to join our dynamic team and contribute to the development and maintenance of our network infrastructure. The successful candidate will have expertise in Zero Trust principles, Layer 2 to Layer 3 conversion, wireless controllers, Cisco Catalyst Center, Cisco Nexus/Catalyst, Palo Alto firewalls, infrastructure cabling, meticulous documentation practices, and a strong understanding of change enablement processes. This role offers an exciting opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies and play a key role in the company’s network evolution. This role will be 100% onsite at Washtenaw Community College based in Ann Arbor, MI. This role will be reporting to the Director of Technical Services.

Where you will make an impact

• Design, implement, and maintain network solutions, ensuring optimal performance and scalability.
• Implement Zero Trust security principles across the network infrastructure, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality.
• Lead Layer 2 to Layer 3 conversion projects, ensuring seamless transition and minimal disruption to operations.
• Create comprehensive physical and logical network documentation, maintaining accuracy and clarity for reference and troubleshooting purposes.
• Plan and execute network infrastructure upgrades.
• Manage and lead wireless infrastructure initiatives including network upgrades, large-scale deployments, and organizational expansions, ensuring optimal performance, coverage, and reliability for all wireless environments.
• Leverage Cisco Catalyst Center for centralized management and automation of Cisco Catalyst switches and wireless networks, enhancing operational efficiency and network visibility.
• Plan and oversee infrastructure cabling, including fiber and copper installations, ensuring proper design, installation, and maintenance to support current and future network demands.
• Deploy and manage Cisco Nexus switches, optimizing high-performance data center environments, and ensuring scalable, secure, and resilient network infrastructure.
• Configure, manage, and maintain Palo Alto firewalls for enterprise-level security, implementing security policies, monitoring traffic, and ensuring network protection from cyber threats.
• Implement effective change enablement processes, including stakeholder communication, risk assessment, and impact analysis, to minimize disruptions and ensure smooth implementation of network changes.
• Conduct thorough testing of network upgrades and changes, collaborating with system Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to validate functionality and performance.
• Develop robust rollback plans and procedures to mitigate risks associated with network changes.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure alignment of network solutions with business objectives and requirements.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior team members, fostering skill development and knowledge sharing within the team.

What you will bring

• 7+ years of experience in network engineering roles.
• In-depth knowledge of Zero Trust security principles and best practices.
• Proven experience in Layer 2 to Layer 3 conversion projects, with a track record of successful implementations.
• Proficiency in network documentation using Visio or similar tools.
• Strong command-line interface (CLI) skills and experience with network device configuration.
• Solid understanding of network protocols, including TCP/IP, VLANs, and routing protocols (e.g., EIGRP, BGP.)
• Experience in managing and configuring wireless controllers for enterprise-level wireless networks.
• Proven experience in leading wireless infrastructure projects, including upgrades, deployments, and expanding organizational wireless capabilities.
• Proficiency in Cisco Catalyst Center for managing and automating network infrastructure.
• Experience in infrastructure cabling, including the design, installation, and maintenance of fiber optic and copper cabling systems.
• Experience in managing Cisco Nexus switches in high-performance data centers, including configuration, maintenance, and optimization.
• Expertise in configuring and managing Palo Alto firewalls, including security policy configuration, traffic monitoring, and threat prevention.
• Experience with network testing methodologies and tools.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, with a keen attention to detail.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Relevant certifications (e.g., CCNP, CWNA, Palo Alto Networks PCNSE, Cisco Certified Specialist, or equivalent) are a plus.
• Change Management: Demonstrated expertise in change management processes, including stakeholder communication, risk assessment, and impact analysis.
• Proven ability to develop and implement effective change enablement strategies to minimize disruptions and ensure smooth implementation of network changes.
• Experience in documenting and tracking changes, ensuring compliance with organizational policies and procedures.
• Familiarity with change management frameworks such as ITIL or similar methodologies is highly desirable.
• Comprehensive health coverage: medical, dental, and vision 
• Flexible time off 
• Thrive Flex Lifestyle Account (LSA) that allows you to contribute towards your health, financial or learning interests
• 401k w/ match & BrightPlan – to help you save for the future
• Parental Leave
• 5 charitable days to support the community that supports us
• Telemedicine
• Wellness
• Headspace Care (mental health)
• Wellbeats (virtual fitness classes)
• RethinkCare & Wellthy– caregiver support
• Diversity and inclusion programs which provide access to internal employee resource groups 
• Employee referral bonuses to encourage the addition of great new people to the team
• We Foster a learning culture with:
• Education Assistance Program 
• Professional development opportunities

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