Senior Network Engineer/Architect (Network Communications Analyst IV)

Position Summary San Diego State University is seeking an experienced Senior Network Engineer/Architect to help shape the future of the enterprise network infrastructure connecting SDSU’s campuses, research environments, and university operations. In this senior technical role, you’ll architect and engineer large-scale wired, wireless, WAN, data center, cloud-connected, and research networks while leading complex infrastructure modernization initiatives from design through deployment.

You’ll combine hands-on engineering with long-term architectural strategy—solving SDSU’s most challenging network problems, evaluating emerging technologies, and helping ensure the university’s network remains secure, resilient, scalable, and ready for what’s next.

Key Responsibilities

• Enterprise Network Architecture & Engineering

• Design and evolve highly available enterprise wired, wireless, core, WAN/Internet, data center, cloud-connected, and research network architectures.
• Engineer complex Layer 2 and Layer 3 environments, including routing, switching, segmentation, redundancy, QoS, IPv4/IPv6, BGP, OSPF, and related technologies.
• Assess capacity, performance, resiliency, lifecycle needs, and technical debt to guide network modernization.

• Develop network architecture strategies and multi-year roadmaps that support university growth and technology priorities.

• Network Modernization & Technical Project Leadership

• Serve as technical lead and network architect for complex, university-wide infrastructure projects and network lifecycle initiatives.
• Lead projects from requirements and architectural design through migration, testing, deployment, validation, and operational transition.
• Develop implementation plans, migration strategies, testing criteria, risk mitigation, and rollback procedures.

• Coordinate complex projects across IT teams, campus partners, Facilities, vendors, consultants, service providers, and other stakeholders.

• Advanced Network Engineering & Resiliency

• Serve as a senior escalation resource for complex routing, switching, wireless, connectivity, segmentation, performance, and interoperability issues.
• Perform advanced packet, protocol, routing, telemetry, RF, and performance analysis to identify root causes and long-term solutions.
• Engineer high-availability and fault-tolerant network services and support restoration during significant network incidents.

• Use network observability and analysis technologies to optimize performance, coverage, security, and infrastructure reliability.

• Architecture, Standards & Technical Leadership

• Develop network architecture diagrams, engineering standards, reference architectures, configuration standards, and technical runbooks.
• Evaluate emerging networking, cloud, wireless, automation, security, observability, and research technologies.
• Provide technical direction and mentorship to network engineers and analysts while promoting strong engineering and documentation practices.
• Review and validate vendor and integrator designs to ensure solutions meet SDSU’s technical, security, resiliency, and architectural standards.

What We’re Looking For We’re looking for an experienced network engineer or architect who enjoys tackling complex infrastructure challenges while thinking strategically about where enterprise networking is headed.

Experience in areas such as the following is especially valuable:

• Large-scale enterprise wired and wireless network architecture
• Advanced routing and switching, including BGP, OSPF, IPv4/IPv6, segmentation, and high availability
• Aruba, ALE/Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise, Palo Alto Networks, Infoblox, ClearPass, or comparable enterprise platforms
• Network security and access control
• Network observability, packet analysis, RF engineering, and performance troubleshooting
• Enterprise network modernization, lifecycle refreshes, and infrastructure migrations
• High-performance or research networking
• Technical architecture, documentation, and standards development
• Leading complex network infrastructure projects
• Working with vendors, integrators, service providers, and other technical partners

Advanced certifications such as CCIE, CCNP, Aruba advanced/expert-level certifications, PCNSE, AWS/Azure Advanced Networking, or equivalent are a plus.

Why Join Us?

• Architect networks at scale – Help design the infrastructure connecting SDSU’s campuses, research envir…