Job Description

Location: Waukegan, IL
Duration: 6 12 Month Contract (with potential extension)
Type: Onsite

We are seeking an experienced Network Operations Engineer to oversee and manage day-to-day network operations within an Application Management Services (AMS) delivery environment. The ideal candidate should possess strong hands-on expertise in enterprise network infrastructure, excellent troubleshooting abilities, and proven experience managing client expectations and operational escalations.

• Lead and manage daily operational activities for enterprise network environments (LAN/WAN, firewalls, routers, switches, VPN).

• Ensure network stability, availability, and performance in alignment with SLAs and KPIs.

• Perform network upgrades, patching, configuration updates, and new deployments.

• Oversee monitoring and alerting using tools such as SolarWinds, Cisco Prime, or equivalent NMS platforms.

• Manage high-availability network setups, redundancy configurations, and failover planning.

• Respond to and resolve major incidents, performance degradation, and network outages.

• Work closely with cross-functional teams to diagnose, troubleshoot, and optimize network performance.

• Handle client escalations with timely communication and resolution tracking.

• Execute change management activities following ITIL processes.

• Implement and maintain network security controls (ACLs, firewalls, VPN, IPS/IDS).

• Work with security teams to enforce compliance, perform audits, and remediate vulnerabilities.

• Support backup, recovery, and disaster recovery strategies for network infrastructure.

• Coordinate with application, infrastructure, and cloud teams for integrated support and optimization.

• Mentor and guide junior network engineers, ensuring continuous skill development.

• Prepare, update, and maintain documentation for network configurations, policies, and processes.

• 8 12+ years of hands-on network engineering/operations experience.

• Strong expertise with Cisco network technologies (routers, switches, firewalls) or equivalent vendors.

• Solid hands-on experience with network monitoring and management tools (SolarWinds, Cisco DNA Center, Nagios, etc.).

• Proficiency in routing & switching protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), VLANs, STP, QoS, and VPN technologies.

• Experience managing high-availability network setups, redundancy, and failover systems.

• Strong understanding of firewalls (Cisco ASA, Palo Alto, Fortinet), load balancers, and security best practices.

• Working knowledge of Linux/Windows environments as they relate to networking.

• Basic scripting/automation experience (Python, Shell, PowerShell) is a plus.

• Excellent communication skills with the ability to handle client escalations and manage expectations.

• Familiarity with ITIL processes and AMS delivery models.

• Strong leadership and team coordination abilities.

• Excellent problem-solving and analytical thinking.

• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.

• Strong documentation, reporting, and communication skills.

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