Network Architect - Consultant

Network Architect

Location: Columbia, SC (On-site)
Employment Type: Contract

About the Role

Our client's Division of Information Technology has an immediate need for highly specialized enterprise network engineering expertise to support critical infrastructure initiatives and ensure operational continuity across the organization's enterprise technology environment. The current workload, combined with strategic modernization efforts and increasing demands on enterprise networking, requires an experienced senior engineer capable of independently leading complex infrastructure design, implementation, automation, and operational support initiatives.
This position will provide advanced engineering expertise necessary to complete critical enterprise networking projects, improve infrastructure resiliency, modernize aging systems, and establish technical standards that support the Client's long-term strategic objectives. The engagement will also provide technical leadership and knowledge transfer to strengthen ongoing operational support capabilities.

This is an on-site position at the Client's downtown Columbia, SC campus. Occasional remote work is permissible, but the majority of work will take place on site.
The Network Architect will serve as the Division's senior technical resource for enterprise network architecture, engineering, modernization, and operational excellence. Working collaboratively with Enterprise Architecture, Network Operations, Information Security, Cloud Services, Facilities Planning, project teams, vendors, and campus stakeholders, the incumbent will design, implement, and optimize the Client's enterprise networking environment.

Scope of the Project

• Define and advance the long-term technical vision and architecture for the Client's Enterprise Data Network (EDN), translating institutional requirements into scalable, secure, resilient network solutions.

• Provide architecture and engineering leadership for enterprise LAN, WAN, wireless, data center, cloud, hybrid networking, and network security technologies.
• Lead complex network infrastructure projects and modernization initiatives that improve reliability, resiliency, scalability, security, and operational efficiency.
• Develop enterprise network architecture standards, engineering standards, reference architectures, technical roadmaps, lifecycle recommendations, and supporting documentation.
• Design highly available network infrastructure and connectivity across campus, data center, cloud, and external service environments.
• Advance network automation, orchestration, Infrastructure as Code, and deployment practices that improve consistency, efficiency, and reliability.
• Develop and improve enterprise monitoring, observability, alerting, analytics, capacity planning, and operational metrics supporting proactive infrastructure management.
• Provide senior technical leadership for complex infrastructure issues, priority incidents, architecture decisions, and advanced engineering challenges.
• Coordinate network architecture and engineering initiatives with Network Operations, Information Security, Cloud Services, Physical Network Infrastructure, Facilities Planning, project teams, vendors, contractors, and campus stakeholders.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, support technical procurement and vendor evaluations, and provide knowledge transfer and documentation supporting long-term operational sustainability.

Daily Duties / Responsibilities

• Provide technical and project leadership for enterprise network architecture, advanced engineering, modernization, and infrastructure implementation initiatives, including hands-on engineering when required.
• Design and engineer scalable, resilient, and secure LAN, WAN, wireless, data center, cloud, VPN, firewall, and Network Access Control solutions.
• Develop and maintain enterprise network architectures, engineering standards, technical roadmaps, network diagrams, and other technical documentation; review and validate network designs and engineering solutions developed by other technical staff.
• Analyze institutional, business, and technical requirements and translate them into enterprise network designs and implementation strategies.
• Lead network modernization, lifecycle planning, capacity planning, and remediation of aging or at-risk infrastructure.
• Develop and implement monitoring, observability, automation, orchestration, and operational metrics to proactively assess and improve enterprise network health, capacity, performance, and operational efficiency.
• Serve as a senior technical resource and Tier III escalation point for complex network incidents and engineering issues, performing advanced troubleshooting and providing architecture-level guidance and resolution when required.
• Coordinate architecture and engineering activities with Network Operations, Information Security, Physical Network Infrastructure, Facilities Planning, project teams, contractors, consultants, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and solutions and provide technical recommendations supporting procurement, investment, and long-term infrastructure planning.
• Provide technical mentoring, knowledge transfer, and engineering guidance to Network Operations and other technical personnel; participate in maintenance windows and after-hours support when required.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Skills

1. 4+ years of experience with enterprise network architecture and engineering within complex, mission-critical environments.

2. 4+ years of experience with LAN/WAN technologies, including Juniper enterprise routing and switching, TCP/IP, enterprise routing protocols, DNS, DHCP, and IPAM.
3. 4+ years of experience leading complex network architecture and engineering initiatives from requirements and design through implementation, troubleshooting, and operational transition.
4. 4+ years of experience with enterprise infrastructure modernization, lifecycle planning, capacity planning, resiliency, and high-availability design.
5. 4+ years of experience with network security architecture and technologies, including Fortinet firewalls and VPN/SASE technologies, Network Access Control (NAC), segmentation, and security policy implementation.
6. 4+ years of experience with cloud and hybrid networking, including AWS or Microsoft Azure.
7. 4+ years of experience with network automation, orchestration, scripting, and Infrastructure as Code concepts and technologies.
8. 4+ years of experience with enterprise network monitoring, observability, analytics, metrics, and performance management.

Preferred Skills

1. Experience developing enterprise network strategy, architecture standards, reference architectures, and long-term technology roadmaps.

2. Experience supporting network architecture and engineering in a complex higher education environment, including academic, research, administrative, and other diverse institutional technology requirements.
3. Experience with Aruba and Cisco enterprise switching and wireless technologies, including software-defined and centrally managed network architectures.
4. Experience implementing enterprise observability, telemetry, automation, and proactive or self-healing infrastructure capabilities.
5. Experience with virtualization, cloud networking, and hybrid cloud infrastructure.
6. Experience coordinating infrastructure projects with facilities organizations, architects, contractors, consultants, and external engineering firms.
7. Experience supporting enterprise cybersecurity, zero-trust, segmentation, and secure network architecture initiatives.

Required Education / Certifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Network Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a closely related discipline, or equivalent work experience.

Preferred Education / Certifications

• Juniper Networks Certified Professional – Enterprise Routing and Switching (JNCIP-ENT) or higher.

• Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP) or higher certification relevant to network security, firewalls, or secure networking.
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP Enterprise) or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).
• Aruba networking certification relevant to enterprise switching, wireless, or network architecture.
• AWS or Microsoft Azure certification relevant to advanced networking or cloud network architecture.
• ITIL Foundation or higher.
• CompTIA Security+

Additional Skills

1. Technical documentation, standards development, and architecture diagrams.

2. Project management and enterprise implementation experience.
3. Technical mentoring and knowledge transfer.
4. Excellent written, verbal, analytical, and customer service skills.
5. Advanced troubleshooting and technical leadership during complex or mission-critical network incidents.
6. Strong technical communication, documentation, stakeholder coordination, vendor management, and knowledge-transfer skills.
7. Demonstrated project leadership experience coordinating complex technical initiatives across multiple teams, stakeholders, vendors, and organizational units.