| Posting Number: | 20260231S |
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| Position Title: | Lead Network Engineer |
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| Position Type: | Staff |
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| Location: | Villanova, PA |
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| Recruitment Type: | Internal/External Applicants |
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| Work Schedule: | full-time/12-months |
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| Avg Hours Week | |
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| Department: | 717-UTS - Data Networks Services |
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| Position Summary: | Why work at Villanova?
- Join a mission-driven organization. Since Villanova University's founding in 1842, we have been inspired by the values of truth, unity, and love, and are a community dedicated to service to others.
- Villanova has been included among the nation's best colleges and universities. VU's inclusion again in U.S. News & World Report's 2025 "Best Colleges" rankings is another indication of the University's continued prominence and forward momentum.
- Villanova's most precious asset is our people. As an employee, you will receive a holistic benefits package, generous paid time off, a competitive retirement savings plan, flexible work options, wellness programs including gym membership, professional development, tuition assistance, and more.
The Lead Network Engineer serves as the senior, hands‑on technical leader for network engineering and design at Villanova University. This role is responsible for day‑to‑day network operations and for guiding the ongoing evolution of the University's network infrastructure to ensure reliability, scalability, and resiliency across distributed campus environments.
The Lead Network Engineer applies deep technical expertise to complex engineering initiatives while remaining directly engaged in hands‑on design, implementation, and operational support. This role influences network design direction, balances immediate operational needs with long‑term sustainability, and collaborates across IT domains to support current and future institutional requirements.
Villanova is a Catholic university sponsored by the Augustinian Order. The University is an equal opportunity employer and seeks candidates who understand, respect and can contribute to the University's mission and values.
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| Duties and Responsibilities: | Network Engineering & Architecture - Establishes and evolves network design direction and engineering approaches for routing, switching, wireless, and connectivity services.
- Leads major network engineering initiatives while remaining directly involved in hands‑on design and implementation work.
- Develops and refines network design patterns that balance current operational realities with forward‑looking technical solutions.
- Applies hands‑on engineering experience and awareness of emerging technologies to evolve network design approaches in response to operational needs.
- Leads complex solutioning efforts that address immediate technical challenges while supporting long‑term network sustainability.
- Designs and evolves network architectures that support current enterprise and campus operations while enabling future hybrid and cloud connectivity needs.
Operational Excellence & Lifecycle Management
- Independently leads hands‑on resolution of complex and high‑impact network issues affecting service availability.
- Guides lifecycle strategy, reliability improvements, and continuity planning to ensure consistent connectivity and service resilience across campuses.
- Applies deep operational knowledge to reduce technical risk and strengthen reliability across network services.
- Leads root‑cause analysis and implements corrective actions for complex issues to improve long‑term network resilience.
- Leverages automation and AI‑enabled operational tools to support monitoring, diagnostics, and routine network administration tasks, improving response time and operational consistency.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Network Enablement - Acts as a senior technical partner across IT domains to align network engineering efforts with institutional priorities and emerging needs.
- Collaborates closely with peers to ensure network solutions support broader enterprise capabilities.
- Partners across application, security, and infrastructure teams to align network engineering decisions while remaining directly engaged in technical work.
- Perform other duties and assist with projects as assigned.
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| Minimum Qualifications: | Formal Education - Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Networking, Computer Science, or a related technical field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Work Experience
- Ten or more years of progressive experience in network engineering roles supporting enterprise network environments.
- Demonstrated experience leading complex network engineering initiatives, including design, implementation, modernization, and sustained operational support.
- Experience applying network engineering practices to improve scalability, resiliency, security, and long‑term sustainability of network services in large or distributed environments.
Work Skills (e.g., written and verbal communication skills)
- Strong technical leadership skills, including the ability to guide complex engineering efforts while remaining hands‑on in day‑to‑day work.
- Excellent analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to evaluate complex technical challenges and determine effective solutions.
- Clear written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to collaborate across engineering, operations, security, and infrastructure teams.
- Ability to balance immediate operational needs with longer‑term engineering considerations and design direction.
- Ability to apply emerging technologies, including AI‑enabled tools, ethically and responsibly to improve efficiency, reliability, and decision‑making in network engineering work.
Specific Job Knowledge (e.g., knowledge of principles and procedures related to field and area)
- Deep expertise in enterprise network engineering and design, including routing, switching, wireless networking, and network resiliency strategies.
- Advanced knowledge of network protocols and services such as TCP/IP, VLANs, dynamic routing protocols such as OSPF and BGP, QoS, NAT, and traffic management.
- Strong understanding of network security design considerations, including access controls, segmentation, firewalling, and risk reduction practices.
- Advanced understanding of network monitoring, diagnostics, and performance analysis techniques used to inform engineering and lifecycle decisions.
- Knowledge of how to evolve network design approaches based on hands‑on operational experience, emerging technologies, and changing requirements.
- Working understanding of cloud and hybrid networking concepts as they relate to enterprise network design, connectivity, and long‑term infrastructure planning.
Equipment Knowledge
- Knowledge of enterprise network infrastructure components, network monitoring platforms, and diagnostic and troubleshooting tools commonly used in large-scale environments.
- Understanding of physical network infrastructure concepts, including fiber and copper cabling considerations, installation standards, and associated support impacts.
Other:
- Provides flexibility to support critical network operations, including participation in off‑hours maintenance windows and incident response, to ensure continued availability and reliability of network services.
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| Preferred Qualifications: | Formal Education - Advanced degree in Information Technology, Networking, Computer Science, or a related technical field.
- Relevant professional certifications (for example, CCNP, JNCIS, or equivalent enterprise networking certifications).
Work Experience
- Experience in environments where networking supports business‑critical or institutional operations, rather than customer‑premises or residential services.
- Experience working in higher education or similarly complex institutional environments.
- Experience designing or supporting networks spanning multiple buildings, sites, or locations, including core, distribution, and access layer architectures.
- Exposure to hybrid or cloud‑connected networking environments.
Specific Job Knowledge (e.g., knowledge of principles and procedures related to field and area) - Deeper knowledge of cloud and hybrid networking concepts, including how enterprise networks integrate with cloud platforms such as Microsoft Azure.
- Understanding of how network architecture must evolve to support future platform adoption, integrations, and service delivery models.
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| Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours: | Tools, machinery and equipment used: - Laptop or desktop computer and standard office technology
- Enterprise network infrastructure, management platforms, and monitoring systems
- Network diagnostic and troubleshooting tools
- Occasional use of basic hand tools, testing devices, and portable equipment when supporting network facilities or conducting onsite work
Environmental conditions: (any unusual/adverse conditions such as exposure to chemicals, noise, illumination, air quality, weather exposure etc.).
- Work may occur in data centers, network closets, wiring spaces, and other infrastructure locations that may involve varying temperatures, noise levels, lighting conditions, or confined spaces.
- Periodic outdoor work may be required, including travel between buildings or access to external network infrastructure, which may involve exposure to weather conditions such as heat, cold, rain, or snow.
- Limited exposure to dust, equipment noise, or similar environmental conditions may occur while working around network infrastructure.
Physical requirements: (items such as lifting, pushing, pulling, standing or sitting for extended periods of time, manual dexterity, walking etc.)
- Ability to sit or stand for extended periods while working at a computer or during onsite support activities
- Ability to walk campus grounds, including between buildings and outdoor locations, as required
- Ability to occasionally lift, move, or position equipment weighing up to approximately 50 pounds
- Ability to climb ladders or step stools, crouch, kneel, or reach as necessary when accessing network equipment
- Manual dexterity sufficient to operate standard office equipment and network hardware
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| Special Message to Applicants: | |
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| Posting Date: | 05/13/2026 |
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| Closing Date (11:59pm ET): | |
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| Salary Posting Information: | This position falls within salaried grade 18 and the range is $130,500-145,000 The final salary will be determined with consideration of several factors including the selected candidate's qualifications, department budget availability, market data, and internal equity. |
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| Salary Grade: | 18 |
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| Job Classification: | exempt |
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