Data Protection Manager Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

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Position Purpose:

This position provides reliable, secure, productive, and convenient networked data sharing, printing, and communication services to faculty, staff, administrators, and students through the design, planning, installation, security, and maintenance of the Universities network systems and associated software. The position serves as a primary technical lead for network security and compliance, including implementation and operational support of security controls aligned with NIST 800171, Minnesota State system security policies, and applicable legal and regulatory standards. The incumbent also assesses, maintains, and periodically upgrades cybersecurity controls and network infrastructure to ensure secure, compliant, and resilient operations.

Responsibilities:

Responsibility #1: Network engineering and secure configuration (build/implement)

• Install, configure, and maintain routers, switches, firewalls, and VPN solutions to deliver reliable campus network services, following State of MN, Minnesota State, and industry standards.
• Implement secure baselines and hardening (e.g., access control, segmentation, encryption, logging) to reduce risk and support compliance with NIST 800 171 and Minnesota State security requirements.
• Evaluate network security needs across campus networks and recommend improvements to reliability, manageability, performance, and security.
• Test and validate new network services, equipment, and configuration changes prior to production deployment.
  

Responsibility #2: Network architecture, service design, and security-by-design (plan)

• Analyze campus operational needs and applicable data/network security policies to define service requirements.
• Design and evolve campus-wide network services and architecture that provide reliable, secure, and scalable connectivity.
• Identify and recommend network technologies, equipment, and applications that best meet requirements within policy, budget, and operational constraints.
• Conduct design reviews and risk assessments to ensure proposed solutions meet security, compliance, and operational requirements.
• Align designs with evolving cybersecurity standards and relevant NIST control families.
  

Responsibility #3: Troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and remediation (restore service)

• Troubleshoot complex network incidents affecting performance, availability, and connectivity across campus wired/wireless networks.
• Use diagnostic, monitoring, and forensic tools to isolate root cause, validate impact, and determine corrective action.
• Implement corrective changes and recommend preventive measures to reduce recurring issues, threats, and vulnerabilities.
  

Responsibility #4: Backup, recovery, and data protection (resilience)

• Identify, evaluate, and maintain the tools, infrastructure, and resources required to protect and back up server-based data and applications.
• Install, configure, and administer backup software and jobs; establish and maintain standards-based backup and retention procedures.
• Test restores and validate recoverability to ensure services and data can be restored during outages, failures, or disaster scenarios.
• Ensure backup controls and procedures align with NIST guidelines and Minnesota State system requirements for data protection.

Responsibility #5: Network and cybersecurity operations (monitor, respond, improve)

• Establish and maintain network performance baselines and continuously monitor health, capacity, and utilization to confirm services are functioning as intended.
• Review and correlate security and network logs (including SIEM platforms) to detect anomalies, unauthorized access attempts, and policy violations; respond to cybersecurity alerts.
• Tune configurations and coordinate changes to improve reliability, performance, and security while maintaining required service levels.
• Perform vulnerability management, including timely patching and remediation as vulnerabilities and fixes become available.
• Lead or participate in incident response investigations in cooperation with Minnesota State IT Security, including documentation, escalation, and required reporting.
• Monitor network services for compliance with University acceptable use and other applicable policies and standards.
  

Responsibility #6: Technical documentation and audit readiness (sustain)

• Create and maintain documentation for network services and infrastructure (equipment specifications and configurations, diagrams, installation procedures, licensing, resource locations, and required access/security information) to support maintenance and restoration.
• Maintain system documentation and evidence that supports audits, NIST compliance reviews, and security assessments.
  

Responsibility #7: Service support, continuous improvement, and professional development

• Provide operational support by monitoring and resolving Help Desk tickets related to network services and security controls.
• Maintain awareness of evolving network and cybersecurity threats, tools, and mitigation strategies; apply lessons learned to improve controls and configurations.
• Analyze recurring incidents and trends; recommend corrective actions and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Maintain currency in industry trends and developments in network engineering, monitoring, and troubleshooting through ongoing professional development.
• Perform other related duties as assigned to ensure the smooth functioning of the department.

Salary Range:

$33.38 - $54.87 hourly.

$69,697 - $114,569 annually.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Three years of work experience in network administration in a Microsoft or Cisco networking environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge and hands-on experience with enterprise networking fundamentals and services (e.g., switching/routing, wireless, network security practices, and common design concepts such as VLANs, NAT, VPN, and encryption).
• Demonstrated ability to install, configure, maintain, and troubleshoot network equipment and related software to restore service with minimal downtime, independently or as part of a team.
• Experience creating and maintaining technical documentation (system design/configuration) and communicating technical information to groups.
• Knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks and controls (e.g., NIST 800 171, CIS Controls, or equivalent), including security monitoring/event review, risk assessment, and maintaining compliance-related documentation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or higher in information technology, computer science, computer information systems, or a related field.
• One year or more of IT experience in higher education (preferably within the Minnesota State system).
• Industry certifications relevant to network administration and/or cybersecurity (e.g., Cisco, Microsoft, CompTIA, GIAC, or similar).
• Experience with cloud networking security and modern security tooling, such as Azure and/or AWS networking, and SIEM/EDR platforms (e.g., Microsoft Defender for Endpoint, Microsoft Defender for Identity, Splunk, or similar).
• Experience leading or participating in incident response and forensics investigations, and applying industry trends and best practices to improve network and security services.

Other Requirements:

• The successful candidate must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States by the day employment begins. The University regrets that we are unable to offer H1-B sponsorship at this time.
• A completed application will include a resume and cover letter

Work Shift (Hours / Days of work):

Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM-4:30 PM.

Telework (Yes/No):

No

About:

Minnesota State Moorhead is a vibrant community that pushes you to forge your own path. Help shape a campus where students thrive, connect, and lead!

Benefits Information:

At Minnesota State, we have a GREAT BENEFITS PACKAGE! Our generous benefits include 11 paid Holidays, Vacation Time, Sick Time, six weeks of Paid Parental Leave, low cost medical and dental insurance with low deductibles ($250 - $1500), a Pension Plan, 457(b) and 403(b) retirement plans and other retirement investment options, pre-tax medical and dental expense (with roll-over option) and dependent care accounts, employer paid life insurance, short and long term disability, as well as professional development and a tuition waiver program for employees and their dependents, etc. We promote the health and well-being of our employees and take work/life balance seriously.

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