Help Desk Tier 1 Jobs in Champaign, IL (NOW HIRING)

NOC Engineer I

At Pavlov Media, we’re on a mission to create something extraordinary. We’re passionate about delivering a far superior internet experience to the communities we serve, powered by cutting-edge fiber technology. But it’s not just about speed and reliability—at Pavlov, we see our role as an opportunity to bring people closer together. Through the services we provide, we connect more than just devices; we help foster connections that strengthen communities, businesses, and enrich lives. If you’re looking to be part of a team that’s making a real impact, Pavlov Media is the place for you.

Job Description:

This is an onsite position located in Champaign, IL.

The NOC Engineer 1 is an onsite role based in Champaign, Illinois. This position is responsible for designing and supporting enterprise networks for Pavlov Media customers, while also guiding junior technicians in managing end-user support escalations. As a skilled network professional with specialized expertise, the NOC Engineer 1 plays a critical role in diagnosing and resolving network issues across localized, building-wide, and site-wide systems. Troubleshooting is primarily performed remotely, often with the assistance of field service technicians. This role requires a solid understanding of networking fundamentals and Pavlov’s standards for network design, security, and Active Ethernet and GPON/XGPON configurations. The NOC Engineer 1 also supports field technicians and educates junior technicians in networking principles and Pavlov’s practices.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

• Respond to network outages efficiently.
• Answer calls from field technicians and dispatchers, ensuring adherence to service-level goals.
• Collaborate with field operations to resolve outages, expand networks, or add new functionality for customers.
• Encourage and support team members in following up on open cases, service calls, and issue tracking.
• Under the guidance of NOC Managers and the NOC Director, monitor, investigate, and address network performance issues beyond outages.

• Maintain a professional demeanor with internal and external contacts while addressing issues and outages.
• Remotely troubleshoot Ethernet and fiber optic issues to assess if physical repairs are needed and prepare clear scopes of work for dispatch as necessary.
• Diagnose and resolve customer-impacting issues across OSI layers 1-4 on Pavlov networks.
• Identify and escalate issues affecting customer satisfaction or retention through the appropriate channels.
• Stay informed on Pavlov products and supported networks, including standard firmware, designs, and known hardware/firmware issues.
• Use a scientific approach to problem-solving, escalating complex issues to network professionals and third-party vendors as needed.
• Review and recommend process improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
• Assist the engineering team in developing departmental knowledge resources for onboarding and junior technician education.
• Lead or participate in special projects or other assignments as directed.
• Escalation occurs via tiered support: Tier 1 → NOC Tech I → NOC Tech II → NOC Tech III → NOC Engineer I → NOC Engineer II.

Required Qualifications:

• High School diploma or equivalent required.
• Desired Certifications: Cisco CCNA, Ruckus RCNI or RWNA, or similar network-centric certifications.
• Minimum of three years' experience supporting enterprise networks with routing and switching components.
• Minimum of one year supporting a Campus LAN deployment in a BYOD environment, including the access layer.
• Strong knowledge of enterprise network design and implementation concepts.
• Experience with Linux and familiarity with scripting languages (e.g., BaSH, Python) is a plus.

Desired Qualifications:

• Solution-oriented approach to problem-solving.
• Experience troubleshooting local area network issues and end-user devices.
• Familiarity with remote monitoring tools (e.g., LibreNMS, Nagios, SolarWinds, Zabbix).
• Ability to work under tight deadlines to resolve customer-impacting issues.
• Strong technical and non-technical communication skills for collaborating with network professionals.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and organizational skills, with experience in technical documentation.
• Adaptability and a positive attitude toward process improvements.
• Solid understanding of OSI model layers 1-4 and knowledge of routers, switches, Wi-Fi, fiber optics, and other networking components.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Windows 10/11, macOS, PC hardware, and Microsoft Office 365.

Physical Requirements:

The successful candidate will be able to perform the following with or without reasonable accommodation:

• Ability to sit for prolonged periods
• Ability to lift up to 15 lbs

Compensation & Benefits:

The salary range for this position is: $30.00-$42.00

Actual base pay for this job will depend on the candidate's primary work location and other factors, such as relevant skills and experience. Pavlov Media is committed to complying with the Equal Pay Act and places a strong emphasis on internal equity when determining compensation. Final pay will be determined based on the candidate’s skills, experience, and alignment with our internal equity standards, ensuring fairness and consistency across the organization. The salary banding for this role also allows room for growth, with opportunities for pay increases within the band based on performance and contributions.

Compensation is one part of the total rewards package at Pavlov Media. We also offer the following benefits to support the well-being of our employees:

• 15 company paid holidays
• 3 weeks PTO
• Medical, Dental, Vision starting day one
• 401K with company match
• Health and Flexible Savings Account
• Life and AD&D, Spousal Life, Child Life Insurance Plans
• Educational and professional reimbursement
• Short- and long-term disability benefits

Pavlov Media is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodation.

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