Network Operations Associate Jobs in Chicago, IL

Who We Are: 
Waukegan Community Unit School District No. 60 serves nearly 13,000 students in preschool through grade 12 and is located 40 miles from Chicago, Illinois, and 55 miles from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the shores of Lake Michigan. The District has one early learning center, 15 elementary schools, five middle schools, and a high school program divided between two 9th 12th grade campuses. The District encompasses portions of Waukegan, Beach Park, and Park City.

Why We Do This Work: 
The Waukegan Community Unit School District No. 60 has set an ambitious agenda for change, guided by the belief that all children, regardless of circumstances, can achieve at high levels and academic gaps can and will be eliminated with the support of teachers who deliver engaging, relevant, and academically rigorous instruction that excites students and instills a love of learning in them.
What We Need: 
Collaborates across various departments, including Information Technology, as well as Academic Supports and Programs, Operations, Parents and Students, Safety, and Community.  To offer technical assistance across the district as needed for network administration. The C.T. - Network Support Technician is directly responsible to the Manager of Network Services for the Information Technology Services Department and indirectly to the Associate Superintendent for Information Technology Services
 

Essential Functions: 

1. Perform daily network programming, configuration, installations, monitoring, testing, and troubleshootingfor all network infrastructure equipment and software, ensuring reliable day-to-day operation for wide andlocal area networks, including, but not limited to DHCP, DNS, VLANs, SNMP, CLI, STP, OSPF, scripting,static routing, wireless, and firewall.

2. Perform and coordinate network repairs, including fiber/ethernet cable installation, cable management, and Ethernet port repairs to provide reliable, ongoing access to technology resources; 

3. Perform monthly routine firmware and maintenance upgrades on all network equipment: firewalls, switches, routers, network servers, uninterrupted power supplies (UPS), and wireless access points 

4. Configure and troubleshoot the district's firewalls, remote access protocols, NAT translations, URL internet filtering, ISP routing, security policies, VPN access, decryption processes, and load-balancing solutions. This involves ensuring compliance with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) and continuously enhancing the district's cybersecurity posture to mitigate vulnerabilities effectively. 

5. A network resource for the annual network audit, working with auditors on all aspects of the audit; internal (Active Directory), external (Public IP, Web, VPN), applications (Infinite Campus, Clever), wireless network, social engineering (email phishing, passwords), network segmentation, database security (Oracle, DB MSSQL), device configurations (servers, switches, firewall), network architecture, VoIP security, cloud security (MS365, GDrive), and modem requirements. Collaborating with other district personnel to verify that remediation measures have been implemented to mitigate network risks. Additionally, provide specified IP ranges and/or VLANs to be targeted for penetration testing in accordance with each of the audit parameters. 

6. Collaborating with district's divisions, as a resource assisting with cybersecurity updates, governed by vendors and/or staff for all network-connected devices (security cameras, solar panels, door systems, student access systems, HVAC, call managers, Halo, etc) to ensure, at minimum, annual updates of firmware are completed, and proper system credentials are in place before deployment of new systems, thereby mitigating risks associated to the network. 

 7. Communicate with other district leaders and/or ITS members to ensure that device operating systems are at security compliance levels according to the manufacturer's date. 

 8. Conduct a quarterly vulnerability penetration test to identify weaknesses within the network. 

 9. Evaluate and resolve network connectivity issues through effective troubleshooting. Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, vendors, and partners to ensure prompt resolution of problems, including on-site support as needed. 

10. Research and recommend best practices, new technologies, and tools to enhance the district's network and security infrastructure, following NIST and CISA standards. 

11. Perform ongoing design, implementation, and monitoring of all district WAN, LAN, wired and wireless networks, network security measures, and violations, proactively resolving problems and capacity planning; 

12. Performs proof of concept and builds test beds for new deployments to analyze potential network impact. 

13. Proactively monitor network performance and integrity, taking corrective actions on issues with network, internet, wireless connectivity, UPS, VoIP, and other support network services. 

14. Maintain an inventory of all network equipment and applicable software 

15. Prepare, assist, and/or update network documentation including diagrams, topologies, IP subnets, security procedures, service level agreements (SLA), and standard operating procedures (SOP). 

16. Document and escalate when necessary all network-related issues. 

17. Work closely with ITS executives, leaders, staff, and stakeholders in other departments to identify, recommend, develop, implement, and support cost-effective technology solutions for all of the organization. 

18. Assist in the assignment and completion of all network-related Help Desk requests; 

19. Perform all job-related duties in the safest possible manner. 

20. Support computer assistants and regional technicians with student and staff devices for network connectivity. 

21. Perform other job-related duties as assigned by the Manager of Network Services and/or the Executive Director of Information Technology Services. 

Qualifications: 

1. Network Certificate and/or Security Certificate (i.e., CompTia, Cisco, N+, CCNA) 

2. Prefer a minimum of 3 years of experience in Networking/Security. (OSI, TCP/IP, VLAN, STP, DNS, DHCP) 

3. Knowledge of switching, routing protocols, wireless networks, and firewalls in a multi-vendor environment. 

4. Prefer knowledge of various systems and services: Apple/Chromebook/Windows, and Active Directory. 

5. Strong communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills with a focus on customer service. 

6. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Docs. 

7. High school diploma 

8. Valid Driver's License 

Skills: 

• Ability to multitask effectively and prioritize strategically 

• Maintain the highest level of confidentiality at all times 

• Proven proficiency in network switch setup, security, and maintenance preferred. 

• Continue professional development to improve technical knowledge 

Classification:
WPSS  Computer Technician

Terms of Employment: Twelve months.
 

Salary:Per WPSS contract

Only online applications will be considered.
Apply: www.wps60.org
Waukegan Community Unit School District 60 offers employment opportunities without regard to age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, marital or military/veteran status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, parental status, genetics, disability or other protected category.