Network Transport Administrator (Senior Systems Engineer)
Metropolitan CouncilWHO WE ARE
This position is eligible for a hybrid (both remote and onsite) telework arrangement. Candidate's permanent residence must be in Minnesota or Wisconsin.
We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 30 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional transportation, wastewater, and housing services. More information about us on our website.
We are committed to supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.
Information Services is the central IT department supporting all divisions of the Metropolitan Council. Our 140 team members provide technology, practices, and innovative solutions that enable the Council's core services.
The Metropolitan Council needs a Network Transport Administrator (Senior Systems Engineer). This position will be responsible for maintaining network connectivity contracts, adding new lines-of-service contracts as needed, and service renewal contracts between all Met Council sites and facilities.
How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:
This Transport Engineer role involves working with a multitude of technologies, including fiber optics, microwave systems, WANs, MANs, and other transport media, to support data transmission between Metropolitan Council facilities. The Transport Engineer collaborates with cross-functional teams to deliver robust networking solutions and troubleshoot complex network issues as they arise. The Network Transport Engineer will collaborate with external transport vendors to secure lines of service for Met Council facilities and to work on coverage contracts with external vendors. This position will include working with vendors during outages.What you would do in this job
1. General responsibilities and duties:
Ensure the Met Council fiber, copper, and microwave networks between METC facilities and external organizations are under contract.
Understand the available network transport options for METC deployment.
Solicit new or updated contracts for network connectivity to METC sites with varying terms, lengths, and speeds.
Create contract initiation memos in accordance with Metropolitan Council procurement standards for new connections, speed upgrades, and renewals.
Ensure the quality of work performed follows standard operating policies, State of MN, and Federal statute, and ensure compliance with safety regulations and work procedures
Flexibility in schedule to meet business needs, and the ability to work independently and collaboratively, as part of a team.
Previous experience working with Minnesota Information Technology (MNIT) is a plus.
Review current and future system technical architecture designs to ensure they deliver the required performance, availability, resiliency, and capacity to support business and mission-critical activities.
Experience working in an enterprise or multi-site network environment.
Familiarity with IT service management frameworks (ITIL).
May require after-hours or on-call support for network incidents and outages.
Coordinate installations with vendors, Procurement, Networking, and other METC divisions.
Monitor and analyze emerging technologies and industry trends to keep the organization at the forefront of innovation
3. Troubleshooting and Support:
Work with vendors and service providers to address connectivity issues during outages.
Provide support, if needed, onsite and remote to restore connectivity.
Provide information to other Met Council divisions as needed during an outage.
Ability to coordinate emergency restoration under time constraints
4. Documentation and Reporting:
Maintain accurate up-to-date documentation of all vendor connectivity contracts for ease of access, discovery, and tracking.
Maintain documentation of existing connections, including but not limited to physical locations, connection speeds, connection types, network hardware, contract numbers, designs, configurations, Met Council hardware, vendor hardware, and changes to any/all connections.
Must have skills in Microsoft Office applications, project management software (preferably MS Project), and the ability to create Visio diagrams.
5. Collaboration and Training:
Collaborate and communicate with other Met Council and IS divisions to ensure seamless integration of transport system connectivity.
The Met Council is a large and diverse organization. Collaboration with other METC staff is a critical skill for this position.
What education and experience are required for this job (minimum qualifications)
Any of the following combinations of completed education (degree field of study in Telecommunications, Network, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Systems Administration, Systems Engineering and Design, Systems Security, or a related field) and experience (in the design, installation, operation, and troubleshooting of wired and wireless network equipment and related infrastructure):
- High school diploma/GED with nine years of experience
- Associate degree with seven years of experience
- Bachelor's degree with five years of experience
- Master's degree with three years of experience
Desired Qualifications:
- A high school diploma is required.
- 7+ years of experience in contracts, working with vendors, networking concepts, with a focus on
transport technologies. - Understanding of network topology
- Experience working in hazardous environments, including substations, power plants, water treatment plants, and wastewater treatment plants.
- Understanding of how a switched network operates and how the flow works, including IP protocols.
- Familiarity with network monitoring tools and platforms (e.g., SolarWinds, Wireshark).
- Strong attention to detail is critical
- Self-motivated and capable of working independently or in small teams
- Reliable transportation with the ability to travel to various sites all over the 7-county metro area.
- Flexibility with full-time schedule, including evenings, weekends, and being on call as needed.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:- Knowledge and familiarity with standard telecom billing platforms
- Ability to monitor and analyze emerging technologies and industry trends to keep the organization at the forefront of innovation.
- Skilled in collaboration, facilitation, and mentoring skills
- Strong understanding of overall information security best practices
- Ability to provide excellent quality customer service
- Ability to provide strong attention to detail.
- Ability to provide excellent problem-solving skills to troubleshoot RF, fiber, and other connectivity issues
- Ability to coordinate emergency restoration under time constraints
- Ability to prioritize and balance multiple tasks
- Ability to communicate effectively with peers, business units, and vendors
- Ability to implement corrective actions
- Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.
What you can expect from us:- We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
- We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.
- We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits, and a good work/life balance.
Additional information
Union/Grade: AFSCME, Grade I
FLSA Status: Exempt
Safety Sensitive: No
What your work environment would be:
Work is performed in a standard office setting. May require travel between the primary work site and other sites. Work may sometimes require the:- Ability to work, traverse, and inspect all areas of job sites in various weather conditions.
- Exposure to characteristic construction site environments.
1. We review your minimum qualifications.
2. We rate your education and experience.
3. We conduct a structured panel interview.
4. We conduct a selection interview.
Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:
If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety-sensitive positions only) and a background check, which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they relate to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.
If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (if moving from a non-safety sensitive position to a safety sensitive position). A criminal background check is required if the job you're applying for is safety sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers, or transit fare cards. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position.
IMPORTANT: If you make a false statement or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.
The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the region's diversity and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply.
If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us.