Senior Network Engineer

Compensation: $120,000 – $130,000 / year

Department: Information Technology

Location: Crystal Building, 40 W 20th St

Overview: The IT Infrastructure & Operations Network Engineering department is responsible for architecture, planning, implementation, installation, and operations of NYPL's network infrastructure covering three boroughs with 90+ branch locations, 12K+ endpoints, public/private cloud, and public/staff WiFi serving millions of New Yorkers every year. The Library’s network is highly redundant to ensure essential services are available with maximum uptime.

Own:

• Engineering level administration of NYPL’s network including routing, firewalls, ACLs, VLAN designs, VPN, and NYPL’s Public and Staff WiFi networks
• Reviewing initial business requirements and working alongside colleagues to provide initial technical designs
• Providing installation and engineering level support of NYPL network equipment and services
• Liaising with business partners on projects as necessary

Teach:

• Support Network Engineers on the team
• Other IT departments to ensure understanding of network considerations
• Colleagues across the business to ensure clear expectations are set
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Learn:

• The Library’s unique place in providing network access as a means to accomplish its mission and bridge the digital divide; advanced networking administration and implementation methodologies
• Explore Zero‑Trust network security models and help NYPL prepare for the future
• E‑rate funding guidelines

Improve:

• Monitoring and operation efficiency of the networking stack
• Network security tools and practices
Expectations:
Milestones

Within 1 month:

• Be familiar with IT practices and teams, roles & responsibilities
• Build initial relationships with key vendors and services providers
• Build initial relationships with internal stakeholders
• Understand NYPL’s network topology (WAN, LAN, WiFi)
• Be familiar with current project backlog
• Coordinate with team leadership to prioritize work
  
  Have clear expectations and goals moving forward

Within 3 months:

• Plan for future bandwidth upgrades at Branch locations
• Able to field change and support requests for most of the network
• Support key projects with minimal supervision

Within 6 months and beyond:

• Own WAN, VPN, and core routing administration, day‑to‑day management and operations
• Begin preparing for network equipment upgrades
• Participate in roadmap development
Responsibilities
• Architect, deploy, monitor and maintain the NYPL data network environment, primarily Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, Extreme, and Cisco wireless equipment.
• Install, configure and maintain network firewalls (Cisco, Fortinet).
• Design and implement appropriate network level security controls at the Internet, datacenter, WiFi, and departmental LAN layers (VLANS, ACLs).
• Install and maintain data circuits between core locations, including dark and lit fiber at multi‑gigabit speeds.
• Prepare bid specifications for network routers, switches, security appliances, monitoring systems, and core circuit connections; participate in bid evaluation.
• Plan future growth and integrate new technologies into the NYPL network.
• Perform other assigned duties as necessary.
Required Education, Experience & Skills Required Education & Certifications
• Bachelor’s degree.
Required Experience
• 5+ years administering networks for a widely distributed organization.
• Experience designing and implementing networks.
• Experience collaborating across IT support groups and business units.
Required Skills
• Deep hands‑on experience with Cisco IOS features and LAN/WAN switching & routing technologies, including BGP, OSPF, EIGRP & STP, VPN, port/ether channel, VLAN design, and ACLs.
• Excellent knowledge of Cisco network security practices; competent in configuring and supporting network firewalls (Cisco, Palo Alto).
• Familiarity with WAN circuits (dark fiber, Megaport, MPLS, point‑to‑point Ethernet, virtual); hardware provisioning and troubleshooting.
• Ability to provision and support a cloud‑managed WiFi system (Cisco Meraki, Extreme Cloud, etc.).
• Strong knowledge of networking in cloud environments (AWS, Azure, GCP, VMWare).
• Current CCNP certification in routing and switching preferred.
Managerial/Supervi…