IT and Network Specialist- On-site

Join our team at Prairie Lakes Healthcare System and make a difference in the lives of patients and their loved ones by delivering accessible, high‑quality, affordable, and compassionate healthcare.

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System is an independent, non‑profit healthcare system serving 10 counties in northeastern South Dakota and west‑central Minnesota. The IT and Network Specialist (On‑site) is a full‑time role based in Watertown, South Dakota that blends network administration with Tier 2 Desktop Support in a health‑care setting.

This role requires strong customer empathy, calm under pressure, and discipline around change control. The specialist will manage network infrastructure, provide desktop and network support to clinicians and staff, and collaborate with the IT Service Manager on projects.

• Operate and optimize the network: monitor LAN/WAN/Wi‑Fi performance, manage switches, routers, firewalls, VPNs, and Cisco, ISE, MPLS connections and SD‑WAN.
• Implement and maintain network security controls (segmentation/VLANs, ACLs, IPS/IDS, NAC/802.1X, DNS filtering) aligned with organizational policies.
• Design and support secure guest and clinical SSIDs, ensuring roaming reliability for mobile carts and handhelds.
• Ensure network paths and policies for EHR access, e‑prescribing, telehealth, billing, and troubleshoot latency issues.
• Perform network monitoring, reporting, and troubleshooting.
• Support identity and access services: site‑to‑site and remote VPNs, RADIUS, AD/Entra n, and MFA for clinicians and staff.
• Maintain diagrams, inventories, change records, and standards; support risk assessments, audits, BAAs, and incident response.
• Participate in business continuity planning, redundant circuits, QoS for voice/video, and backup links; test failover procedures.
• Manage vendor and ISP relationships: open and track tickets, coordinate maintenance windows, negotiate SLAs for circuits and voice/VoIP services.
• Work in the ticketing system and provide support for end users on networking and desktop‑related issues.
• Provide additional hands‑on support to the desktop support team for projects as needed under the IT Service Manager’s direction.
• Participate in an on‑call rotation and perform planned maintenance outside clinic hours.

Associate’s degree (AA) or equivalent from a two‑year college or technical school; or 3‑5 years of related experience and/or training; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

South Dakota driver’s license is required.

• At least 4 years of IT support experience (Tier 2 or equivalent).
• At least 2 years of experience managing and optimizing wired and wireless networks.
• Experience with network security controls and fundamentals: TCP/IP, VLANs, Wi‑Fi, DHCP/DNS, routing.
• Experience with Cisco/Meraki, Fortigate or similar appliances.
• Experience with MDM/RMM (Ninja One preferred), basic EDR/AV (Crowd Strike preferred), and scripting in Power Shell.
• Working knowledge of Windows 11 and Microsoft 365.
• Strong communication skills, documentation habits, and ticket hygiene.
• Bonus:
  Experience configuring and managing Cisco ISE.

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System offers comprehensive benefits for qualifying full‑time and part‑time employees, including health, dental, vision, life insurance, a 403(b) retirement plan, and generous paid time off. Additional benefits include a Flexible Spending Account, Employee Assistance Program, Education Loan Program, and community discounts at the Prairie Lakes Wellness Center.

Prairie Lakes Healthcare System has a Drug‑Free Workplace Policy. An accepted offer will require positive reference checks and pre‑employment background screening as a condition of employment.