Network Administrator

We are looking for a Network Administrator to provide hands-on support for a complex enterprise environment in East Lansing, Michigan. This Long-term Contract position will focus on maintaining network stability, addressing security-related operational needs, and supporting critical infrastructure initiatives during a period of reduced internal staffing. The ideal candidate brings strong experience across switching, firewall administration, troubleshooting, and network segmentation, and can work effectively with minimal oversight in a fast-paced setting.

Responsibilities:

• Maintain and troubleshoot core network components, including firewalls, switches, VLANs, and subnet configurations, to ensure reliable day-to-day operations.
• Implement and manage network changes such as reassigning VLANs, updating subnet structures, and applying configuration adjustments from centralized management tools.
• Monitor network and security activity, respond to operational issues, and coordinate firewall-related actions to support a secure and stable environment.
• Provide coverage and technical support for the network infrastructure while key internal team members are unavailable, helping sustain uninterrupted service.
• Contribute to a major initiative that separates the environment into distinct science and business network segments.
• Assist with infrastructure deployment and transition activities required to establish and support the two-network architecture.
• Support migration efforts involving firewall platforms, including work related to moving from Juniper-based solutions to Palo Alto technologies.
• Execute configuration rollouts and infrastructure updates across the environment with attention to performance, security, and operational continuity.
• Proven experience administering and troubleshooting enterprise firewalls, switching environments, VLANs, and subnetting.
• Strong hands-on background with firewall configuration, including work with Juniper and Palo Alto platforms.
• Ability to diagnose and resolve network issues efficiently in operational environments that require timely response.
• Experience supporting both networking and security-focused responsibilities within the same role.
• Demonstrated success with network segmentation projects, infrastructure migrations, and large-scale configuration changes.
• Comfortable working independently with limited documentation, training, or direct supervision.
• Ability to respond effectively in a 24/7 environment where urgent issues may require quick decision-making.
• Linux experience is a plus, along with familiarity with wireless access points and network monitoring tools.