Job Description & Details
This is a hands-on, infrastructure-heavy role where you'll be deploying and maintaining edge networking gear across various state facilities in Nebraska. If you enjoy physically touching hardware, configuring firewalls, and wrangling routers rather than just staring at cloud dashboards all day, this gig keeps you close to the metal. It involves a mix of greenfield rollouts, troubleshooting stubborn routing issues, and coordinating with multiple state agencies.
What You'll Actually Be Doing
Your days will be split between racking and stacking gear, pushing configs, and untangling legacy network setups. You'll spend a lot of time installing Fortinet firewalls and Cisco Catalyst switches while ensuring disaster recovery procedures are rock solid. Expect to occasionally travel across the state for physical deployments, handle intermediate-level troubleshooting tickets, and write clear documentation so the next engineer isn't left guessing.
The Core Tech Stack
You need to be intimately familiar with Fortinet Fortigate firewalls, Cisco Catalyst 3650 and 9000 series switches, and Cisco 1111/9000 routers. They also run Cisco wireless controllers and APs, so solid wireless fundamentals are mandatory. The team relies on you knowing your way around enterprise routing protocols, subnetting, and network troubleshooting tools to diagnose weird edge-case failures quickly.
Interview Expectations
Expect the hiring manager to throw a scenario at you about troubleshooting an isolated edge site that lost BGP or OSPF adjacency after a firmware update. They want to hear a methodical approach: checking physical layers, reviewing interface counters, inspecting logs, and verifying routing tables rather than just guessing. They will also likely ask how you handle conflicting priorities when multiple state agencies demand your attention for simultaneous network upgrades.
Application Advice
Skip the generic IT buzzwords and tailor your resume to heavily highlight your hands-on Cisco and Fortinet deployment experience. Make sure keywords like Fortigate, Catalyst switches, edge routing, and network documentation stand out clearly. If you have any active Cisco certifications like CCNA or CCNP, put them right at the top so the recruiter's automated screening catches them immediately.