NETWORK ARCHITECT-ENT
FOR USE BY IT AND HSIS ONLY: The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) seeks a NETWORK ARCHITECT-ENT to manage high-level network planning, design, and optimization. To develop strategies and direction for network systems solutions using current and emerging technologies. To translate business requirements into network and/or process designs. To plan and recommend network hardware, systems management software and architecture. To approve and modify network design and architecture to ensure compliance. To configure and maintain routers, switches, and hubs for the network systems (including wireless and VOIP). To evaluate and recommend new products and maintain knowledge of emerging technologies for application to the enterprise. To monitor network performance, ensure capacity planning is performed, and is proactive in assessing and making recommendations for improvement. To perform troubleshooting procedures and design resolution scripts. This position will commit to fostering an environment of heightened security following Information Technology Security Policies and participating in security training, such as Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), on an annual basis.
This position will design and support secure, segmented network architectures for environments that include regulated and controlled workloads, such as CMMC. The role contributes to the design and configuration of network security components, including firewalls and web application firewalls (WAFs), to help implement approved security designs while maintaining reliable operations. This position works closely with information security, research compliance engineering, and other teams in support of secure architecture.
Responsibilities:
- Designs secure, segmented network architectures supporting regulated and controlled workloads including enclave topologies, trust boundaries, routing domains, and isolation mechanisms to protect in scope systems.
- Designs, configures, and maintains enterprise firewalls in support of approved network architectures, implementing segmentation rules, controlled access paths, and traffic enforcement consistent with documented security requirements.
- Designs, deploys, and maintains Web Application Firewall (WAF) solutions to protect applications hosted within regulated or externally exposed environments, ensuring traffic inspection and rule enforcement align with approved architectures.
- Translates documented technical requirements into practical network, firewall, and WAF configurations, without responsibility for policy definition, control ownership, or audit determinations.
- Engineers and maintains controlled connectivity between regulated enclave networks and approved enterprise, research, or external systems, minimizing attack surface while supporting operational needs.
- Develops and maintains architecture documentation
- Including network diagrams, firewall and WAF design artifacts, and data flow representations
- Used to support operational clarity and compliance evidence collection.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
(Annual Salary: $109,250 - $177,530)
Qualifications
Associate's degree in Information Systems or a related field and ten (10) years of related experience required. Work experience may substitute for education requirement.
Experience necessary for success: Five (5+) years of progressively responsible experience in enterprise network engineering or network architecture roles. Experience designing, integrating, or supporting cloud-based networking constructs (e.g., virtual networking, VNet/VPC design, hybrid connectivity). Demonstrated experience designing and supporting segmented or security sensitive network environments.
Preferred:
- Experience supporting environments subject to regulatory frameworks such as CMMC, NIST SP 800 171, or similar
- Experience designing or supporting isolated or enclave-based network architectures
- Experience in higher education, research computing, healthcare, or government adjacent environments
- Experience working within or supporting regulated cloud environments such as Microsoft Azure Government (GCC/GCC High) or AWS GovCloud (or equivalent)
Preferred Technical Skills:
- Familiarity with network monitoring, logging, and visibility tools used in regulated environments
- Experience with secure remote access, VPNs, or controlled inter network connectivity
- Exposure to hybrid networking models integrating on-premises infrastructure with cloud environments (e.g., Azure VNets, AWS VPCs, private connectivity)
- Familiarity with cloud-native networking controls, segmentation, and security constructs in regulated environments
Preferred Skills:
- Strong expertise in enterprise routing and switching, including core, distribution, and access layer design
- Hands on experience designing and configuring enterprise firewalls (e.g., Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, or similar platforms)
- Experience deploying or supporting Web Application Firewall (WAF) technologies
- Experience producing network architecture documentation, diagrams, and data flow artifacts suitable for audits or assessments
- Ability to translate documented security or compliance requirements into practical, supportable network designs
- Ability to work collaboratively across network, security, compliance, and research computing teams
- Ability to explain complex network designs clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Certifications CCNP, CISSP, Security+ certifications are a plus, but not required.
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