To: Prof. Ellis
From: Robert Plummer
Date: 10/3/14
Subject: Job Application Research, Assistant Network Engineer at Rockefeller University
Executive Summary
This document is a summary of the job position and the details associated with it. The document contains a segment of the job listing as given by the company, followed by an insight into the company itself, and then the requirements of the position and how well I comply with those requirements.
Job Listing
Company
Job Description
The Assistant Network Engineer will work closely with the Network Engineer and Senior Network Engineer to install and configure core and edge routers and backbone and access switches, define new VLANs, and interface with ISPs that provide Internet and WAN access. The Assistant Network Engineer's special emphasis will be the configuration and maintenance of the RU campus secure and guest wireless data network infrastructure. Responsibilities include all of the duties of the Network Technician, including interfacing with specific end-users about their data networking needs, advising the user on the necessity and placement of new jacks in the user's work area, activating new jacks for the user, installing and configuring a switch or switches to provide available ports if no switch ports are available, and providing and installing data network addresses and Ethernet patch cables to give the user access to the University network and the Internet. The Assistant Network Engineer's daily work is likely to include server hardware setup and rack mounting, ordering fiber-optic and copper patch cables and wire management systems, organizing IT space for server or network equipment expansion, troubleshooting network problems at the backbone switching and routing level with the Network Engineers, PC/Mac hardware and software troubleshooting as needed at all levels of the University. Non-first-shift work hours might be required if the work requires extensive downtime for all or part of the campus network or servers.
Desired Skills and Experience
Associates degree with concentration in computer-related technology, or equivalent experience required. Must have a minimum of three years of experience in network support, preferably in an academic environment. Experience with CCNA, Cisco-branded equipment, BCNA, Brocade-branded equipment, ACMA, and Aruba-branded equipment is preferred. Experience in configuration and support of switches and routers in a large LAN environment, working knowledge of WANs, LANs, TCP/IP, Bonjour, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet and TenGigabit Ethernet necessary. Must have experience in the principles and techniques of fiber-optic and wiring design and installation, as well as troubleshooting and maintaining network infrastructure. Must be very organized and detail-oriented, with the ability to stay calm under pressure and maintain a professional demeanor at all times.
Job Listing Location: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs2/view/23290323
Company Background
Rockefeller University is a post-graduate academic institution that is located in East Manhattan of New York, next to the East River. Founded in 1901 by John D. Rockefeller, this University was the first research facility in America made specifically for the research and development of biology and medicine. As an academic institution, Rockefeller University is dedicated to the continued study and application of biomedical fields and sciences, such as chemical biology, genetics, diseases, microbiology, organism biology, and cell growth.
All research and advancements toward these fields are done through the efforts of several methods such as unregulated interdisciplinary research, volunteer contribution, specialized groups, and programs of study for post-graduate and post-doctorate levels. Despite this large collaboration, the departments are functionally independent and are free to pursue their own research goals as they deem necessary. This standard of independent research is provided by funding either by government grants or investors in the latest scientific breakthroughs.
Description of Position
The position requires someone who will perform all of the necessary duties in upholding and improving the network demands of a research institution. Such duties will expand the entire spectrum of networking services, from the end users and assisting them in their individual needs, to the switches and lines that serve the users as a department, to the infrastructure of the entire network and its capacity to serve the entire company and those outside of it. Knowledge requirements range from the physical applications, such as transmission mediums and types of wiring, to the conceptual, such as logical addressing and domain configuration, and the analytical abilities to know what and when something is applicable to the situation at hand. The Assistant Network Engineer will primarily focus on the physical maintenance and troubleshooting of network hardware such as hard drive replacement and switch/router connections, and hard wiring needs of these devices, in addition to the default responsibilities of the Network Engineer which may include configuring user interfaces such as wireless and VPN access, and engaging with these users on their needs and issues with the service.
My Preparedness for this Position
Both the education and work experience I have received combine into a foundation that makes me practically ideal for this position. My Associate’s degree in Computer Engineering Technology and continuing Bachelor’s education in Telecommunications Engineering Technology have given me an extensive pool of knowledge relevant to maintaining a large network. A good understanding of network devices and concepts such as circuits and transmission lines, filters, codecs, modems, throughput, protocols, switches and routers, the OSI and TCP/IP Model give a full understanding on how networks operate on the theoretical and practical levels.
My work experience as a telecommunications assistant has given me a strong insight on the demands of running a network. Although the position involved maintaining a telephone PBX system instead of switches and routers, the core responsibilities are largely the same. All aspects of the telephone system had to be overseen, from the end users and the telephone sets they required, to the offices and physical jack locations, to the wiring leading from the buildings and distribution frames, to the ports of the PBX and how they are configured to use telephones, to the PBX server itself and its hardware and internal operations needed.
In addition, because the position was held in a community college, I am already experienced in performing my duties in an academic environment, or at least one that demands professionalism. If there were any problems with the service, the exact issue needed to be determined and how it would be resolved without disrupting the service of any other users. Aside from emergencies and performance failures, changes to users, offices, and systems were done on a request basis and required approval from the Director, leaving little room for suspicious activities and changes that could impact performance of the system.