Systems Engineer 2 or 3

The Regional Administration Division is accepting applications for a Systems Engineer 2 OR Systems Engineer 3.

We are the Metropolitan Council, the regional government for the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area. We plan 20 years ahead for the future of the metropolitan area and provide regional parks and trails, transportation, wastewater, and housing services.
More information about us on our website.

We are committed to hiring and supporting a diverse workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Information Services is the central IT department supporting all divisions of the Metropolitan Council. Our 140 team members provide technology, practices, and innovative solutions that enable the core services of the Council.

How your work would contribute to our organization and the Twin Cities region:

The Systems Engineer 2 (Network Engineer) serves as a mid-level contributor within the network engineering career ladder. This role provides advanced support and maintenance for the Council enterprise network infrastructure with a specialization in wireless, connectivity, or VPN environments. Engineers at this level are capable of owning support for a specific network segment (e.g., Wi-Fi, VPN, or facility access control), performing installations, responding to escalated issues, and participating in cross-functional infrastructure projects.

The Systems Engineer 2 (Network Engineer) acts as a primary responder for medium complexity issues, handles preventative maintenance for network environments, and performs change implementations under general supervision. This role represents a natural progression from foundational systems support into more autonomous work, with emerging leadership in technical domains and peer collaboration.

The Systems Engineer 3 (Senior Network Engineer) serves as a senior-level technical resource responsible for advanced network systems engineering across multiple platforms and departments. This role provides expert support and leadership in diagnosing, resolving, and preventing network issues that impact service delivery. It also plays a central role in coordinating team workloads, mentoring Systems Engineers 1 and 2, and overseeing infrastructure enhancements across the enterprise network.

As a cross-functional contributor, the Systems Engineer 3 (Senior Network Engineer) provides guidance across multiple departments and transit services (e.g., BRT, LRT, MTS, and Regional Administration), ensuring scalable, secure, and high-performance network environments. The role bridges the operational and strategic layers of the infrastructure team and represents a trusted technical lead for high-visibility projects and issues.

Systems Engineer 2 (Network Engineer)

• Serve as the subject matter expert for a specific area of the network (e.g., wireless, remote access, site-specific configurations).
• Install, configure, and maintain network hardware such as switches, firewalls, wireless access points, and copper/fiber cabling.
• Perform proactive maintenance to prevent outages in assigned network segment.
• Investigate and resolve moderately complex tickets involving connectivity, device outages, or configuration discrepancies.
• Support VPN access, site-to-site tunnels, and policy enforcement for remote users.
• Assist with configuration and basic troubleshooting of firewall technologies (e.g., Checkpoint, Palo Alto).
• Maintain documentation related to IP assignments, VLAN configurations, and device inventories.
• Contribute to project teams on network expansion, wireless surveys, or infrastructure upgrades.
• Use network monitoring and performance tools to identify degradation or outages.
• Escalate advanced problems to Systems Engineers 3 or 4 with full diagnostic notes.
• Participate in change control reviews, including impact assessments and rollback planning.
• Support implementation of cloud-delivered SD-WAN and wireless services as directed.

• Act as lead engineer across multiple network domains, including transit, remote offices, and regional facilities.
• Design, implement, and troubleshoot advanced configurations involving VLANs, IP routing, VPN tunnels, and wireless access infrastructure.
• Coordinate workload distribution and provide support and guidance for Systems Engineers 1 and 2.
• Lead major incident response efforts and root cause analysis across enterprise systems.
• Provide hands-on management of Cisco infrastructure, including firmware upgrades, failover testing, and configuration baselining.
• Support firewall rule review and interface policies across Checkpoint and Palo Alto platforms.
• Participate in cloud network adoption efforts (SD-WAN, SASE, Azure-hosted services).
• Validate and optimize configurations related to DNS, DHCP, and IP address management (DDI).
• Review and approve documentation updates, diagrams, and change requests.
• Participate in cross-agency planning related to infrastructure expansions or upgrades.
• Serve as technical lead for multi-location projects, including wireless refreshes and remote site migrations.
• Review, analyze, and improve proactive monitoring and performance metrics.
• Collaborate with vendors and service providers on escalated technical cases or solution design.

Any of the following combinations in completed education (degree with major coursework in computer science, network technology, network engineering, systems administration, systems engineering and design, systems security or a related technical field) and experience (with supporting a focused enterprise network infrastructure such as wireless or VPN environments, SCADA, systems integration/troubleshooting, enterprise networking, IT systems support, or related vital safety sensitive systems such as rail signal, aircraft, nuclear energy or petrochemical maintenance).

• Bachelor's degree with four years of experience.
• Associate degree and six years of experience.
• High school diploma/GED with seven years of experience.

• Bachelor's degree with five years of experience.
• Associate degree and seven years of experience.
• High school diploma/GED with nine years of experience.

• Cisco CCNA certification (active or in progress).
• Some experience with wireless network deployments, controller-based architectures, or VPN endpoint provisioning.
• Hands-on experience with Palo Alto or Checkpoint network firewalls.
• Familiarity with ticketing systems, change management protocols, and configuration documentation.
• Experience working in a public sector or multi-site environment.
• Strong understanding of network troubleshooting workflows and escalation procedures.
• Experience working and collaborating in a diverse, multi-cultural, and inclusive environment.

• Cisco CCNP (or equivalent level experience).
• Proficiency in routing protocols (OSPF, BGP), layer 3 security, and campus network design.
• Experience leading network related projects and implementation efforts.
• Experience with Microsoft clustering, Window Server, VMware, and SD-WAN platforms.
• Experience documenting enterprise systems and training peers on standards.

• Strong understanding of Cisco network devices (routers, switches, wireless controllers, APs).
• Working knowledge of wireless networking standards and protocols (802.11x, RF planning, access control).
• Understanding of VPN protocols (IPSec, SSL) and remote access configurations.
• Familiarity with firewall rulesets and access control principles.
• Knowledge of DNS, DHCP, and IP address management (DDI).
• Awareness of security practices, including patching and access control.
• Exposure to network virtualization (VMware), cloud-delivering networking (SASE, SD-WAN), and network segmentation.
• Use of ticketing systems (e.g., ServiceNow or equivalent) for incident and change tracking. Troubleshooting wired and wireless connectivity issues using ping, traceroute, interface stats.
• Troubleshooting wired and wireless connectivity issues using ping, traceroute, interface stats.
• Use of vendor documentation, logs, and CLI to isolate and resolve errors.
• Documenting installations, logical diagrams, and network labels accurately.
• Coordinating with vendors for RMAs, service tickets, or installation support.
• Basic scripting or command-line tasks for configuration validation (optional but valued).
• Ability to communicate clearly with end users, technical peers, and managers.
• Skilled at translating technical findings into plain language for decision makers.
• Comfortable engaging in cross-departmental collaboration and field-based work.
• Ability to maintain calm and provide professional service during outage events.
• Attention to detail and follow-through on change documentation and ticket closures.
• Dependability and ownership of assigned network areas and systems.
• Curiosity and initiative in staying updated on new technologies and practices.
• Adaptability in response to changing project priorities, site visits, or emergencies.
• Team player with a commitment to mentoring peers and supporting larger infrastructure goals.

• Mastery of enterprise networking, including routing, switching, and access control.
• In-depth knowledge of Cisco IOS, Palo Alto, and/or Checkpoint firewalls, and wireless controller-based deployments.
• Familiarity with DDI (DNS, DHCP, IPAM), cloud networking (SASE), and SD-WAN design.
• Deep experience with fiber optic media, transit communications, and cabling systems.
• Familiarity with Microsoft server clustering, VMware environments, and endpoint policy control.
• Designing and implementing cross-site network solutions and upgrades.
• Leading configuration baseline, security audits, and availability testing.
• Coordinating activities across multiple technical teams and field staff.
• Developing and refining change control processes and configuration management standards.
• Effective time management across incidents, planned work, and mentoring responsibilities.
• Translate strategic network goals into technical implementation plans.
• Provide technical mentorship and lead knowledge transfers to junior engineers.
• Serve as a peer reviewer of technical work and system changes.
• Handle cross-functional escalations with composure and clarity.
• Prepare detailed technical documentation, project plans, and incident reports.
• Collaborate with stakeholders across Metro Transit, MTS, Environmental Services, and Regional Admin.
• Engage with vendors on roadmap planning, design consultations, or escalated incidents.
• Stay current on emerging network technologies and recommend improvement opportunities.

• We offer the opportunity to make a difference and positively influence the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
• We encourage and support staff in contributing to a dynamic work culture that improves the Council's ability to serve the region.
• We encourage and support staff in bringing the full range of experiences and identities that define them to the workplace.
• We encourage our employees to develop their skills through on-site training and tuition reimbursement.
• We provide a competitive salary, excellent benefits and a good work/life balance.

Systems Engineer 2:
Union/Grade: AFSCME/Grade H
FLSA Status: Exempt
Safety Sensitive: No
Full Salary Range: $41.34 - $67.08 hourly / $85,987 - $139,526 annually Systems Engineer 3:
Union/Grade: AFSCME/Grade I
FLSA Status: Exempt
Safety Sensitive: No
Full Salary Range: $44.72 - $72.53 hourly / $93,018 - $150,862 annually

Work your work environment would be:
You would perform your work in a standard office setting. Work may sometimes require travel between your primary work site and other sites.

What steps the recruitment process involves:

1. We review your minimum qualifications.
2. We rate your education and experience.
3. We conduct a structured panel interview.
4. We conduct a selection interview.

Once you have successfully completed the steps above, then:

If you are new to the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (safety sensitive positions only), and a background check which verifies education, employment, and criminal history. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the job. If you have a criminal conviction, you do not automatically fail. The Metropolitan Council considers felony, gross misdemeanor and misdemeanor convictions on a case-by-case basis, based on whether they are related to the job and whether the candidate has demonstrated adequate rehabilitation.

If you are already an employee of the Metropolitan Council, you must pass a drug test (if moving from a non-safety sensitive position to a safety sensitive position) and criminal background check if the job you're applying for is safety sensitive, is a supervisory or management job, is in the Finance, Information Services, Audit, or Human Resources departments, or has access to financial records, files/databases, cash, vouchers or transit fare cards. A driving record check and/or physical may be conducted if applicable to the position.

IMPORTANT: If you make false statements or withhold information, you may be barred from job consideration.

The Metropolitan Council is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and veteran-friendly employer. The Council is committed to a workforce that reflects the diversity of the region and strongly encourages persons of color, members of the LGBTQ community, individuals with disabilities, women, and veterans to apply. If you have a disability that requires accommodation during the selection process, please email HR-OCCHealth@metc.state.mn.us.