Network Engineer II – Cisco Campus & Wireless

Title: Network Engineer II
Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Work Model: 100% Onsite
Travel: Travel between multiple sites throughout Orange County
Duration: 3+ Months Contract with strong possibility of extension
Schedule: Monday–Friday, typically 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
Openings: 3

Job Summary

We are seeking a hands-on Network Engineer with strong Cisco LAN/WAN and enterprise wireless experience to support a multi-site campus network environment throughout Orange County.

The ideal candidate will have practical Level 2 networking experience and be comfortable troubleshooting Cisco switches, wireless access points, wireless controllers, VLANs, routing, connectivity, and physical network infrastructure. This role requires someone who can independently diagnose issues onsite, perform hands-on troubleshooting, document findings, and coordinate effectively with senior network engineers and business stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Cisco LAN/WAN Networking

• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot Cisco Catalyst switches and enterprise network infrastructure.
• Troubleshoot VLANs, access and trunk ports, inter-VLAN routing, IP addressing, DHCP relay, STP, EtherChannel, PoE, and interface errors.
• Troubleshoot routing and network reachability issues, including OSPF and static routing.
• Support connectivity for users, phones, printers, cameras, access control systems, and other network-connected devices.
• Perform approved configuration changes, software upgrades, configuration backups, and network maintenance.
• Validate network changes and document implementation and rollback procedures.

Cisco Wireless Networking

• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot enterprise wireless networks.
• Support Cisco wireless LAN controllers and wireless access points.
• Troubleshoot WLAN/SSID, VLAN mapping, authentication, DHCP, roaming, and client connectivity issues.
• Investigate wireless coverage, interference, channel utilization, signal strength, and signal-to-noise issues.
• Troubleshoot access point registration, controller connectivity, PoE, and switch-port issues.
• Use wireless controller diagnostics, client traces, and packet captures to isolate issues.
• Assist with wireless surveys, access point placement, and RF tuning.
• Support 802.1X and RADIUS troubleshooting.

Network Troubleshooting

• Own Level 2 wired and wireless incidents through resolution or escalation.
• Perform packet capture and analysis using Wireshark, tcpdump, SPAN, and network diagnostic tools.
• Troubleshoot packet loss, latency, retransmissions, connection resets, DNS failures, and application connectivity.
• Analyze switch/controller logs, interface counters, authentication records, and monitoring alerts.
• Escalate complex issues to senior network engineers or vendor support with clear technical findings.

Onsite Network Infrastructure

• Provide hands-on network support across campus buildings, MDFs, IDFs, and data center environments.
• Install, replace, rack, cable, and commission switches, access points, and related network equipment.
• Troubleshoot copper and fiber connections, patch panels, transceivers, and building uplinks.
• Perform physical inspections, console access, hardware replacements, and remote-hands activities.
• Maintain equipment labeling, port maps, network diagrams, and asset records.
• Coordinate cabling and access point installation activities with contractors.

Documentation & Operations

• Respond to network alerts and assess business impact.
• Communicate incident status and technical findings to engineering teams and stakeholders.
• Support maintenance windows, network refreshes, site expansions, and user moves.
• Maintain network diagrams, configuration records, inventories, and troubleshooting documentation.
• Participate in root-cause analysis and recommend improvements.
• Assist Level 1 technicians with troubleshooting and escalation.

Required Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of enterprise network engineering experience.
• Hands-on experience with Cisco networking and enterprise wireless.
• Experience with Cisco Catalyst switches.
• Experience with wireless LAN controllers and access points.
• Strong knowledge of:
  • TCP/IP
  • VLANs
  • Trunking
  • STP/RSTP
  • EtherChannel/LACP
  • Routing
  • DHCP
  • DNS
  • ARP
  • PoE
• Experience troubleshooting wireless association, authentication, DHCP, roaming, and connectivity.
• Working knowledge of 802.1X and RADIUS.
• Experience with Wireshark, packet capture, or network traffic analysis.
• Experience troubleshooting copper, fiber, transceivers, cabling, and physical network interfaces.
• Ability to independently troubleshoot and resolve Level 2 network incidents.
• Strong communication, documentation, and customer-service skills.
• Ability to work onsite daily and travel between sites throughout Orange County.

Preferred Qualifications

• CCNA or equivalent hands-on Cisco networking knowledge.
• CCNP-level networking knowledge.
• Cisco Catalyst 9800 wireless controller experience.
• Cisco Catalyst Center / DNA Center experience.
• Cisco ISE experience.
• Ekahau or comparable wireless survey experience.
• Cisco TAC experience.
• Python, PowerShell, or Ansible experience.

Work Environment

• 100% onsite in Costa Mesa, CA
• Travel between multiple locations throughout Orange County
• Monday–Friday, typically 8:00 AM–5:00 PM
• Occasional maintenance-window or after-hours support may be required
• Hands-on work in MDFs, IDFs, data centers, and campus facilities

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a practical Cisco Network Engineer who can independently troubleshoot network issues in the field. You should be comfortable working with Cisco switching, wireless, LAN/WAN connectivity, packet analysis, cabling, and physical network equipment, while clearly documenting findings and coordinating with senior engineering teams.

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