THECB - Principal Network Engineer (ITS)

Job Description

Your job application must be completely filled out. Resumes do not take the place of the requirement to include this information on the application

About the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) works to ensure that all Texans have access to highquality, affordable higher education opportunities that prepare students for successful careers and strengthen the state's workforce and economy. Through collaboration with colleges, universities, policymakers, and education partners across Texas, THECB advances initiatives that expand educational opportunity, promote student success, and support the future of higher education.

About Information Technology Services
The Information Technology Services (ITS) Division advances THECB's mission by delivering secure, reliable, and customerfocused technology services that enable agency staff to effectively serve Texas students, institutions, and communities.

Our organization is committed to operational excellence through modern technology, strong governance, strategic partnerships, and continuous improvement. We are modernizing how technology services are delivered by strengthening infrastructure and operational resilience, advancing cloudfirst and hybrid infrastructure, improving platform reliability and security, and building a culture centered on accountability, collaboration, innovation, and service excellence.

At THECB, we believe technology is more than infrastructure and support. It is a strategic business partner that enables our agency to better serve students, institutions, and the State of Texas.

About the Role
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is seeking an experienced and technically deep network engineer to serve as the Principal Network Engineer. Reporting to the Director of IT Operations, this position is a senior technical authority within the Information Technology Services team responsible for enterprise network architecture, security, and operations, with agencywide scope and impact.

The Principal Network Engineer is responsible for defining enterprise network architecture, advancing network security and operational maturity, and addressing the most complex, novel, or missioncritical network challenges. This position plans and advances network strategies, designs resilient and scalable enterprise network architectures, establishes agencywide standards and best practices, and provides expert technical consultation across the organization and with external partners.

Responsibilities include serving as the highestlevel technical escalation point for enterpriseimpact network incidents, defining enterprise network security architecture and compliance frameworks, and maintaining enterprise documentation and technical guidance. While this role retains handson involvement, work is focused on the most complex troubleshooting, architectural initiatives, and highrisk changes rather than routine operational tasks.

Collaborates with IT Operations, Product Engineering, Data Engineering, security, and business stakeholders to ensure network architecture and standards support agency systems, initiatives, and missioncritical operations.

This position works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment, and influences enterprise network direction, standards, and longterm practices through expertise, consultation, and leadership rather than formal people management.

Why Join Our Team
This is an exciting opportunity to serve as the senior technical authority for the network that connects and protects the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

As a senior technical leader within ITS, you'll play a critical role in advancing enterprise network architecture, strengthening network security, and addressing the agency's most complex network challenges.

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to:
Serve as the highestlevel technical escalation point for enterpriseimpact network incidents and systemic issues.
Define and advance enterprise network architecture and longterm technical strategy, including scalability and resiliency.
Define and advance enterprise network security architecture, standards, and compliance frameworks, working with platforms such as Palo Alto Networks and Cisco Meraki.
Define and advance enterprise approaches to network performance management and capacity planning.
Serve as a senior technical authority and mentor, maintaining enterprise documentation and providing expert consultation across departments and external partners.
Make a lasting impact by helping technology enable the agency's mission of expanding educational opportunity and supporting higher education across Texas.

If you are passionate about enterprise network architecture, security, and solving the most complex technical challenges, we encourage you to apply.

General Description:
Performs highly advanced (seniorlevel) network systems work with agencywide scope and impact for the Information Technology Services (ITS) Division of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). This position serves as a senior technical authority responsible for defining enterprise network architecture, advancing network security and operational maturity, and addressing the most complex, novel, or missioncritical network challenges.

Work involves planning and advancing network strategies, designing resilient and scalable enterprise network architectures, establishing agencywide standards and best practices, and providing expert technical consultation across the organization and with external partners as appropriate. While this role retains handson involvement, work is focused on the most complex troubleshooting, architectural initiatives, and highrisk changes rather than routine operational tasks.

Responsibilities include serving as the highestlevel technical escalation point for enterpriseimpact network incidents, defining enterprise network security architecture and compliance frameworks, and maintaining enterprise documentation and technical guidance. Collaborates with IT Operations, Product Engineering, Data Engineering, security, and business stakeholders to ensure network architecture and standards support agency systems, initiatives, and missioncritical operations.

Works under minimal supervision, with extensive latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Influences enterprise network direction, standards, and longterm practices through expertise, consultation, and leadership rather than formal people management. Performs other duties as assigned.

General Duties and Responsibilities:
Advanced Network Operations & Technical Support Performs handson network work for the most complex, novel, or missioncritical operational issues and changes.
Enterprise Incident Response & Network Assurance Serves as the highestlevel technical escalation point for enterpriseimpact network incidents and systemic issues, leading advanced troubleshooting and resolution efforts.
Enterprise Network Performance & Capacity Strategy Defines and advances enterprise approaches to network performance management, capacity planning, and operational maturity.
Enterprise Network Security & Governance Defines and advances enterprise network security architecture, standards, and compliance frameworks across the organization.
Enterprise Network Architecture & Strategy Defines enterprise network architecture and longterm strategy to ensure scalability, resiliency, and alignment with agency priorities.
Technical Authority, Documentation & Consultation Serves as a senior technical authority by maintaining enterprise documentation and providing expert consultation across departments and external partners without formal supervisory responsibility.
Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
The successful candidate will possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to serve as the senior technical authority for enterprise network architecture, security, and operations.

Knowledge
Knowledge of enterprise network architecture and design, including routing, switching, wireless, WAN, and network segmentation across onpremises, private cloud, and public cloud environments.
Knowledge of network security architecture and technologies, including firewalls, intrusion prevention, VPN, and zerotrust network principles, such as Palo Alto Networks or comparable platforms.
Knowledge of cloudmanaged networking and wireless platforms, such as Cisco Meraki or comparable solutions.
Knowledge of network monitoring, performance management, and capacity planning tools and practices.
Knowledge of network resiliency, disaster recovery, and business continuity practices for enterprise network environments.
Knowledge of IT governance, security, and compliance practices related to network operations.

Skills
Skill in designing and implementing resilient, scalable enterprise network architectures.
Skill in troubleshooting and resolving complex, novel, or missioncritical network incidents.
Skill in configuring, securing, and maintaining network security and cloudmanaged networking platforms, such as Palo Alto and Cisco Meraki.
Skill in analyzing network performance and capacity data to guide optimization and planning decisions.
Skill in developing network standards, documentation, and operational procedures.
Skill in providing expert technical consultation and guidance to other engineers and departments without formal supervisory authority.
Skill in communicating complex technical information clearly to both technical and nontechnical audiences.

Abilities
Ability to serve as the highestlevel technical escalation point for enterpriseimpact network incidents.
Ability to define and advance enterprise network architecture and longterm technical strategy.
Ability to define and evolve enterprise network security standards and governance frameworks.
Ability to exercise sound independent judgment on complex, highrisk network changes with minimal supervision.
Ability to balance handson technical work with strategic planning and consultation responsibilities.
Ability to build effective working relationships with IT teams, vendors, and external partners.
Ability to foster a culture of technical excellence, documentation discipline, and continuous improvement.

Required InOffice Days:
This position is authorized for a hybrid telework schedule. Employees are required to work in the office two (2) days per week, with the remaining three (3) days eligible for telework. Specific inoffice days may be determined by the department to meet business needs.

Military Crosswalk: _ProgramManagement.pdf

Required Minimum Education and Experience:
Bachelor's degree from an accredited fouryear college or university with major coursework in computer science, information systems, network engineering, or a related field.
Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in network engineering, network administration, or a related information technology field, including experience with enterprise network architecture, security, and troubleshooting.
Additional related work experience may substitute for the required education on a yearforyear basis.

Preferred Experience and Education:
Extensive experience in enterprise network engineering, including architecture, security, and operations, in complex organizational environments.
Experience with enterprise network security platforms, such as Palo Alto Networks, and cloudmanaged networking platforms, such as Cisco Meraki.
Demonstrated experience leading network modernization efforts, including migrating and integrating onpremises, private cloud, and public cloud network environments.
Experience establishing network architecture standards and technology strategies that emphasize scalability, security, and automation.
Experience with operational risk management, disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and enterpriselevel security incident response.
Demonstrated ability to serve as a senior technical mentor and resource for other engineers without formal supervisory responsibility.
Professional certifications related to network engineering or network security, such as CCNP, CCIE, PCNSE, or comparable credentials.
Experience in public sector or government technology environments.

Physical Requirements and/or Working Conditions:
Work is performed in a standard office environment and requires:
Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance at work.
Frequent use of personal computers, copiers, printers, telephones, and other standard office equipment.
Frequent sitting, with occasional standing, walking, and movement throughout the office.
Frequent interaction with agency leadership, staff, vendors, and external stakeholders.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet established deadlines in a fastpaced environment.

Workforce:
Must be able to:
Demonstrate a strong commitment to customer service and the agency's mission.
Provide strategic leadership that promotes collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
Build and maintain effective working relationships with agency leadership, staff, vendors, and external stakeholders.
Show flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities, assignments, and organizational needs, including working extended hours when necessary.
Adhere to the agency's internal management policies, procedures, and applicable federal and state requirements.
Contribute to the agency's strategic goals, organizational performance measures, and mission.

Application Requirements:
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is an Equal Opportunity Employer. A State of Texas application is required to apply. For more information on how to apply for this position, go to the Coordinating Board's employment opportunities website at

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board participates in EVerify for each new employees Form I9 to confirm work authorization. For questions, please call the HR Department at . For vocal and/or hearing assistance call 711.

Notes to Applicant:
If you require any reasonable accommodation for the interview process, please inform the hiring representative who calls to schedule your interview. This position has been designated as a security sensitive position. A criminal background investigation will be conducted on the final candidate for this position.

Your job application must be completely filled out. Your application must contain dates of employment, job titles, name of employer and a description of duties performed in a way that demonstrates you meet the minimum qualifications for the position for which you are applying. Resumes do not take the place of the requirement to include this information on the application. If this information is not submitted, your application may be rejected because it is incomplete.

Veterans Information: THECB is committed to hiring Veterans. To receive Veteran's Preference, a copy of the FORM DD214 member #4, must be attached when submitting your application.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: THECB does not discriminate on the basis, of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services.

Job offer and continuation of employment with THECB is contingent upon:
Proof of education and experience listed on the application.
Eligibility/authorization to work in the U.S.
Satisfactory results from a preemployment criminal history background check.
Compliance with the Selective Service Law for males ages 1825. Please be advised that under Texas law, names and other information concerning applicants or nominees may be subject to disclosure upon request.

THECB does not allow dual employment with other state of Texas agencies or institutions.

Skills assessment may be conducted at time of interview.

Salary for this position will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.