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NOC Operations Engineer

💰 $55,000 - $85,000

IT OperationsNetwork EngineeringInfrastructure Support

🎯 Role Definition

The NOC (Network Operations Center) Operations Engineer serves as the first line of defense for an organization's IT infrastructure. This role is pivotal in ensuring the health, stability, and performance of all network, server, and application environments. Working within a dynamic, often 24/7 setting, the NOC Engineer is responsible for proactively monitoring systems, rapidly identifying and diagnosing issues, and executing precise resolution procedures. They are the central hub for incident communication, coordinating with various technical teams and stakeholders to minimize downtime and maintain service level agreements (SLAs). This position requires a unique blend of technical acumen, sharp analytical skills, and a calm demeanor under pressure, making the NOC Engineer an essential guardian of business continuity.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • IT Support Specialist / Help Desk Technician (Tier 1/2)
  • Junior Systems Administrator
  • Field Technician

Advancement To:

  • Senior NOC Engineer / NOC Team Lead
  • Network Engineer / Network Architect
  • Site Reliability Engineer (SRE)
  • Systems Engineer

Lateral Moves:

  • Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst
  • DevOps Engineer
  • IT Project Coordinator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Proactively monitor the health and performance of all network infrastructure, servers, applications, and cloud services using a suite of advanced monitoring tools and dashboards.
  • Perform initial triage, investigation, and diagnosis of alerts and events to determine the root cause and potential impact on business operations.
  • Execute well-defined standard operating procedures (SOPs) for fault handling and escalation, ensuring a consistent and effective response to common incidents.
  • Manage the entire lifecycle of incident tickets, including detailed logging, accurate categorization, prioritization, and comprehensive resolution notes within ITSM platforms like ServiceNow or Jira.
  • Act as the primary communication point during outages, providing clear, concise, and timely status updates to technical teams, management, and business stakeholders.
  • Escalate complex or unresolved issues to Tier 2/3 support teams (e.g., Network Engineering, Systems Administration, DevOps) and maintain ownership of the incident until final resolution.
  • Conduct routine system health checks and preventative maintenance tasks during specified windows to ensure optimal performance and prevent future issues.
  • Coordinate with telecommunication vendors and third-party service providers to troubleshoot and resolve circuit issues, hardware failures, and other external dependencies.
  • Manage and respond to security-related alerts, collaborating closely with the Security Operations Center (SOC) to address potential threats and vulnerabilities.
  • Participate in the change management process by reviewing, approving, and assisting in the implementation of scheduled network and system changes.
  • Generate and analyze regular performance reports on system availability, incident trends, and SLA compliance to identify areas for improvement.
    s- Maintain and continuously improve the NOC's operational documentation, including knowledge base articles, runbooks, and escalation contact lists.
  • Perform basic administration and configuration of monitoring and alerting tools to fine-tune thresholds, reduce false positives, and onboard new systems.
  • Assist in post-incident review meetings and contribute to Root Cause Analysis (RCA) documentation to help develop long-term solutions and preventative measures.
  • Provide first-level support for a wide array of infrastructure components, including routers, switches, firewalls, load balancers, and both physical and virtual servers.
  • Validate system and service functionality after maintenance windows, deployments, or incident resolutions to confirm a return to a stable operational state.
  • Analyze system logs, event correlation data, and performance metrics to identify patterns, predict potential failures, and support problem management efforts.
  • Manage and execute data backup and recovery procedures, ensuring the integrity and availability of critical business data.
  • Support the deployment of new services and infrastructure by carrying out pre-launch checks and providing hyper-care monitoring post-launch.
  • Ensure all operational activities are performed in compliance with company policies, industry standards, and regulatory requirements.

Secondary Functions

  • Assist senior engineering teams with project-based tasks, including information gathering and execution of specific deployment steps.
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of NOC processes and procedures by providing feedback and suggestions based on first-hand operational experience.
  • Participate in the evaluation and proof-of-concept testing for new monitoring technologies and infrastructure management tools.
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to new or junior technicians joining the Network Operations Center team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Network Monitoring Systems: Deep experience with enterprise-level tools such as SolarWinds, Nagios, Datadog, Zabbix, PRTG, or Dynatrace.
  • ITSM & Ticketing Platforms: Proficiency in using systems like ServiceNow, Jira Service Management, BMC Remedy, or similar for incident and change management.
  • Core Networking Protocols: Solid understanding of the TCP/IP suite, including DNS, DHCP, HTTP/S, and SMTP.
  • Routing & Switching Concepts: Foundational knowledge of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF) and switching technologies (VLANs, STP).
  • Operating Systems: Hands-on experience with command-line administration of both Linux/Unix (RHEL, CentOS, Ubuntu) and Windows Server environments.
  • Scripting Ability: Basic scripting skills for task automation using PowerShell, Bash, or Python.
  • ITIL Framework: Familiarity with ITIL principles, especially in the areas of Incident Management, Problem Management, and Change Management.
    generating,
  • Cloud Platform Fundamentals: Awareness of major cloud provider environments (AWS, Azure, GCP) and their core services (EC2, S3, VPC, VMs).
  • Log Analysis: Ability to navigate and interpret system, application, and network logs using tools like Splunk, ELK Stack, or Graylog.
  • Hardware Troubleshooting: Experience diagnosing and coordinating the repair of physical hardware, including servers, switches, and routers.

Soft Skills

  • High-Pressure Composure: Ability to remain calm, focused, and methodical during high-stakes outages and critical incidents.
  • Analytical Problem-Solving: A logical and systematic approach to identifying, analyzing, and resolving complex technical problems.
  • Exceptional Communication: Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate technical issues to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Meticulous Attention to Detail: Precision in documenting incidents, following procedures, and monitoring for subtle system anomalies.
  • Collaborative Team Player: A proven ability to work effectively within a team and across different technical departments.
  • Proactive & Ownership Mindset: A drive to take initiative, own issues from start to finish, and continuously seek improvements.
  • Effective Multitasking: The capacity to manage and prioritize multiple concurrent incidents and tasks in a fast-paced environment.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • An Associate's degree or equivalent direct work experience in an IT operations role.
  • Relevant industry certifications (e.g., CompTIA Network+, CCNA) can be substituted for formal education.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited university.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Technology
  • Network Engineering or a related technical discipline

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 1-3 years in an IT support or operations role.

Preferred:

  • Direct experience working in a 24x7 Network Operations Center (NOC) or similar command center environment.
  • Verifiable experience with enterprise-scale monitoring and ITSM tools.
  • Possession of industry certifications such as Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or CompTIA Network+.
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