What are the responsibilities and job description for the Network Administrator Part Time Role position at Acumenz Consulting?
Role : Network Administrator
Location : Richardson, TX 75082 (3 days a week)
local preferred
Exp –10 yrs
Part-time role - 20-25 hours a week
Position Summary
We are seeking an experienced Network Administrator to support and maintain our Palo Alto SASE/SD-WAN solution with Prisma Access and Cisco Meraki switches and access points. This is a Hybrid onsite role (3 days per week) focused on ensuring network health, responding to performance issues, and managing upgrade schedules for critical network infrastructure.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
- Network Health Monitoring & Response
- Monitor Palo Alto Strata Cloud Manager dashboards for SD-WAN and Prisma Access performance.
- Track Meraki dashboard for switch and AP health.
- Respond promptly to alerts indicating performance outside tolerance or outages.
- Perform root cause analysis and escalate issues as needed.
- Incident Management
- Troubleshoot connectivity issues across SASE, SD-WAN, and Meraki environments.
- Coordinate with internal teams and vendors for resolution.
- Document incidents and corrective actions in ServiceNow or equivalent ticketing system.
- Upgrade & Patch Management
- Maintain a schedule of firmware and software updates for Palo Alto and Meraki devices.
- Validate compatibility and perform upgrades during approved maintenance windows.
- Communicate upgrade status and timelines to stakeholders.
- Configuration & Administration
- Manage network policies, routing, and QoS settings in Palo Alto Strata Cloud Manager.
- Administer Meraki switches and APs, including VLAN configuration and SSID management.
- Ensure compliance with security standards and best practices.
- Reporting & Documentation
- Produce weekly and monthly health reports for leadership.
- Maintain accurate documentation of network topology, configurations, and change logs.
- Track SLA adherence and provide performance metrics.
- Collaboration & Continuous Improvement
- Work closely with cybersecurity and IT teams to align network operations with security policies.
- Recommend optimizations for network performance and reliability.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- Hands-on experience with Palo Alto Strata Cloud Manager, Prisma Access, and SD-WAN.
- Proficiency in Cisco Meraki dashboard administration (switches and APs).
- Strong troubleshooting skills for WAN, LAN, and wireless networks.
- Familiarity with NAT-T, IPsec tunnels, and cloud-delivered security.
- Knowledge of firmware lifecycle management and upgrade best practices.
- Excellent documentation and communication skills.
Preferred Certifications
- Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) or equivalent.
- Cisco Meraki CMNA or CCNA.
- ITIL Foundation (for change management and incident handling).