Information Consulting Services

Cisco Meraki Network Administrator / Support Engineer Location: Dover or Newark, DE Hybrid, 12 Days Onsite per Week Employment Type: Contract Schedule: Full-Time 40 Hours per Week Industry: Open to All Industry Backgrounds Position Overview Our client is seeking a Cisco Meraki Network Administrator / Support Engineer to support a large, geographically distributed network environment consisting of approximately 60+ remote locations and more than 70 ISP-connected sites . This individual will primarily support the organization's Cisco Meraki environment , with responsibility for day-to-day network administration, troubleshooting, hardware refreshes, equipment configuration, ISP coordination, and remote-site deployments. The organization is currently undertaking a significant network hardware refresh initiative , replacing approximately 25% of its remote-site infrastructure each year as equipment reaches end of life on a four-year lifecycle . The selected consultant will play a key role in coordinating these refreshes from equipment staging and configuration through installation and final validation. This is an excellent opportunity for a strong Level 1 Network Engineer/Administrator who is ready to grow into a Level 2 capacity . The role does not require advanced core-network architecture experience but does require hands-on Meraki knowledge, strong troubleshooting skills, and excellent communication and coordination abilities. Key Responsibilities Cisco Meraki Network Administration & Support Support and administer Cisco Meraki network infrastructure across approximately 60+ remote business locations . Configure, monitor, maintain, and troubleshoot Meraki switches, security appliances, wireless infrastructure, VPN connectivity, and WAN services. Utilize the Meraki Dashboard for network administration, monitoring, troubleshooting, and configuration. Provide day-to-day remote network support for geographically distributed locations. Troubleshoot connectivity, hardware, ISP, VPN, switching, and general network issues. Escalate more complex networking issues to senior Network Engineers when appropriate. Assist senior engineers with traditional Cisco infrastructure and other network initiatives as needed. Network Hardware Refresh & Site Deployments Support an ongoing multi-year network hardware refresh program , replacing equipment as it reaches end of life. Help coordinate the annual refresh of approximately 25% of remote locations as part of the organization's four-year hardware lifecycle. Receive, configure, and stage Meraki network equipment from the client's Delaware office prior to shipment to remote locations. Prepare equipment and configurations so installations can follow a standardized, repeatable deployment process. Coordinate hardware replacements and installations with individual business locations, internal resources, third-party vendors, and remote technicians. Work closely with the organization's third-party field services provider to schedule technicians and ensure equipment is successfully installed at each location. Provide technical direction and remote support during equipment swaps and site upgrades. Test and validate network connectivity following installations and upgrades. Track multiple site deployments, schedules, dependencies, outstanding issues, and completion status. ISP & Vendor Coordination Coordinate ISP services and connectivity across 70+ locations . Work directly with carriers on new circuit installations, circuit turn-ups, bandwidth upgrades, migrations, outages, escalations, and service disconnects. Coordinate activities between ISP providers, site personnel, third-party technicians, vendors, and internal IT resources . Serve as a primary point of communication during remote-site network implementations and troubleshooting activities. Ensure equipment, vendors, technicians, site contacts, and technical resources are aligned before scheduled installations. Follow through on open issues until connectivity or deployment activities are successfully completed. Documentation & Operational Support Maintain accurate documentation related to network hardware, configurations, circuits, site deployments, and upgrades. Document deployment status, technical issues, troubleshooting steps, and resolutions. Support standardized processes and procedures for repeatable remote-site network deployments. Collaborate with the broader Network Engineering team on ongoing infrastructure initiatives. Required Qualifications Hands-on experience supporting and administering Cisco Meraki network environments . Experience with Meraki switches, security appliances, wireless infrastructure, and/or the Meraki Dashboard . Working knowledge of TCP/IP, switching, routing, VLANs, firewalls, VPNs, WAN connectivity, and network troubleshooting . Experience configuring, staging, deploying, replacing, and troubleshooting network equipment. Experience supporting remote or branch-office network environments . Experience coordinating with ISPs, telecommunications carriers, third-party vendors, field technicians, and remote business locations . Ability to troubleshoot network connectivity and determine when issues should be escalated to senior engineering resources. Ability to coordinate multiple network installations, refreshes, and support activities simultaneously. Strong verbal communication skills and the ability to spend significant time communicating with remote sites, ISPs, vendors, and technicians. Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and follow-through. Ability to work independently while collaborating with a broader Network Engineering team. Ability to work onsite in Dover or Newark, Delaware approximately 12 days per week . Preferred Qualifications Experience supporting networks across a large number of geographically distributed branch or remote locations. Experience participating in large-scale network hardware refresh or modernization initiatives . Experience coordinating ISP circuit installations, upgrades, outages, and carrier troubleshooting. Familiarity with traditional Cisco switching and routing technologies outside of Meraki. Exposure to Microsoft Azure networking or Meraki virtual appliances . Cisco CCNA, Cisco Certified Support Technician, Meraki training, or similar networking certifications. Previous experience in a Network Administrator, Network Support Engineer, NOC Analyst, Network Engineer I, or Junior Network Engineer position. Experience coordinating technical deployments involving multiple internal and external resources. Ideal Candidate Profile The ideal candidate is a hands-on Cisco Meraki professional with a strong Network Administrator or junior Network Engineer background who is equally comfortable troubleshooting technology and coordinating with people. This person does not need to be a senior network architect or advanced Cisco engineer. A strong Level 1 networking professional with solid Meraki experience and the ability to grow into Level 2 responsibilities could be an excellent fit. Because much of the environment follows standardized Meraki configurations, success in this role will depend heavily on organization, communication, troubleshooting ability, and follow-through . The individual should be comfortable spending significant time on the phone coordinating with remote locations, ISP providers, third-party technicians, and internal teams while ensuring network refreshes and connectivity issues are driven through completion.