Infrastructure Specialist

Infrastructure Specialist

This position is an on-campus, full-time, 12-month appointment based in Champaign, Illinois covered by the Professional Support Staff (PSS) Union with an annual salary of $61,235.50.

Application Close Date/Time: Sunday, January 4, 2026 at 6 PM CT

The Infrastructure Specialist's
role is to ensure the stable operation of the Information Technology
infrastructure at Parkland College, including network & server
infrastructure, data communications and telecommunications systems. This
includes planning, developing, installing, configuring, maintaining,
supporting, and optimizing all network hardware, software, and communication
links while ensuring minimal network downtime. The person will also diagnose,
resolve, and document hardware and software network problems in a timely and
accurate fashion and provide end user training and support where required. This
position also supports and maintains the security and privacy of the
Information Technology data and systems at Parkland College.

The
Infrastructure Specialist works with and manages a hybrid infrastructure
environment leveraging a range of cloud-based and on-premises tools, including
Microsoft 365 administration for Azure, Entra, Exchange, Teams, and SharePoint;
Hyper-V; Windows 2022 and 2025; Ubuntu Pro or similar Linux administration; HPE
Aruba switches and wireless access points; ClearPass and Palo Alto firewall and
network access control; Veeam backups; and AWS and Cloudflare IaaS.

The
Infrastructure Specialist is on a schedule established by the Director of
Technology Infrastructure. In order to perform repairs, maintenance, and
installations without disrupting operations, the position occasionally
necessitates an altered work schedule. At times, minimal supervision is
provided; the Infrastructure Specialist must be able to accurately prioritize
tasks and work with limited direction or assistance.

Applicants must submit:

• An online employment application
  
• Cover letter
  
• Resume or CV
  

Essential Job Functions:

• Install, configure, test, and maintain network hardware, software, networked peripheral devices, cabling, and networking hardware and software products.
  
• Maintain servers, including e-mail, print, and backup servers and their associated operating systems and software.
  
• Manage and ensure effectiveness of security solutions, including firewalls, anti-virus solutions, and intrusion detection systems and assist with the planning and deployment of technology infrastructure security measures.
  
• Maintain all network hardware and equipment, including routers, switches, hubs, and UPSs.
  
• Configure and maintain cloud resources such as Azure, and other cloud services.
  
• Monitor and maintain the high level of security of the Parkland College data center and all of the systems contained within.
  
• Monitor and resolve hardware and software problems in a timely and accurate fashion.
  
• Aid in development of business continuity and disaster recovery plans and maintain current knowledge of plan executables.
• Respond to emergency network outages in accordance with business continuity and disaster recovery plans.
  
• Develop and deploy methodologies for monitoring and testing network performance and providing network performance statistics and reports.
  
• Develop, implement, maintain policies, procedures, and associated training plans for technology infrastructure administration and project management.
  
• Assess and recommend security and privacy policies and procedures.
  
• Develop deployment strategies, documentation, and methods for installing and upgrading equipment, components, and software.
  
• Conduct research and make recommendations on network products, services, protocols, and standards in support of network procurement and development efforts.
  
• Manage and set priorities for the design, maintenance, development, and evaluation of technology infrastructure systems, including LAN/WAN, Internet, intranet, security, wireless implementations, etc.
  
• Practice IT asset management, including maintenance of component inventory and related documentation.
  
• Assess processes and procedures, recommend improvements, and assist with implementation.
  
• Respond to user requests for assistance or information and communicate with users to achieve a resolution in a timely manner.
  
• Provide escalated technical support, for network and applications, to other team members and departments.
  
• Daily interaction with team members, campus departments and external vendors.
  
• Work with college departments to evaluate network and application requirements.
  
• Work with external vendors to support existing technologies and to research networking, application, and security technologies for the college.
  
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in a computer related field or an equivalent combination of education and work experience.
  
• Prospective new hires will successfully complete a post offer, pre-employment criminal background check with fingerprinting. The background check review includes, but is not limited to, exclusionary offenses per the Illinois School Code and Title IV of the Higher Education Act.
• Demonstrated competence in network and computer support, excellent written and verbal communication skills, service orientation and the ability to sustain excellent customer relationships.
  
• Ability and willingness to maintain network documentation and the ability to perform the physical tasks of network support.
  
• Verbal and mathematical skills sufficient to communicate effectively, evaluate specifications and proposals, and perform other duties.
  
• Functional ability in current Microsoft, Cisco, and Linux technologies, with the ability and willingness to learn new technologies as changes occurs.
  
• Excellent troubleshooting skills to ensure that servers & applications that are critical to the daily operation of the college are maintained.
  
• Solid project management abilities to effectively carry out a project to completion.
  
• Ability to assume ownership of projects with minimal oversight.
  
• Lifting and transporting of heavy to moderately heavy objects, such as servers and switches.
  
• In an effort to comply with SURS return-to-work restrictions for employers (40 ILCS 5/15-139.5), candidates for employment at Parkland College must either not be a SURS annuitant or must be willing to suspend his/her SURS annuity upon employment. This applies to all SURS annuitants except those receiving their annuity under either the Self-Managed Plan (SMP) or by lump sum payment.

Robust benefits, including medical insurance with no monthly premiums, dental, life, disability, retirement plans, flexible spending, dependent care, EAP, work/life balance with generous paid time off, and tuition waiver. More information on the benefits package may be found online at our Benefits page.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Applications not submitted through https://www.parkland.edu/careers will not be considered.

Please monitor your email, including spam or junk mail folders, for future correspondence from Parkland College Human Resources.
For further information on the application process, please contact Parkland College Human Resources at 217-351-2220.

Applicants with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process.

Requests may be submitted by contacting Human Resources at 217-351-2220 or by emailing hr@parkland.edu.

Equal Opportunity Employer