Network Systems Administrator

At NAES, you’ll find engaging and challenging career opportunities in the power generation, renewable energy and industrial construction industry. At every level of the company, we share a common goal: To instill confidence in our clients through our steadfast commitment to safety, integrity and quality of work.

As the largest independent operator of power facilities in the industry, we’ve come to be viewed as an employer of choice. We strive to attract and retain employees by offering competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package (including retirement) and promotional opportunities.

Company Overview

Gridforce Energy Management’s mission is to ensure power flows consistently and reliability while enhancing our client’s profitability and reducing their risk exposure. Since 1999, Gridforce has been providing precision energy control and integration management services to micro-grids, load-serving entities and demand response clients throughout North America. Our employees are constantly iterating, solving problems, and working together to improve the business of our diverse client base from cities, municipalities and electric cooperatives, in addition to generation owners and operators.

We offer our employees opportunities for career development and training, providing new and valuable skills and experience. We are located in Houston, Texas -- the second fastest growing city in the nation, with world-class medical, cultural, educational and research institutions and a young, energetic and diverse population. Gridforce is located in the heart of Downtown Houston which provides an energizing and engaging atmosphere where you will love to come to work. Gridforce Energy Manage is a NAES Company.

Summary

The Network Systems Administrator is responsible for the smooth and secure operation of network devices and network connectivity.  The position is responsible for maintaining core enterprise systems, troubleshooting and maintenance of network hardware, intrusion prevention and detection, and collaboration with other staff and teams. This position requires compliance with IT best practices and regulatory standards.  This is a full-time, primarily in-person position located in our downtown Houston office.

Primary Responsibilities

• Analyze, troubleshoot, and resolve complex network and security incidents, performance issues, and outages.
• Participate in planning, design, and implementation of the company’s enterprise network architecture (LAN, WAN, VPN, DMVPN, Internet, and data center networks).
• Manage, operate, and optimize data center network facilities to meet reliability, performance, and scalability requirements.
• Implement and maintain network security and cybersecurity controls, including firewalls, segmentation, access control, and threat mitigation.
• Maintain full life cycle of networking hardware; configuration, deployment, patching, upgrades, backups and replacement.
• Develop and maintain network documentation, standards, diagrams, device inventory and operational procedures.
• Keep systems up to date with current security updates and vendor recommended updates.
• Utilize monitoring tools troubleshoot and improve availability, latency, and overall health.
• Investigate new technology and provide recommendations on system improvements and life cycle planning
• Availability for after-hours support and maintenance as needed.
• Follow proper change control procedures and adhere to industry compliance standards.

Working Relationships

The Network Systems Administrator reports to the IT Manager and works in relation to other IT team members.  This position will also require coordination with the operations team, applications team, and other staff within the organization.

Compensation

The initial compensation will range from $98,300 to $113,050

Education

Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, networking, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.

Experience

• Hands‑on experience in network engineering, administration, or related roles.
• Experience supporting large‑scale, multi‑site networks, preferably in manufacturing or industrial environments.

Required Qualifications

• Experience managing Cisco network devices (routers/switches/firewalls).
• Understanding of enterprise network architecture design, including LAN, WAN, Internet, and data center networking.
• Experience with network monitoring tools/software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional‑level certifications such as CCNA, CCNP, Network +,
• Solid understanding and practical experience with VLANs, IPsec VPN, DMVPN, and EIGRP.
• Experience managing Cisco next generation firewalls/Firepower.
• Experience following compliance standards such as NERC CIP, PCI-DSS, or SOC, or similar regulated environment
• Experience with SolarWinds, Netwrix, syslog analysis or other monitoring tools.
• Experience following structured change control procedures.

Other Considerations

• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. The ability to relay technical information to non-technical coworkers is preferred.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment

Physical Requirements & Working Conditions

Typical work schedule is Monday-Friday during normal business hours. Additional time may be required during heavy workloads, to meet deadlines, or to respond to issues that occur after normal business hours.  This position works in an office and data center environment.  Must be able to travel to remote data centers or business locations that are in the Houston and the Dallas area.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to lift 40lbs.  Ability to sit for long periods of time, ability to communicate verbally, and in writing, and ability to handle long periods of screen time.

Fit for Duty

This is a Non-DOT position and all employees will participate in the Fitness for Duty Program. This program includes a drug screening.

Performance

NAES employees have the responsibility to customers and internal co-workers to perform in their role with the highest standards. Employees of NAES are accountable for meeting and exceeding the needs of our customer with unflinching intergity.

NAES Safe

Safety is a core value of NAES; and as a condition of employment, all employees are expected to be mentally alert and work safely at all times.  Additionally, employees are required to adhere to all safety warnings and posted safety signs, whenever on company property.  Furthermore, employees must follow all NAES safety rules and procedures.  Effectiveness in carrying out this responsibility is part of the evaluation of each and every employee’s performance.

It is the practice of NAES to seek employees of the highest quality and to select the individuals on the basis of merit and competence, without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, military status or affiliation protected under USERRA, or any other basis of discrimination prohibited by applicable local, state and federal law.