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- CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.
- If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.
Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.
POSITION SPECIFICS
Site Operations, a vital unit within Penn State IT Infrastructure, is seeking a Network Systems Specialists to work within its Operation Center. This position is required to monitor and troubleshoot network problems and performance, to maintain reliability and prevent issues, to keep customers informed of service changes, outages, or discontinuation, and to maintain documentation of departmental processes, procedures, plans for preventative maintenance, and disaster recovery.
- 2nd shift 3pm - 11pm .
- The primary location for the role is State College PA, at the University Park campus. This position has a hybrid work modality option, with a mix of in-person and remote work and will require regular weekly work on campus. Questions related to work schedules should be directed to the hiring manager during the interview process.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
- Monitored the availability, performance, and capacity of enterprise IT services and infrastructure to maintain system reliability and uptime.
- Analyzed system events and alerts across network, voice, video, application, and infrastructure environments to identify issues, assess impact, and initiate appropriate response.
- Utilized monitoring and troubleshooting tools to investigate service disruptions, document findings in ServiceNow, and escalate incidents to appropriate technical teams.
- Coordinated incident response by triaging issues based on severity and SLA requirements, serving as Incident Manager and Major Incident Manager during critical outages.
- Created and managed change requests for planned maintenance, infrastructure upgrades, server maintenance, voice systems, and facility utility shutdowns following ITIL change management processes.
- Coordinated vendor support for break/fix incidents, scheduled maintenance, and facility access to ensure timely resolution of operational issues.
- Processed and routed IT service requests, facility access requests, and departmental operational requests while maintaining accurate documentation and providing excellent customer support.
- Collaborated with Service Desk, Change Management, IT leadership, and cross-functional infrastructure teams to communicate operational status, coordinate service restoration, and support daily IT operations.
QUALIFICATIONS
Qualified candidates will demonstrate strength across several of the following areas:
- Experience working in teams to support IT infrastructure. The ability to demonstrate knowledge of IT infrastructure monitoring systems, enterprise networks, networked systems, and IT facilities.
- Familiarity with IT Service Management, ServiceNow, and Major Incident Response processes are a plus.
- Possess the ability to work through complex, and often unstructured problems to provide solutions.
- Familiarity with IT Service Management best practices and the ability to apply them to the University’s environment is preferred.
- Basic analyzing/diagnosing skills, excellent communication and documentation skills, a teamwork and customer service approach, problem solving skills and strong attention to detail are required.
MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS
Associate Degree No prior relevant work experience required; previous relevant work experience accepted in lieu of education. Required Certifications: None
BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment Visa. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
SALARY & BENEFITS
The salary range for this position, including all possible grades, is $49,188.00 - $71,340.00.
Salary Structure - Information on Penn State's salary structure
Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.
CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS
Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.
EEO IS THE LAW
Penn State is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.
Penn State is committed to and accountable for advancing equity, respect, and belonging. We embrace individual uniqueness, as well as a culture of belonging that supports equity initiatives, leverages the educational and institutional benefits of inclusion in society, and provides opportunities for engagement intended to help all members of the community thrive. We value belonging as a core strength and an essential element of the university’s teaching, research, and service mission.
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Skills Required
- Associate degree or equivalent experience
- Experience supporting IT infrastructure and monitoring systems
- Knowledge of enterprise networks, networked systems, and IT facilities
- Basic analysis and diagnostic skills; problem solving and attention to detail
- Excellent communication and documentation skills; teamwork and customer service orientation
- Familiarity with IT Service Management best practices and ServiceNow
- Familiarity with Major Incident Response and ITIL/change management processes
- Willingness to work 2nd shift (3pm-11pm) and maintain regular weekly on-campus presence in State College, PA (hybrid modality)
- Successful completion of background check(s) as required by the University
- Authorized to work in the U.S. (no visa sponsorship provided)
Penn State University Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Penn State University and has not been reviewed or approved by Penn State University.
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Retirement Support — Employer contributions to SERS and the TIAA Alternate Plan are described as significant, with supplemental retirement options available. Feedback suggests these choices and contributions create strong long‑term value.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Full‑time employees accrue over 24 sick and vacation days annually, with additional university holidays and a winter break. Feedback suggests this depth of leave supports work–life balance.
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Inclusive Benefits Coverage — A 75% tuition discount extends to employees, spouses, and dependent children up to age 26 across resident instruction, World Campus, and Penn College courses. Feedback suggests this broad eligibility meaningfully enhances total rewards, especially for families.
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What We Do
There’s a reason Penn State consistently ranks among the top one percent of the world’s universities. Across 24 campuses, our nearly 88,000 students and 17,000 faculty and staff know the real measure of success goes beyond the classroom—it’s the positive impact made on communities across the world. From access to state-of-the-art resources to interdisciplinary pursuits in collaborative atmospheres, a Penn State degree is more than an education. The experiences and knowledge gained here will form the foundation for the lives our students build. Their contributions to the world begin with a Penn State degree. We Are Penn State.
