Cisco Network Engineer

With offices in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Ohio, Pepper Construction is a national general contracting and construction management firm that primarily serves the private sector. Pepper Construction provides clients the experience and resources of a national company, combined with the hands-on approach of a local company.

WHY PEPPER? At Pepper, we work hard, but we make sure to have a good time doing it. If you're ready to dive into an exciting role, apply today and be part of a team that values success, teamwork, and making a difference. We offer the following and more:

• Great benefits (medical, dental, vision) and 401(k) match-your future is in good hands!
• Vacation time, PTO, holidays, floating holidays and more!
• Student loan repayment program
• Opportunities to network and grow professionally
• A supportive team environment that celebrates success
• Engaging and fun company-wide events & volunteer opportunities
• Meaningful work bringing a positive impact to communities

This position will be based in Barrington, IL and is an on-site position (4-5 days a week) with the opportunity to travel to offices in the Midwest as needed.

We are seeking a skilled Network Engineer with proven experience in Cisco networking technologies and a strong background in network security. This role is responsible for the design, implementation, and maintenance of secure and efficient network infrastructure across the organization. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with Cisco hardware and software, and a deep understanding of security best practices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deploy, configure, and manage Cisco routers, switches, firewalls, and wireless solutions.
• Implement and maintain network security protocols, including firewalls, VPNs, and access controls.
• Create standard architecture, process and implementation plan for job sites, managing job site requests.
• Monitor and optimize network performance, ensuring reliability and security.
• Identify and mitigate network vulnerabilities and threats.
• Collaborate with IT and security teams on infrastructure design and risk mitigation.
• Maintain documentation for configurations, procedures, and network diagrams.
• Support network-related incident response and troubleshooting.
• Assist in audits and compliance activities (e.g., ISO, NIST, HIPAA)
• Support the entire corporate and job site network and security configurations.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or related field (or equivalent work experience)
• 5 years of experience as a Network Engineer in Cisco-based environments
• Strong knowledge of Cisco technologies (routing, switching, wireless, and firewalls)
• Experience with network security tools and concepts (e.g., ACLs, VPN, IDS/IPS, segmentation)
• Hands-on experience with Cisco ASA, Firepower, or Meraki is highly desirable
• Familiarity with security standards and frameworks
• Excellent troubleshooting and analytical skills
• Proficient in VPN technologies, firewall rule sets, and intrusion prevention systems (IPS)
• Knowledge of network monitoring tools (e.g., SolarWinds, PRTG, Cisco DNA Center)

Certifications (Preferred):

• Cisco Certification (CCNA), (CCNP) or Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
• Cisco Certified CyberOps Associate or CCNP Security a plus.
• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or CompTIA Security+ a plus

This position's target hiring salary range is $80,000 - $120,000 annually. The wage range for this role considers many factors, such as location, transferable skills, work experience, licensure and certification, business needs, internal equity, and market demands. The pay range is subject to change and may be modified. Roles are eligible for bonuses and benefits. Pepper Construction dedicated to offering our employees a comprehensive and best-in-class benefits package that prioritizes their physical, financial, and emotional well-being. We offer medical, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance plans, a generous 401k match, and a student loan repayment benefit. In addition to paid time off for company holidays, vacation, and personal days, Pepper offers fully paid medical and parental leave, mental health services, and more. For additional information, visit www.pepperconstruction.com.

Pepper Construction is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.

Please note: Pepper does not sponsor work visas.