
Hands-on experience, particularly in IT systems or network administration is always helpful for a candidate.Ĭandidates applying for a network engineer position should underscore not only their knowledge, but their skills.

Some employees prefer an MBA in information systems. Job RequirementsĪn ideal network engineer will often need, at minimum, a BS or MS in a computer-related field such as computer science, computer engineer, or programming. Alternatively, a network engineer may not oversee any employees, but instead partner with certain roles as projects require it.

Depending on company hierarchy, a network engineer may oversee network administrators. Interfacing with network administrators to manage or assist problemsĪ network engineer frequently reports directly to a CTO or CIO.Researching and integrating new technologies into the network lifecycle.Managing the electronic equipment that activates any network pieces.Designing and implementing both the physical and wireless networks, including those for computer communications and telecommunications.A network engineer may need to analyze what’s working and what isn’t to find room for improvement – all while working within a preset budget.Ĭommon roles and responsibilities of a network engineer include: Armed with this knowledge, the network engineer must then design and maintain any network that supports the company lifecycle and growth opportunities. The first part of a network engineer role must do is understand, at a macro level, the structure and network necessities of the entire organization. Network Engineer Roles and Responsibilities The smaller a company, the more duties one single job may have. The larger the company, the more specific a job may be. A network administrator, on the other hand, is typically differentiated from engineers and architecture.Īs in any field, a title is less important that the specifics of the job description. The terms “network engineer” and “network architecture” may be used interchangeably. In this article, we are exploring the roles, responsibilities, and prospects for both network engineers and network administrators. In general, the network engineer is responsible for the design and development of a computer network whereas a network administrator is responsible for ensuring and maintaining the network once it’s been developed. While it’s possible for the jobs to sound similar in descriptions and functions, and have some real overlap in responsibilities, there are distinct differences.

Network engineers and network administrators are common positions in the IT field, and both can hold a lot of clout.
