Network Architect (1044), Administration Division – San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency

Overview

Network Architect role at City and County of San Francisco, San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA).

Appointment type : Temporary Exempt, Category 18. This position is excluded by the Charter from the competitive Civil Service examination process and serves at the discretion of the Appointing Officer. The duration of this appointment shall not exceed 36 months.

Position Description

Under the direction of the TCUP Technology Project Manager, the Network Architect leads a team responsible for network topology, policies, wireless infrastructure, fiber infrastructure, network equipment, security, installation, and testing.

Examples of Important and Essential Duties

• Design and implement an optimized network topology to support reliable, low-latency, and high-bandwidth communication for the radio-based train control system.
• Develop redundancy and failover strategies to ensure network resiliency and availability during system failures or outages.
• Create detailed documentation of logical and physical network layouts, including diagrams and inventory of assets.
• Establish and document network policies, including quality of service (QoS), bandwidth allocation, access control, and routing protocols.
• Define and enforce wireless spectrum allocation policies to prevent interference and optimize channel utilization.
• Design and implement the wireless communication system, including site selection, radio propagation analysis, and antenna placement.
• Specify wireless standards and protocols (e.g., Wi-Fi, LTE, 5G, or proprietary radio systems) to be used in the system.
• Plan and oversee the deployment of fiber optic networks for high-speed backhaul communication and ensure signal integrity and latency targets are met.
• Coordinate with civil engineers and contractors for fiber installation, splicing, and testing.
• Specify, procure, and oversee the installation and commissioning of network equipment, such as routers, switches, access points, base stations, and controllers, tailored to the system’s requirements.
• Design and configure equipment to support dynamic routing, multicast, and VLANs.
• Develop maintenance plans and monitor hardware life cycles for timely replacements or upgrades.
• Implement cybersecurity measures, such as firewalls, intrusion detection / prevention systems (IDS / IPS), and endpoint protection.
• Conduct periodic vulnerability assessments and ensure compliance with industry standards (e.g., NIST, CISA, ISO / IEC 27001).
• Conduct quality assurance inspections and verify installations against engineering designs.
• Develop and execute comprehensive test plans for network performance, including stress tests, failover tests, and latency measurements.
• Validate end-to-end functionality of the network for train control operations, including communication between trains, trackside equipment, and control centers.
• Troubleshoot and resolve issues identified during testing phases.
• Develop detailed technical documentation for network designs, configurations, and operational procedures.
• Ensure all network components comply with applicable railway safety standards and regulatory requirements.
• Implement network monitoring tools to continuously assess performance metrics, such as signal strength, throughput, and latency.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications :

Education : An associate degree in computer science, computer engineering, information systems, or a closely related field from an accredited college or university OR its equivalent in total course credits / units (60 semester or 90 quarter credits / units with at least 20 semester or 30 quarter credits / units in one of the fields above or a closely-related field).

Experience : Five (5) years of experience analyzing, installing, configuring, enhancing, and / or maintaining the components of an enterprise network.

Substitution : Additional experience as described above may be substituted for the required degree on a year-for-year basis (up to a maximum of two (2) years). One (1) year is equivalent to thirty (30) semester units / forty-five (45) quarter units with a minimum of 10 semester / 15 quarter units in one of the fields above or a closely related field. Completion of the 1010 Information Systems Trainee Program may be substituted for the required degree.

Notes :

Desirable Qualifications :

Additional Information

Verification : Applicants may be required to submit verification of qualifying education and experience. Falsifying information may result in disqualification. Selection Process : Applications will be screened for relevant qualifying experience; additional screening mechanisms may be used. Questions : contact Melissa Lee at Melissa.Lee@sfmta.com.

The City and County of San Francisco encourages women, minorities and persons with disabilities to apply. Applicants will be considered regardless of sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, HIV / AIDS status, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category under the law.

EEO and Other

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

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