Solution Consultant

About AARNet

Australia’s Academic and Research Network (AARNet) was established in 1989 and is widely regarded as the founder of the Internet in Australia and renowned as the architect, builder and operator of world-class network infrastructure for research and education. 

We are Australia’s National Research and Education Network (NREN). We connect over one million users—researchers, faculty, staff and students—at institutions across Australia, supporting education and research across a diverse range of disciplines including high energy physics, climate science, genomics, radio astronomy and the arts.

Nationally, AARNet interconnects Australian universities, the CSIRO, and other organisations who have a research and education mission, or with whom the education and research sector interacts. These include hospitals, vocational training providers, schools and museums. Internationally, AARNet interconnects the Australian Research and Education (R&E) community to the world – and continuously develops new capabilities and partnerships to facilitate seamless data access and transfer. 

AARNet also offers a suite of supporting services and applications to our customers. These include managed and unmanaged network, security and collaboration offerings, including Zoom, our Security Operations Centre (SOC) and managed Firewall services. These provide our customers with enhanced connectivity and security, enabling them to innovate in the delivery of research and education regardless of their size or team make ups.

We are an organisation of innovators, doers, and courageous thinkers. We are not constrained by traditional products and solutions, and we constantly strive to build the solutions that our customers will need tomorrow – today. If you have the imagination, foresight and drive to build the future why not come and join us?

The Role

We are looking for a Solution Consultant to enhance and expand our ‘customer success’ capabilities across a range of our products for different customers. The role will require specialist design and engineering experience in the networking domain, including routing, switching and firewall configuration, and flexibility to work across related disciplines (e.g. security and cloud connectivity).

This new position will work directly with our customers, including Universities, Higher Education, Schools, and GLAM customers (Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums), providing advice and expertise in a pre-sales, post-sales and advisory capacity. This will also include some design and hands-on engineering and configuration (including BGP). The role may also help guide our internal development processes by providing technical and commercial input and advisory services relevant to proposed or existing AARNet services.

As this role will require the effective communication across a broad range of technical areas, the successful candidate will have experience in a wide range of networking and related products and platforms, as well as strong interpersonal skills. Hands-on experience with common vendors’ platforms and applications is essential. A practiced understanding of common approaches to solution design, development and implementation is critical (e.g. ITIL, SDLC, Cisco PPDIOO). Candidates should understand the importance of customer business needs and concerns, whilst understanding their potential constraints in resourcing, limited technical knowledge, and reliance on external managed services providers. 

This role will suit a self-motivated individual who is:

• Someone that takes pride in the quality of their contribution.
• An excellent communicator with technical and non-technical stakeholders alike, comfortable in a customer facing role, including presenting potential solutions.
• A logical problem solver with a natural curiosity, keeping across best practices and industry trends.
• Able to effectively manage multiple customer environments and prioritise; and
• A finisher – outcome focussed and ensures engagements are completed and/or handed over successfully.

Responsibilities

• Work with customers to develop positive, long-term relationships that enable AARNet to better understand their needs, preferences, and priorities.
• Provide direct technical advisory and solution consulting services to customers, including preparation of relevant designs, diagrams, reports and presentations as required.
• Work closely with team members in the Customer Relations group to drive the successful adoption of AARNet’s products and services and ensure that customers derive maximum value from their subscription.
• Work closely with the AARNet technical teams to aid in the investigation and resolution of major service disruptions within customer and AARNet environments.
• Provide support to architecture and design activities alongside team members and AARNet engineering teams.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of products and services in the marketplace relevant to your specialisation area(s) and the research & education sector landscape, including trends and changes in best practice.
• Maintain relevant technical accreditations.
• Perform administrating tasks including reporting, documentation, expenses, and others as required.

Expertise, experience & qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent education in related ICT fields / or 5+ years’ experience in related field.
• Significant experience within an Enterprise, Systems Integrator or Service Provider networking team or similar role, with experience in or with customers in higher education sector considered an advantage.
• Experience in a variety of technical areas within the telecommunications, Cloud, cyber-security or network domains will be central; Experience with one or more common network virtualisation technologies (e.g. MPLS VPN, VxLAN, EVPN, etc.) is an advantage.
• Development of Network design documentation (written and diagrams), including routing & switching is mandatory for the role.
• Hands-on configuration of networking equipment and advanced routing configuration experience is mandatory for the role (including advanced configuration of BGP and routing policies, for internal and external/perimeter routing scenarios).
• Experience working with non-technical customers to develop solutions is a critical part of the role.
• Experience in the development of complex solutions and commercial service offerings is advantageous.
• Experience in a leading network design or engineering role is advantageous.
• Technical certification in products and systems relevant to your area(s) of specialization; CCNP or higher is advantageous, as is similar level technical certifications in networking, security and/or cloud.

Important skills

• Proven problem-solving skills and ability to accurately identify and resolve issues during implementations.
• Excellent, verbal, written and analytical skills, including design development, report writing and customer presentations of solutions addressing business and technical concerns and requirements.
• Ability to build strong, trusted relationships through direct customer engagement. and gain endorsement from a wide range of technical and non-technical customer and internal stakeholders.
• Ability to coordinate and communicate effectively with teammates, managers, and clients to maintain high service levels in a demanding environment.
• Self-motivated, directed, and has an ability to work with clear leadership but minimal day to day supervision.
• Ability to manage multiple conflicting priorities, commitments, and projects.
• Passionate in their domain, with an ability to quickly take on new concepts, adapt and learn about new technical solutions, gaining technical accreditation where required.

Conditions of employment

AARNet is committed to diversity and providing equal opportunity to all. We’re a great place to work if you want to make a difference. 

AARNet provides competitive remuneration and a host of other benefits including:

• 17% superannuation;
• Flexible work options;
• Options to purchase additional Annual Leave;
• 2 days paid Women’s Wellness Leave per month;
• 24 weeks paid Parental Leave – Primary Carer;
• Welcome back to AARNet superannuation payment – on unpaid Parental Leave for Primary Carer;
• 4 weeks paid Birth Trauma Leave;
• 24 weeks paid - Adoption Leave;
• 16 weeks paid Parental Leave – Secondary Carer;
• 5 days paid – First Nations Cultural Leave;
• 2 days paid Family Wedding Leave;
• 24 weeks paid – Foster Carer Leave;
• 5 days paid – Fertility Leave;
• 8 weeks paid – Gender Affirmation Leave;
• Strong Equal Opportunity focus;
• Sector leader in Social Responsibility and Ethics; and
• A culture and company structure that allows your career to grow with access to leading edge technologies