Network Analyst

Summary of the role

ECMWF is looking for an Network Analyst who will be responsible for the provision of data centre and office networks, auxiliary network services, and network security appliances and services. They will also take part in evaluating and implementing new network and network security technologies, standards and techniques in order to enhance the computing infrastructure, as well as participating in a variety of other network-related projects.

The duties will change and evolve over time in response to the needs of the computing environment at ECMWF, in particular with regard to the high-performance computing facility and the dissemination of weather products to ECMWF’s partners around the world.

The ideal candidate will have the expertise and in-depth knowledge to plan, design, deploy, operate, optimise and support the network and security infrastructure as well as adopt and develop standards and new techniques for computer networks such as automation and virtualisation. The role will involve working with both internal and external stakeholders to introduce these into operations.

About Core Infrastructure Section

The Core Infrastructure Section forms part of ECMWF’s Computing Department and is responsible for delivering the network support for the Bologna Data Centre as well as Reading, Bologna and Bonn offices and the storage and general purpose servers of ECMWF. This section is also responsible for the mechanical and electrical aspects of ECMWF’s Bologna datacentre, which is a key facility supporting the Centre’s 24/7 time-critical production services..

Within the Core Infrastructure Section, the Networks and Security Team is responsible for designing, procuring, deploying and day-to-day management of the Networks and Security infrastructures and their associated Operational Security services. The co-ordination of Security Operations activities also takes place within the team, reporting to the Centre’s Director of Computing. ECMWF’s network environment includes cutting-edge technologies and products from well-known vendors, with data centre networks based on the latest 100 Gbps technology. The LAN and WAN systems use OSPF, MP-BGP, VXLAN/EVPN, Multicast and IPv6 in production.

For additional details,  see

About ECMWF

ECMWF is the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts. It is an intergovernmental organisation created in 1975 by a group of European nations and is today supported by 34 Member and Co-operating States, mostly in Europe. The Centre’s mission is to serve and support its Member and Co-operating States and the wider community by developing and providing world-leading global numerical weather prediction. ECMWF functions as a 24/7 research and operational centre with a focus on medium and long-range predictions and holds one of the largest meteorological archives in the world. The success of its activities relies primarily on the talent of its scientists, strong partnerships with its Member and Co-operating States and the international community, some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, and the use of innovative technologies such as machine learning across its operations. 

ECMWF has recently become a multi-site organisation, with its headquarters based since its creation in Reading, UK, its new data centre in Bologna, Italy, and new offices in Bonn, Germany. It has also recently adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows its staff to mix both office working and teleworking. This generous and flexible model provides our staff with considerable flexibility to spend time outside or away from their duty station and decide how they wish to manage their professional working time at ECMWF. ECMWF is an organisation that values the whole being and both understands and values the need for flexibility in the way its staff work.

For additional details, see www.ecmwf.int.

Main Duties and Key Resonsibilities

• Configuring and operating the network infrastructure used to support ECMWF’s High-Performance Computing Facility
• Configuring and operating network equipment: switches, routers, firewalls, ADC, wireless
• Working towards the simplification and automation of networks to achieve quicker and safer deployments, changes and upgrades through the use of APIs and templates
• Configuring and operating network services: DNS, DHCP, RADIUS, SIP, VoIP, NTP, Web Proxy running on a variety of platforms (proprietary, Linux, Windows)
• Isolating and repairing network faults in a timely and efficient manner in coordination with internal stakeholders and 3rd parties (providers, suppliers and support companies)
• Recommending and implementing changes and improvements to all services
• Evaluating and installing new network hardware and software
• Creating and maintaining up-to-date low and high-level documentation and diagrams
• Monitoring of the availability, performance and reliability of the network infrastructure and services
• Providing day-to-day support for the services provided by the team, including, on a rota basis, 24-hour on-call support

Personal attributes

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with a proactive approach
• Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision
• Ability to maintain effective communication and documentation with the rest of the team and a distributed user community
• Dedication and enthusiasm to work in a team
• Ability to work efficiently and complete diverse tasks in a timely manner

Education, experience, knowledge and skills (including language)

We encourage you to apply even if you don’t feel you meet precisely all of the these criteria.

Education

• A university degree (EQF Level 6)  or equivalent industry experience is essential

Experience required in the following areas

• Experience of configuring network hardware including switches, routers and firewalls
• Experience of working with infrastructure automation and virtualisation technologies
• Experience of network monitoring tools and techniques
• Experience of troubleshooting a network environment
• Experience of configuring and operating services such as DNS, DHCP, NTP and RADIUS
• Experience of working with Juniper, Arista, Fortinet, Infoblox, F5 or Cisco platforms
• Experience in developing code for network system management and monitoring solutions using REST APIs, Python, Ansible and similar tools, in a structured CI/CD Pipeline environment
• Experience of implementing the networking stack of cloud-native technologies (desirable)
• Experience of working in an international environment (desirable)

Knowledge and skills required

• Knowledge of network technologies including several of the following in practice: DNS, DHCP, L2VPN & L3VPN, VXLAN, EVPN, BGP, OSPF, Unified Communications
• Good working knowledge of a modern scripting language such as Python
• Candidates must be able to work effectively in English and interviews will be conducted in English
• Fluency in Italian would be advantageous as would knowledge of one of the Centre’s other working languages (French or German)

Other information

Grade remuneration

The successful candidate will be recruited at the A2 grade, according to the scales of the Co-ordinated Organisations and the annual basic salary will be EUR 73,201 net of tax. ECMWF also offers a generous benefits package, including a flexible hybrid teleworking policy. The position is assigned to the employment category STF-PS as defined in the ECMWF Staff Regulations. Full details of salary scales and allowances available on the ECMWF website at www.ecmwf.int/en/about/jobs, including the ECMWF Staff Regulations and the terms and conditions of employment.

Starting date:                As soon as possible

Length of contract:      Two years with the possibility of further extension

Location:                         The position is based at ECMWF’s Data Centre in Bologna, Italy.

Candidates are expected to relocate to the duty station. As a multi-site organisation, ECMWF has adopted a hybrid organisation model which allows flexibility for staff to mix office working and teleworking, including working away from the duty station (within the area of our member states and co-operating states) for up to 10 working days per month.

Interviews by videoconference (MS Team) are expected to take place approximately a month after the closing date.  If you require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment process, please contact us.

Successful applicants and members of their family forming part of their households will be exempt from immigration restrictions

Interviews by videoconference (via Teams ) are expected to take place during May 2024.

Who can apply

Applicants are invited to complete the online application form by clicking on the apply button.

At ECMWF, we consider an inclusive environment as key for our success. We are dedicated to ensuring a workplace that embraces diversity and provides equal opportunities for all, without distinction as to race, gender, age, marital status, social status, disability, sexual orientation, religion, personality, ethnicity and culture. We value the benefits derived from a diverse workforce and are committed to having staff that reflect the diversity of the countries that are part of our community, in an environment that nurtures equality and inclusion.

Applications are invited from nationals from ECMWF Member States and Co‑operating States, listed below:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Morocco, the Netherlands, Norway, North Macedonia, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

In these exceptional times, we also welcome applications from Ukrainian nationals for this vacancy.

Applications from nationals from other countries may be considered in exceptional cases.