Infrastructure Engineer I in Chicago, Illinois at EMPIST LLC

EMPIST is a full-service IT company, providing businesses with the technology they need to succeed. Each day we strive to create a teamwork-led environment that fosters the success of not just our clients and our business but of our employees, too.

ISG Engineer I

Chicago, IL - Onsite (Mon-Fri)

Overview

The Networking-Focused ISG Engineer is responsible for supporting, optimizing, and securing EMPIST’s client network environments across on premises, cloud, and hybrid infrastructures. This role serves as a primary escalation point for advanced networking issues and plays a critical part in ensuring high availability, strong security, and exceptional client experience.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a Level 2/3 escalation point for complex networking issues across multiple client environments

• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot firewalls (Fortinet & Meraki preferred)

• Support routing, switching, VPN, VLAN segmentation, and wireless deployments

• Implement SD‑WAN, site‑to‑site VPNs, and client VPNs

• Perform network health assessments, optimization recommendations, and remediation

• Utilize network monitoring tools to proactively identify and resolve issues

• Support and optimize wireless environments across HP/Aruba, Cisco, Meraki, and Fortinet platforms

• Troubleshoot RF performance issues and assist with wireless redesigns or expansions

• Work with Infrastructure and Cloud engineers to ensure alignment between network configurations and server, Azure, and VMware environments

• Support basic server, virtualization, and identity-related troubleshooting when issues intersect with network performance or connectivity

• Assist with hybrid connectivity between cloud and on-prem networks

• Collaborate on infrastructure tickets where networking and systems layers overlap

• Maintain accurate documentation, diagrams, and configuration standards

• Contribute to knowledgebase content and best practices

• Participate in on‑call rotation

• Deliver exceptional customer service both onsite and remotely

• Communicate clearly with technical and non‑technical stakeholders

• Provide guidance to Service Desk and Field Engineers to reduce networking escalations

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of hands-on networking or infrastructure engineering experience

• Strong proficiency with firewalls, switching, and routing (Fortinet strongly preferred)

• Experience supporting multi‑tenant MSP or multi‑environment infrastructure

• Strong understanding of DNS, DHCP, VLANs, NAC, and network security principles

• Familiarity with Microsoft 365, Azure AD, and virtualization concepts (VMware/Hyper‑V)

• Experience with wireless platforms such as Aruba, Cisco, Meraki, or Fortinet

• Ability to work onsite, remotely, and at client locations as required

• Strong troubleshooting, communication, and documentation skills

Preferred:

• Relevant certifications (CCNA, CCNP, Network+, Fortinet NSE, or equivalent)

• Experience with SD‑WAN, QoS, and VoIP-related network configurations

• Familiarity with ITGlue or similar documentation platforms

• Experience designing or supporting hybrid-cloud networking (Azure, AWS)

Compensation

• Salary Range: $80,000–$100,000 annually

• Benefits: Comprehensive health coverage, 401(k) with match, paid time off, certification reimbursement, and professional development support.

This is a full-time technical position with full benefits including Medical, Dental and 401K Match, plus we set up a career track tailored to each individual engineer and we pay for your certifications to complete that track.

EMPIST is a 26-year-old global company with US locations in the heart of the Loop in Downtown Chicago near all major transportation, Downtown Elmhurst on York Road and an office in Phoenix, AZ. We also have our European HQ in Athens, Greece. We have been named to the Inc 500/5000 list for 8 out of the last 9 years which recognizes the fastest-growing, privately held businesses across the nation. We've also been chosen as one of the 501 most influential MSPs in the world (#73 in 2024) recognized on the Channel Futures 501 list for 10 straight years.