Professional Services Engineer - Missoula

About Us: Blackfoot Communications reliably connects business of all sizes across the nation using the latest telecommunication technology in voice, network, and managed services. With focus on strong connections, we also provide dedicated account management with a goal to get to know our clients so we can help advise on the best solution.

What We Offer: We offer opportunities in the telecommunications and technology sectors with positions in Western Montana and Eastern Idaho. Blackfoot is proud to offer a competitive salary and a fantastic benefits package that includes; comprehensive medical benefits plan, LTD, life insurance, an outstanding retirement pension plan plus a 401k plan that includes employer match, along with other employer paid benefits. We are proud to have received awards and recognition that highlight our strong company culture. These include "Employer of Choice" from the Missoula Job Service Employer's Council, "Top Tech Employer" from the Montana High Tech Business Alliance, and the "Heart Award" from the United Way of Missoula County in recognition of our ongoing community efforts.

Job Summary: This position is responsible for the planning, configuration, staging, implementation, and early-life support of VoIP, networking, and security solutions provided to Blackfoot business customers as part of the Professional Services and Managed Services portfolio. Work includes executing implementation projects, migrations, and cutovers, as well as performing limited Tier 2 support and knowledge transfer to ongoing support teams. Managed Services may refer to both services offered on a monthly recurring basis and/or services sold under a non-recurring Professional Services model.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Plan, configure, stage, and implement VoIP systems, networking equipment (routers, switches, access points), and security solutions (firewalls, VPNs, SASE) under the guidance of an Implementation Lead, following industry-standard best practices.
• Work in collaboration with project management teams and customers to coordinate implementation activities (installations, migrations, cutovers, and upgrades) in an efficient, structured, and largely self-directed manner.
• Engage with customers and 3rd-party vendors to understand business and technical requirements; perform discovery sessions, identify underlying needs, and validate integration and implementation details.
• Provide positive and professional Tier 2 technical support related to active implementations and early-life issues, in coordination with the Implementation Lead and ongoing Support / NOC teams.
• Apply patches, updates, and bug fixes to maintain security and performance during implementation and early-life support.
• Create and maintain accurate network and solution documentation for all implemented services, including diagrams, configurations, and customer-specific standards.
• Create and/or update tickets to accurately document activities and communications pertaining to customer implementations and related technical support.
• Stay current on emerging technologies in the industry and assist with lab testing, standardization, and productizing new Managed and Professional Services solutions.
• Dispatch and perform onsite installation, cutover activities, and troubleshooting assistance as required to successfully deliver Managed Service solutions.
• Work in collaboration with other technical groups as required, including the Technical Assistance Center, Network Operations Center, and Central Office, to ensure smooth implementation and handoff to operations.
• Be available to participate in an on-call rotation to support before/after-hours maintenance windows, cutovers, and implementation-related support.
• Implement and support the following (including but not limited to) SMB Managed products as part of implementation and early-life support:
  • Managed SD-WAN
  • Managed Firewall
  • Managed LAN
  • Managed Connectivity
  • Managed SASE
  • Managed Monitoring
  • Managed VoIP

Additional Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Perform other duties and responsibilities as required to fulfill job function or as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of:

• Networking fundamentals (VLANs, IPv4/v6, subnetting, ARP, ICMP, TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN)
• The major networking and security vendors (Cisco, Fortinet, Meraki, Cato, etc.). 
• VoIP protocols (SIP, RTP), voice VLANs, LLDP.
• Diagnostic tools and monitoring systems (Wireshark, iPerf, SecureCRT, Putty, Solarwinds, etc)
• Company policies, procedures, products and services.
• Managed service platform and technology.
• Computer hardware and general office practices and procedures.
• Windows OS and other Microsoft programs.
• Networking devices.                                                       
• Time management and organizational skills.

Skill to:

• Provide exceptional customer experience.
• Operate various office equipment such as a computer, copy machine, fax machine and multi-line telephone.
• Communicate clear technical solutions in a user-friendly, professional manner; where the customer and their needs are a primary focus, as to develop and sustain long-term successful customer relationships.
• Utilize resources to research and find solutions to problems.
• Perform under stressful situations.
• De-escalate tense customer situations using appropriate interpersonal styles and methods.  

Ability to:

• Work independently.
• Think analytically and be a problem solver.
• Be flexible and adapt to change.
• Communicate effectively, both in writing and in speaking, with customers, co-workers, and various business contacts in a courteous and professional manner.
• Work completely and accurately under time constraints and deadlines.
• Obtain and maintain a valid drivers' license, have a good driving record and be insured under the Company insurance policy.
• Read, analyze, and interpret technical documents and reports.
• Work in a safe and effective manner.

Education and Experience:  

Any combination equivalent to the following education and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities would qualify. A typical way to obtain the knowledge, skills and abilities would be: Associate degree in related field and/or two (2) to three (3) years of related work experience and/or a Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification.  Note: Cisco certifications are desirable and can be obtained while working for Blackfoot and highly encouraged for advancement of assigned work and/or positions. Vendor-specific certifications for currently utilized platforms are also desirable, such as the Fortinet FCP.  

Any noted minimum or maximum years of experience should not be construed as a requirement for consideration; this information is meant to be used as a suggested guideline.