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What does a network and communication engineer do?

Updated January 8, 2025
7 min read
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Network and communication engineer responsibilities

Here are examples of responsibilities from real network and communication engineer resumes:

  • Manage firewall, network monitoring and server monitoring both on-site and off.
  • Manage and monitor day to day operations of the network; including WAN/LAN, network routers, switches, and firewalls.
  • Implement and currently manage the corporate firewall solution.
  • Excele at managing major network-wide upgrades; improve speed and predictability of multicast and order-routing data.
  • Install, test, troubleshoot and repair new circuits, networks, and communications systems.
  • Identify and resolve long standing architectural network issues (multicast, QOS, LAN instability )
  • Participate in several projects to upgrade site to VoIP.
  • Direct knowledge and experience working with the TCP/IP protocol.
  • Install upgrades and maintain voice IP services (VOIP).
  • Coordinate and troubleshoot circuit and link outages while conducting routine maintenance.
  • Conduct installation of fiber and ethernet networks between training site buildings and the operations center.
  • Evaluate and present audio, video test tools to entire QA teams from various locations.
  • Involve in system level PHY/MAC algorithm, RTL logics, DSP and Linux kernel driver design.
  • Maintain network performance with the least amount of downtime possible to include several remote locations via VPN IPSEC tunnels.
  • Upgrade legacy token-ring/twinax wiring infrastructure to T568-B Ethernet standard.

Network and communication engineer skills and personality traits

We calculated that 8% of Network And Communication Engineers are proficient in Switches, Troubleshoot, and DOD. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Communication skills, and Problem-solving skills.

We break down the percentage of Network And Communication Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:

  • Switches, 8%

    Assisted WAM!NET personnel in the build, installation, and troubleshooting of Cisco routers and switches.

  • Troubleshoot, 8%

    Provided assistance to Technical Support and Field Service staff by training and assisting with support calls to troubleshoot customer problems.

  • DOD, 5%

    Provide daily report of health and welfare of the network to DOD management personnel.

  • VoIP, 5%

    Migrated sites running Key Systems to new enterprise VOIP solution.

  • Network Design, 5%

    Network design documentation and diagram creations.

  • OSPF, 5%

    Network configured with OSPF as the primary interior routing protocol encompassing a full-mesh topology.

"switches," "troubleshoot," and "dod" are among the most common skills that network and communication engineers use at work. You can find even more network and communication engineer responsibilities below, including:

Analytical skills. The most essential soft skill for a network and communication engineer to carry out their responsibilities is analytical skills. This skill is important for the role because "administrators need to evaluate networks and systems to make sure that they perform reliably and to anticipate new requirements as customers’ needs change." Additionally, a network and communication engineer resume shows how their duties depend on analytical skills: "enable qos; ensuring delay sensitive data(voice and streaming video) are minimally impacted by busy bandwidth. "

Communication skills. Many network and communication engineer duties rely on communication skills. "administrators must describe problems and their solutions to non-it workers.," so a network and communication engineer will need this skill often in their role. This resume example is just one of many ways network and communication engineer responsibilities rely on communication skills: "integrated a toshiba strata cix phone system with cisco unified communications using sip trunking. "

Problem-solving skills. This is an important skill for network and communication engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how network and communication engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "administrators must quickly resolve problems that arise with computer networks." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a network and communication engineer: "identified and resolved long standing architectural network issues (multicast, qos, lan instability)".

Most common network and communication engineer skills

Compare different network and communication engineers

Network and communication engineer vs. Engineer

Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.

The annual salary of engineers is $2,084 higher than the average salary of network and communication engineers.While their salaries may differ, the common ground between network and communication engineers and engineers are a few of the skills required in each roleacirc;euro;trade;s responsibilities. In both careers, employee duties involve skills like switches, troubleshoot, and voip.

There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, network and communication engineer responsibilities require skills like "dod," "network design," "ospf," and "network hardware." Meanwhile a typical engineer has skills in areas such as "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.

Engineers earn the highest salaries when working in the automotive industry, with an average yearly salary of $97,672. On the other hand, network and communication engineers are paid more in the technology industry with an average salary of $89,949.engineers tend to reach higher levels of education than network and communication engineers. In fact, engineers are 5.0% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% more likely to have a Doctoral Degree.

Network and communication engineer vs. Network support analyst

Network support analysts are professionals who provide technical support as well as maintain various network components for an organization's network system. These analysts are responsible for installing and configuring local area networks (LANs), wide area networks (WANs), internet systems, and other components of network systems. They are required to monitor the performance of networks and systems and align network use and access by using master consoles. Network support analysts must also organize and deploy security measures for the network so that they can safeguard software, hardware, and data.

A career as a network support analyst brings a lower average salary when compared to the average annual salary of a network and communication engineer. In fact, network support analysts salary is $6,072 lower than the salary of network and communication engineers per year.Only some things about these jobs are the same. Take their skills, for example. Network and communication engineers and network support analysts both require similar skills like "switches," "troubleshoot," and "voip" to carry out their responsibilities.

In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, network and communication engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "dod," "network design," "network hardware," and "qos." Meanwhile, a network support analyst has duties that require skills in areas such as "routers," "problem resolution," "windows server," and "network security." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.

Network support analysts earn a lower average salary than network and communication engineers. But network support analysts earn the highest pay in the technology industry, with an average salary of $98,644. Additionally, network and communication engineers earn the highest salaries in the technology with average pay of $89,949 annually.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Network support analysts tend to reach similar levels of education than network and communication engineers. In fact, they're 0.1% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.5% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.

Network and communication engineer vs. Systems engineer

Systems engineers are responsible for creating and overseeing systems related to the overall operations of the organization. They are in charge of assessing the organization's needs in terms of systems and creating plans to address these needs. These systems are usually related to the production or manufacturing of company products. Systems engineers create end-to-end processes that ensure efficiency and effectiveness. They make sure that the processes they put in place adhere to safety and security policies and guidelines. They also do routine checks and continuously find ways to further improve production and other systems.

On average scale, systems engineers bring in lower salaries than network and communication engineers. In fact, they earn a $7,159 lower salary per year.By looking over several network and communication engineers and systems engineers resumes, we found that both roles require similar skills in their day-to-day duties, such as "switches," "troubleshoot," and "dod." But beyond that, the careers look very different.

The required skills of the two careers differ considerably. For example, network and communication engineers are more likely to have skills like "network design," "ospf," "network hardware," and "qos." But a systems engineer is more likely to have skills like "python," "c++," "c #," and "java."

Systems engineers earn the highest salary when working in the automotive industry, where they receive an average salary of $96,218. Comparatively, network and communication engineers have the highest earning potential in the technology industry, with an average salary of $89,949.When it comes to education, systems engineers tend to earn higher degree levels compared to network and communication engineers. In fact, they're 5.9% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.2% more likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Network and communication engineer vs. Network internship

In a network internship, an intern's duties depend on the directives of a manager or supervisor. They typically perform support and beginner tasks, such as processing and organizing documentation, liaising with potential clients through calls and correspondence, greeting visitors, answering inquiries, and running errands. An intern may also participate in creating business plans, optimizing existing systems, attending meetings, conducting market research and analysis, and handling issues and concerns in adherence to the company's policies and regulations.

Network interns tend to earn a lower pay than network and communication engineers by an average of $56,671 per year.While both network and communication engineers and network interns complete day-to-day tasks using similar skills like switches, troubleshoot, and voip, the two careers vary in some skills.

Even though a few skill sets overlap between network and communication engineers and network interns, there are some differences that are important to note. For one, a network and communication engineer might have more use for skills like "dod," "network design," "qos," and "juniper." Meanwhile, some responsibilities of network interns require skills like "python," "c++," "customer service," and "facebook. "

Network interns reach similar levels of education compared to network and communication engineers, in general. The difference is that they're 1.6% more likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.4% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.

Types of network and communication engineer

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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