What does a Computer Network Architect do?

Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Day to day that includes work like develop disaster recovery plans and Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.

What skills should a Computer Network Architect put on a resume?

O*NET rates Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, Programming, and Systems Evaluation among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.

What software should a Computer Network Architect list?

Software recorded for this occupation includes Access management software, Adobe ActionScript, Adobe After Effects, Advanced business application programming ABAP, and AirMagnet Enterprise. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.

What other job titles cover Computer Network Architect work?

O*NET records 40 titles for this occupation, including Computer Network Technologist, Network Analyst, Solutions Architect, and Systems Engineer. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

What qualifications does a Computer Network Architect need?

In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 55% reported their level of education as "Bachelor's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

Will this resume pass an ATS for a Computer Network Architect role?

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Computer Network Architect resume example

A resume for a Computer Network Architect needs to show the work itself: design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Day to day that means work like this: develop disaster recovery plans; develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes. Recruiters and applicant tracking systems both read for the tasks and tools this role actually involves, so the strongest resume names them in your own experience rather than describing the job in the abstract. Below are the tasks O*NET records for this occupation, the software and tools it uses, the titles it is advertised under, and the skills worth naming if they are genuinely yours.

Also advertised as

The same job is posted under many titles. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

Computer Network Technologist
Network Analyst
Solutions Architect
Systems Engineer
Network Consultant
Network Systems Consultant
Networking Systems Engineer
System Programmer
WAN Engineer
Wide Area Network Engineer
Wireless Network Engineer
Internetworking Tech
IT Analyst
IT Network Engineer
Network Ops Analyst
Network Ops Specialist
NOC Engineer
PC Network Engineer

O*NET records 40 titles for this occupation in total.

What this work actually involves

Tasks recorded for this occupation, in O*NET's words. If your experience covers one of these, it belongs on your resume in your own words.

Develop disaster recovery plans.
Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
Develop and implement solutions for network problems.
Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup.
Coordinate network operations, maintenance, repairs, or upgrades.
Coordinate installation of new equipment.
Monitor and analyze network performance and reports on data input or output to detect problems, identify inefficient use of computer resources, or perform capacity planning.
Develop network-related documentation.
Develop and write procedures for installation, use, or troubleshooting of communications hardware or software.
Participate in network technology upgrade or expansion projects, including installation of hardware and software and integration testing.
Design, build, or operate equipment configuration prototypes, including network hardware, software, servers, or server operation systems.
Adjust network sizes to meet volume or capacity demands.

33 tasks are recorded in total; these are the most central.

Example bullets for this role

Built from this occupation's own tasks. The brackets stay empty on purpose: we will not invent a number for you, and a fabricated metric is the fastest way to lose an interview you had already won.

Develop disaster recovery plans, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Develop and implement solutions for network problems, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Maintain networks by performing activities such as file addition, deletion, or backup, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].

Software used in this role

Recorded for this occupation by O*NET. An applicant tracking system matches the exact product name, so write the tool the way the posting writes it.

Access management software
Adobe ActionScript
Adobe After Effects
Advanced business application programming ABAP
AirMagnet Enterprise
AJAX
Amazon DynamoDB
Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud EC2
Amazon Redshift
Amazon Simple Storage Service S3
Amazon Web Services AWS CloudFormation
Amazon Web Services AWS software
Ansible software
Apache Ant

284 software entries are recorded in total.

Tools and equipment

The physical equipment this occupation is recorded as using. Worth naming when a posting asks for it by name.

Asynchronous transfer mode ATM analyzers
Backup servers
Bit error rate testers BERT
Broadband aggregation equipment
Cable analyzers
Cable qualification testers
Channel banks
Communication cable testers
Computer network routers
Computer network switches
Desktop computers
Domain name servers DNS

Skills an ATS reads for

Worth naming only if they are genuinely yours. Keyword overlap is one input to a resume's score, not a verdict.

AWS
Ansible
Border Gateway Protocol BGP
Firewall
Linux
Microsoft Active Directory
Microsoft Azure
Python
SQL
Adobe After Effects

What this job rates as most important

O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.

01Critical Thinking
02Reading Comprehension
03Complex Problem Solving
04Programming
05Systems Evaluation
06Active Listening
07Judgment and Decision Making
08Systems Analysis
09Writing
10Coordination

Knowledge areas

The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.

Computers and Electronics
Engineering and Technology
Telecommunications
English Language
Education and Training
Design
Customer and Personal Service
Mathematics

What qualifications people in this job have

From O*NET's survey of people doing this work. This is what postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

55%Bachelor's Degree
15%Post-Secondary Certificate, awarded for training completed after high school
15%Associate's Degree

What level this role is pitched at

O*NET places this occupation in “Considerable Preparation Needed”. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Common questions

What does a Computer Network Architect do?: Design and implement computer and information networks, such as local area networks (LAN), wide area networks (WAN), intranets, extranets, and other data communications networks. Day to day that includes work like develop disaster recovery plans and Develop or recommend network security measures, such as firewalls, network security audits, or automated security probes.
What skills should a Computer Network Architect put on a resume?: O*NET rates Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, Programming, and Systems Evaluation among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.
What software should a Computer Network Architect list?: Software recorded for this occupation includes Access management software, Adobe ActionScript, Adobe After Effects, Advanced business application programming ABAP, and AirMagnet Enterprise. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.
What other job titles cover Computer Network Architect work?: O*NET records 40 titles for this occupation, including Computer Network Technologist, Network Analyst, Solutions Architect, and Systems Engineer. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
What qualifications does a Computer Network Architect need?: In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 55% reported their level of education as "Bachelor's Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
Will this resume pass an ATS for a Computer Network Architect role?: No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Related roles

Occupations O*NET records as closest to this one, and worth looking at if this search is not moving.

What this page cannot tell you

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer’s ATS is configured, including ours.
This page makes no claim about pay, demand or how many people hold this job. O*NET does not publish that here and we will not estimate it.
Keyword overlap is one input to a resume’s score, not a verdict on you. A resume that names skills you do not have is worse than one that names fewer.

If this is the job you are aiming at, the guide to tailoring a resume covers how to aim one posting properly, and building and exporting a resume here is free.

Occupation data from the O*NET 29.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. SpartanResume is not endorsed by USDOL/ETA.