Network Security Engineer

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Oversee the design, implementation, administration, and lifecycle management of Palo Alto Networks NGFW environments utilizing PAN-OS.

• Manage centralized firewall operations through Palo Alto Panorama, including device groups, templates, policy inheritance, upgrades, configuration backups, log monitoring, and firewall onboarding.

• Create and enforce security policies based on zero-trust, least-privilege, application-aware, and risk-based methodologies.

• Set up and resolve issues related to security zones, NAT, virtual routers, routing, IPsec VPN, GlobalProtect, decryption, URL Filtering, Threat Prevention, WildFire, DNS Security, and App-ID policies.

• Spearhead enterprise network segmentation and micro-segmentation projects.

• Design, configure, test, and troubleshoot Palo Alto High Availability deployments.

• Organize and carry out HA failover tests, PAN-OS upgrades, disaster recovery drills, and maintenance tasks.

• Oversee configuration, support, and troubleshooting of Cisco Catalyst and Nexus switching environments.

• Identify and resolve complex connectivity and performance problems using firewall logs, packet captures, CLI diagnostics, switch counters, flow data, and monitoring tools.

• Examine TCP/IP behavior and confirm packet flow across firewall, routing, NAT, VPN, switching, and server/application layers.

• Supervise the health of the firewall management plane and data plane.

• Integrate Palo Alto NGFWs and Panorama with Strata Logging Service and Cortex XSIAM.

• Guarantee dependable firewall log forwarding, cloud logging, log ingestion, data normalization, event availability, retention, and telemetry quality.

• Utilize Cortex XSIAM and XQL Search to investigate, correlate, and respond to security incidents.

• Collaborate with SOC teams to fine-tune detections, investigate alerts, develop response protocols, and assist in incident containment and remediation.

• Lead root-cause analyses for significant network or security incidents and provide corrective and preventive action plans.

• Create and maintain network diagrams, firewall policy documentation, HA designs, runbooks, change plans, architecture standards, and operational procedures.

• Mentor junior engineers and offer technical leadership during projects, production incidents, and security assessments.

⛳️ Requirements

• Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field (or three additional years of experience if holding a Bachelor’s degree); equivalent relevant experience may be accepted.

• Over 10 years of progressive experience in network engineering, network security, firewall administration, or security infrastructure operations.

• At least 6 years of hands-on experience with Palo Alto Networks firewalls in a production enterprise setting.

• Advanced operational experience with Palo Alto Panorama.

• Strong practical experience in designing, maintaining, and troubleshooting Palo Alto High Availability environments.

• Advanced knowledge of HA1, HA2, HA3, configuration synchronization, session synchronization, failover behavior, link monitoring, path monitoring, peer health, and recovery processes.

• Comprehensive expertise in TCP/IP, IPv4/IPv6, DNS, DHCP, ARP, routing, NAT, VPNs, and packet-level troubleshooting.

• Proven ability to analyze TCP handshakes, resets, retransmissions, MTU/MSS issues, asymmetric routing, connection timeouts, and firewall session behavior.

• Extensive familiarity with Cisco Catalyst and/or Nexus switching technologies.

• Strong understanding of enterprise switching and routing, including VLANs, trunking, STP/RSTP/MST, EtherChannel, HSRP/VRRP, routing protocols, ACLs, QoS, and switch-security measures.

• Demonstrated experience in designing or implementing network segmentation and micro-segmentation solutions.

• Working knowledge of Cortex XSIAM, Strata Logging Service, security event correlation, alert investigation, XQL Search, and firewall log ingestion.

• Capacity to lead technical design discussions, independently manage complex workflows, and communicate risks and recommendations to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

• Strong skills in documentation, change management, incident management, and root-cause analysis.

• Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust clearance.

• Preferred: Palo Alto Networks certifications, Cisco certifications, Prisma Access/Prisma Cloud/Cortex XDR/Cortex XSOAR, Cisco ISE/ACI/SD-Access, Fortinet technologies, cloud platforms, SIEM/SOAR/EDR/XDR, Python, Ansible, Terraform, REST APIs, and 24x7/on-call support.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and performance-based bonuses.

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.

• Generous retirement plan with company matching.

• Opportunities for professional development and certification reimbursement.

• Flexible work hours and remote work options.

• Supportive and collaborative work environment.