Network Security Engineer
Location: Annapolis, MD (Hybrid - 3 days onsite, 2 days remote)
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM EST
Engagement Type:Direct W2 hourly or salaried applicants only (no corp-to-corp subcontractors, third parties, or agencies)
Pay Rate: $85hr
Position Summary
The Client is seeking an experienced Network Security Engineer to support the design, implementation, and operation of secure, scalable, and highly available enterprise network environments. This role will actively participate in planning, engineering, and maintaining 24x7 network security operations, with a strong focus on next-generation firewall technologies and secure networking best practices.
SCOPE OF WORK- Proactively identifying organization requirements, and helping to design, and engineer implementations that best serve the needs.
- Performing project-based engineering, design, installation and troubleshooting of data security networks.
- Providing assessment, design and implementation services of data and secure networking environments.
- Developing comprehensive graphical and text-based design documentation and effectively managing the implementation process from design to acceptance.
- Assisting internal groups through capacity planning, maintaining, monitoring and review of secure data communications networks.
- Leading migrations or assisting a team of engineers who will migrate traditional/legacy network security platforms to current/next generation technologies and expose customers to the full life cycle of defense in depth solutions.
- Assisting network engineers in troubleshooting critical problems or threat remediation relating to network security products.
- Working with the engineering team to successfully implement configuration guidelines, change management, and standard operating procedures for secure network solutions.
- Leading, scheduling, providing guidance and coordinating the activities with other team members to resolve end user problems in a timely and accurate fashion.
- Generating weekly status reports including project progress, key milestones, and tasks accomplished.
- Hosting weekly status meetings/calls with team or on as needed basis
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Associate degree (Information Technology related field preferred)
- Active certifications (required):
- Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator (PCNSA) or Palo Alto Networks Network Security Professional
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Enterprise orCCNA Security
PREFERRED SKILLS, EXPERIENCE, & CAPABILITIES- Ten (10) years of CONUS-based experience in IT networking and network security
- Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE), Next-Generation Firewall Engineer, or Network Security Analyst (currently active or expired within three (3) years)
- Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise or CCNP Security (currently active or expired within three (3) years)
Security & Networking Experience
5+ years of experience with Palo Alto Networks, including:
4+ years of experience with complex Cisco switching, routing, and wireless environments
3+ years of experience with reverse proxies and load balancing (A10 Networks)
2+ years of experience with Network Access Control solutions, including:
Additional Technical Experience
Microsoft-based multi-factor authentication
Cloud-based virtual networking and security services
802.1x authentication for wired and wireless networks
Routing protocols: EIGRP, OSPF, and BGP
Data center micro-segmentation
Certificate management and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
Vulnerability management tools (Nessus, NMAP)
Windows, Unix, and Linux operating systems
Packet and protocol analysis (Wireshark, Riverbed, Opnet, network taps)
Centralized management tools (Panorama, SolarWinds)
Professional Skills
Ability to work independently and mentor junior engineers
Strong verbal and written communication skills
Experience creating technical diagrams, design documents, project plans, and user documentation
Comfortable delivering presentations to technical and non-technical audiences
INTERVIEW PROCESS- Multi-part interview process including in-person and MS Teams