Palo Alto Network Engineer
Location: Houston TX Onsite
Long Term
Key Responsibilities
Palo Alto Firewall Administration
Design, deploy, configure, and manage Palo Alto NGFWs (PA Series, VM Series)
Implement and maintain security policies, NAT, routing, zones, and profiles
Manage Panorama for centralized firewall management
Perform firewall upgrades, patches, and license management
Security & Threat Prevention
Configure and manage Threat Prevention, URL Filtering, WildFire, Anti Virus, Anti Spyware
Implement User ID, App ID, Content ID for application aware security
Handle incident response, log analysis, and threat remediation
Support SOC teams with firewall logs and security investigations
VPN & Remote Access
Configure and maintain IPSec Site to Site VPNs
Manage GlobalProtect (Remote Access VPN)
Troubleshoot VPN connectivity and performance issues
Oil & Gas Domain Responsibilities
Secure upstream, midstream, and downstream network environments
Work with OT/ICS/SCADA network teams ensuring IT OT network segregation
Implement security controls aligned with industrial network best practices
Support environments such as refineries, drilling sites, pipelines, terminals
Compliance & Governance
Ensure compliance with ISO 27001, NIST, IEC 62443 or internal security standards
Support audits, risk assessments, and vulnerability remediation
Maintain detailed firewall documentation, diagrams, and SOPs
Collaboration & Support
Work closely with network, infrastructure, cloud, and SOC teams
Coordinate with vendors and OEM support (Palo Alto TAC)
Palo Alto Network Engineer
Provide L3 support and mentor junior engineers
Required Skills & Qualifications
Technical Skills
Strong hands on experience of more than 10+ years in networking with 6+ years in Palo Alto
Firewalls & Panorama
In depth knowledge of TCP/IP, routing (OSPF/BGP), NAT, VPNs
Experience integrating firewalls with SIEM tools
Strong troubleshooting and packet analysis skills
Domain Experience
Prior experience in Oil & Gas / Energy / Utilities environments
Understanding of OT vs IT network security challenges
Exposure to industrial control systems (ICS/SCADA) security is a strong plus
Cloud & Infrastructure (Preferred)
Experience with Palo Alto VM Series in AWS/Azure
Knowledge of hybrid network security architectures
Certifications (Preferrable)
PCNSA / PCNSE
CISSP / CISM (nice to have)
IEC 62443 or industrial security certifications (plus)
Nice to Have
Experience with Zero Trust architecture
Exposure to SD WAN security integration
Scripting or automation (Python, Ansible)