5 years of experience in IT infrastructure support
Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field
Public trust security clearance
Expertise in configuring and managing enterprise firewalls, particularly Palo Alto
Strong understanding of network security principles and practices
Familiarity with routing protocols and Layer 2 technologies
Basic to intermediate scripting skills in Python, PowerShell, or Bash
Responsibilities
Manage and maintain PaloAlto firewall infrastructure
Lead installation, configuration, and maintenance of firewall devices
Monitor and optimize firewall performance for minimal downtime
Diagnose and resolve complex firewall issues
Apply security patches and updates to ensure network security
Maintain comprehensive documentation of firewall configurations and policies
Provide mentorship to junior network and firewall administrators
Benefits
Medical
Dental
Vision
AD&D
STD
LTD
Company paid Life Insurance
401k with employer contribution
Paid Time Off
Pet Insurance
Full Job Description
The contractor shall provide IT Infrastructure support services, which includes Tier 1 Help Desk, Tier 2 End User Support, Tier 3 Server, Platform, and Network Infrastructure Support and Engineering. Services shall include, but are not limited to, technical assistance for hardware, software, and network issues; incident and problem resolution; service request management; infrastructure monitoring and support; hardware and software lifecycle support; and management of escalation across all tiers.
Position Description: Responsible for managing and maintaining the organization's (currently PaloAlto based) firewall infrastructure. This role involves overseeing the deployment, configuration, and support of PaloAlto firewall devices, ensuring optimal performance, security, and availability. This position requires strong knowledge of PaloAlto firewall technologies, excellent troubleshooting skills, and familiarity with network security solutions.
Requirements
Monitoring and optimizing the performance of the network, ensuring efficient resource allocation and minimal downtime.
Leading the installation, configuration, and maintenance of PaloAlto firewall devices as well as Cloud firewall configurations.
Manage Palo Alto firewall platforms and services, including PAN-OS, VPN, Prisma Access, and GlobalProtect, ensuring lifecycle support through end-of-support timelines.
Monitoring and optimizing the performance of firewall systems, ensuring efficient resource allocation and minimal downtime.
Diagnosing and resolving complex firewall issues, including connectivity, performance, and security problems.
Ensuring the security of the network by applying patches, updates, and security configurations to PaloAlto devices.
Maintaining comprehensive documentation of firewall configurations, procedures, and policies.
Working closely with other IT teams to support network security needs and integrate firewall solutions with other systems.
Providing guidance and mentorship to junior network and firewall administrators and other IT staff.
Required Skills:
5 years of experience
Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field
Public trust security clearance
Firewall Administration: Expertise configuring, managing, and troubleshooting enterprise firewalls (e.g., Palo Alto, Cisco ASA/Firepower, Fortinet, Check Point, Juniper SRX).
Network Security: Strong understanding of network security principles, including segmentation, VPNs (IPSec/SSL), NAT, ACLs, and IDS/IPS.
Routing & Switching: Working knowledge of routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP) and Layer 2 technologies.
Policy Management: Ability to design, implement, and optimize security policies, objects, and rulesets while maintaining compliance and minimizing overlap/conflicts.
Security Monitoring & Incident Response: Experience with log analysis, packet captures, and network traffic inspection for threat identification and remediation.
SIEM Integration: Familiarity with tools like Splunk, QRadar, or ELK for centralized event monitoring and alert correlation.
Operating Systems: Proficiency in administering Linux/Unix and Windows Server environments.
Change Management: Experience following structured change control processes and documentation in ITIL or ISO environments.
Scripting & Automation: Basic to intermediate scripting (Python, PowerShell, or Bash) for automating configuration or monitoring tasks.
Documentation: Ability to create and maintain detailed network diagrams, firewall rule documentation, and standard operating procedures.
Preferred Skills:
A PaloAlto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) certification is preferred.
Cloud Security: Experience with cloud firewalls and network security configurations in AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
Next-Gen Firewall (NGFW) Technologies: Advanced knowledge of threat prevention, URL filtering, SSL decryption, application control, and user-ID mapping.
Zero Trust Architecture: Understanding of zero trust principles and micro segmentation strategies.
Network Access Control (NAC): Experience integrating firewalls with NAC solutions (e.g., Cisco ISE, Aruba ClearPass).
Load Balancing & Proxy Technologies: Familiarity with F5, Citrix Netscaler, or reverse proxy systems.
Certifications: Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) Cisco Certified Network Professional - Security (CCNP Security) Fortinet NSE 4-7 CompTIA Security+ / CySA+ / CASP+ Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or equivalent
Experience in Regulated Environments: Understanding of compliance requirements (FISMA, FedRAMP, NIST 800-53, PCI-DSS, HIPAA).
Benefits
SES provides a competitive salary and the following benefits:
