Network Security Engineer

The candidates must be in the Atlanta area. The work will mostly be remote, but there is occasional need to go onsite to local data centers, but that is the exception, not the norm.

Candidates must be able to obtain Public Trust Clearance.

Position Overview:

The Journeyman Network Security Engineer will provide mid-level expertise in managing and

maintaining enterprise firewall systems, helping to protect the CDC s critical infrastructure and data assets. This role will focus on configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting perimeter firewalls and boundary protections, ensuring continuous monitoring and updates to firewall policies across cloud and on-premise environments. The ideal candidate will have experience with firewall management tools and network security protocols, contributing to a Zero Trust security architecture.

Key Responsibilities:

Firewall Administration:

Configure and manage perimeter firewalls using tools such as Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, Azure Firewall, and RedSeal.

Perform firewall policy analysis and rule implementation to ensure boundary protections and prevent network intrusions.

Provide ongoing management and configuration of firewall systems, including software and hardware updates, and ensure the continuous operation of boundary protection systems.

Security Monitoring:

Monitor for firewall outages, anomalous activity, and potential security threats, ensuring prompt detection and mitigation.

Conduct daily firewall policy change management activities and troubleshoot firewall-related issues using tools like ServiceNow and Microsoft 365.

Web Application Firewall (WAF) Management:

Implement and update Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules to block sensitive information in network and web traffic.

Ensure WAF policies are kept up to date with the latest security threats and vulnerabilities.

Incident Response and Troubleshooting:

Respond to and resolve firewall-related incidents and customer service requests within established SLAs, providing troubleshooting and configuration updates as needed.

Develop and maintain rollback plans for all firewall rule updates, ensuring system recovery in the event of unexpected failures.

Firewall Rule Optimization:

Conduct firewall rule assessments to identify potential security issues and provide recommendations for rule optimization, consolidation, or deletion.

Create summary reports on firewall ruleset management, highlighting areas for improvement and optimization.

Collaboration and R&D:

Participate in research and development activities to evaluate new firewall technologies and security capabilities.

Collaborate with the cybersecurity operations team to integrate firewall services with broader security monitoring and response processes.

Required Skills and Experience:

5+ years of experience in network administration, with a focus on firewall and boundary protection services.

Proficiency with firewall management tools such as Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler, Azure Firewall, and RedSeal.

Strong understanding of network security protocols, intrusion prevention, and traffic filtering (e.g., URL filtering, SSL/TLS decryption).

Experience implementing and managing Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) and understanding of OWASP best practices.

Ability to troubleshoot and resolve firewall outages, performance issues, and misconfigurations.

Familiarity with Zero Trust architectures and security best practices for hybrid cloud environments.

Knowledge of incident response processes and experience working with ServiceNow or similar ticketing systems.

Certifications:

Certifications are not required, but optimal and might include:

Palo Alto Networks Certified (PCNSE) or equivalent certification.

GIAC Certified Firewall Analyst (GCFW) or other network security certifications are a plus.

Additional Qualifications:

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess firewall configurations and improve security posture.

Excellent communication skills for interacting with technical and non-technical stakeholders.

A proactive approach to monitoring and improving firewall policies to meet evolving security challenges.

Employers have access to artificial intelligence language tools (“AI”) that help generate and enhance job descriptions and AI may have been used to create this description. The position description has been reviewed for accuracy and Dice believes it to correctly reflect the job opportunity.