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Sr. Network Security & Firewall Engineer

3B Staffing LLC, Washington, District of Columbia, United States


Job Description

As a Sr. Network Security & Firewall Engineer, you will serve as the technical authority and primary "self-starter" for a premier Washington, DC-based infrastructure. This role is designed for a high-level practitioner who can hit the ground running on Day 1, bridging the gap between legacy networking and modern, AI-powered security. You will be responsible for the end-to-end lifecycle of a sophisticated Palo Alto Networks ecosystem-utilizing Strata Cloud Manager and Prisma Access-while ensuring seamless identity-based access via Cisco ISE. By combining elite Layer 3 routing expertise with cloud-native security across AWS and Azure, you will drive the transition to a Zero Trust architecture, optimizing the environment through automation and deep-packet analysis to protect mission-critical enterprise assets.

Core Responsibilities

Firewall Ecosystem Leadership: Design, deploy, and manage the full Palo Alto suite (NGFW, Panorama), pivoting management to Strata Cloud Manager for centralized policy governance and AI-driven visibility.

Network & Routing Authority: Manage complex Layer 3 networking, including BGP and OSPF routing protocols, ensuring high availability and resilient connectivity across the enterprise.

Identity & Access Enforcement: Own the implementation and fine-tuning of Cisco ISE for Network Access Control (NAC), device posture, and secure identity-based access.

Web Application Defense: Configure and tune WAF solutions (e.g., Akamai, Alert Logic, or Imperva) to protect application-layer traffic and mitigate OWASP Top 10 threats.

Cloud Security Architecture: Secure multi-cloud environments in AWS and Azure by managing VPC/VNet peering, Security Groups, and hybrid connectivity via ExpressRoute or Direct Connect.

Zero Trust & SASE Strategy: Architect and enforce Prisma Access and ZTNA principles to secure remote workforces and enable granular network segmentation.

Advanced Threat Mitigation: Maximize the value of security subscriptions-including Advanced Threat Prevention, DNS Security, and WildFire-to stop zero-day exploits inline.

Core Infrastructure & DDI: Oversee DDI management using Infoblox (DNS/DHCP/IPAM) and perform deep-packet analysis (PCAPs) for advanced troubleshooting.

Operational Automation: Leverage APIs and scripting (Python, Ansible, or Terraform) to implement Infrastructure-as-Code (IaC) concepts and streamline security workflows.

Key Qualifications

Elite Technical Depth: 10+ years of enterprise-scale experience in network security; must be a definitive "Network God" capable of working with total autonomy.

Palo Alto Mastery: Proven hands-on expertise with the Palo Alto Strata and Prisma platforms; PCNSE certification is highly desirable.

Identity Specialist: Demonstrated experience implementing and maintaining Cisco ISE in complex, multi-site environments.

DDI & WAF Proficiency: Strong technical knowledge of Infoblox and enterprise-grade Web Application Firewalls.

Cloud-Native Fluency: Deep understanding of security controls and networking architecture within major cloud providers (AWS/Azure).

Automation Mindset: Experience using automation tools or scripts to optimize security investments and reduce manual overhead.

Analytical Problem Solver: Expert-level ability to perform root-cause analysis on complex network faults and security anomalies.

Professional Standards: Significant experience in Agile/SAFe environments, utilizing ServiceNow for change management and ITIL-based operations.