Data Security Analyst

About the role

GovCIO is seeking a highly experienced Data Security Analyst — Master to lead the design, implementation, operation, and continuous improvement of enterprise security controls that protect data, networks, applications, and cloud-connected environments. This senior individual-contributor role requires deep hands-on expertise with the Palo Alto Networks security portfolio—particularly next-generation firewalls, Panorama, Cortex, and Strata—as well as strong Cisco networking and security capabilities. This position will be located within the United States and will be a fully remote opportunity.

Responsibilities

• Architect, deploy, administer, and optimize Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewalls across data center, campus, branch, cloud, and remote-access environments.
• Lead centralized firewall management using Palo Alto Panorama, including device groups, templates, template stacks, shared policy, role-based administration, configuration standards, software lifecycle management, and high-availability operations.
• Design and maintain security policies using least privilege, application-aware controls, user identity, URL filtering, DNS security, TLS decryption where approved, threat prevention, WildFire analysis, anti-spyware, vulnerability protection, and file-blocking capabilities.
• Lead the operational use of the Palo Alto Networks Strata portfolio to improve network security posture, policy consistency, visibility, segmentation, and operational resilience.
• Deploy and operationalize Cortex capabilities for security analytics, endpoint detection and response, extended detection and response, incident investigation, automation, orchestration, and response improvement, as applicable to the enterprise environment.
• Investigate security alerts, anomalous traffic, malware activity, policy violations, data-exfiltration indicators, and firewall-related incidents; coordinate containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident review activities.
• Develop and tune detections, correlation logic, dashboards, investigations, and response playbooks using Cortex tooling and integrated security platforms.
• Build and maintain secure network segmentation strategies, including zone-based architecture, east-west traffic controls, microsegmentation principles, and protections for high-value data systems.
• Partner with Cisco network engineering teams to integrate secure routing, switching, VPN, wireless, identity, and network-access controls. Troubleshoot issues across Cisco and Palo Alto environments without weakening security controls.
• Support and strengthen Cisco security technologies and enterprise network services, which may include Cisco ASA/Firepower, Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center, Cisco ISE, Cisco Secure Network Analytics, VPN, routing, switching, and wireless infrastructure.
• Review, approve, implement, and document firewall and network-security change requests according to established change-management, risk-review, and emergency-change processes.