FIREWALL ADMINISTRATOR

About the Role

Designs, tests, and implements state‑of‑the‑art secure operating systems, networks, and database products. Conducts risk assessments and provides recommendations for application design. Works on a wide range of security issues including architectures, firewalls, electronic data traffic, and network access. Utilizes encryption technology, penetration and vulnerability analysis, and information‑technology security research. May prepare security reports for regulatory agencies.

Key Responsibilities

• Configure, manage, and monitor the organization’s firewall systems to protect networks from unauthorized access, cyber threats, and security breaches.
• Ensure firewall rules are properly set, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and implement security policies.
• Analyze network traffic, update firewall software, and respond to security incidents.
• Maintain physical infrastructure; change, upgrade, and patch boundary devices using established change‑management procedures.
• Administer and configure Palo Alto firewalls to ensure optimal security posture across the organization’s network.
• Conduct daily analysis of security logs, alerts, and intercepted data packets for suspicious or malicious traffic.
• Coordinate with other technical staff when troubleshooting connectivity issues or application failures that involve firewalls.
• Prioritize and forward malicious‑activity detections to the incident response team as required.
• Participate in project management, planning, implementation, and installation to ensure configurations conform to baseline architecture.
• Provide subject‑matter expertise on firewall capabilities during development of new projects and solutions.
• Respond to outages, resolve and document priority incident tickets, and perform network maintenance during prescribed windows.
• Apply DISA STIG guidelines to network and system configurations.
• Support SD‑WAN deployment and management.
• Work independently with minimal supervision and collaboratively as part of a team.
• Communicate technical details effectively to non‑technical audiences.
• Perform work outside normal business hours and on weekends as needed.

Required Experience and Education

• Bachelor’s degree in an Information Technology discipline + 5 years relevant exempt experience.
• Or Master’s degree + 3 years relevant professional experience.
• Or Ph.D. + 0 years experience.
• Equivalent qualifications may include:
  • NNS Apprentice School graduate.
  • Navy Nuclear Power School (NNPS) graduate.
  • Associate’s degree + 2 years relevant exempt experience (or 4 years non‑exempt).
  • Military paygrade E‑5 or above.
  • High School/GED + 4 years combined manufacturing, shipbuilding, trades, or military experience (exempt).
  • High School/GED + 8 years combined experience (non‑exempt).
• A relevant professional certification may substitute for a bachelor’s degree.

Preferred Qualifications

• Security‑first mindset.
• At least eight years experience managing/administering Palo Alto firewalls.
• Strong understanding of routing concepts, IP addressing (including CIDR notation) and subnetting.
• In‑depth knowledge of TCP/IP, Layer 2 switching protocols, and routing protocols such as BGP and OSPF.

Technical Skills

• Hands‑on experience with Palo Alto Networks firewalls (essential).
• Experience with DISA STIG implementation.
• SD‑WAN deployment and management.
• Relevant certifications are a plus: Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator (PCNSA), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), DoD 8570 IAT Level II.
• Strong problem‑solving abilities, attention to detail, and effective communication skills.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.

Benefits

• Medical, prescription drug, dental, and vision plan choices.
• On‑site health centers and tele‑medicine services.
• Wellness resources and employee assistance programs.
• 401(k) savings plan options and financial education tools.
• Life insurance.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts.
• Early‑childhood and post‑secondary education scholarships.
• Additional benefits may vary by division or location.

Full‑time position, 1st shift. US citizenship required. Travel required 10 %–25 % of the time. No telework eligibility, no relocation assistance.