Palo Alto Networks SME

Palo Alto Networks SME

Requirements

• Must have Active Secret Clearance.
• DoD 8140 compliance; CCNP, F5 and Palo Alto certifications strongly preferred.
• 15+ Years of relevant experience (Bachelor’s Degree in relevant field may be substituted for 5 years of relevant experience).
• The ideal candidate will have hands on expertise in Palo Alto Networks security solutions.
• Expertise in Palo Alto Networks security solutions and Panorama management.
• Strong understanding of Cisco networking technologies and configurations, including Nexus, Catalyst, ASR, ASA.
• Proven experience with Cisco routing and switching (R/S) technologies.
• Strong understanding of Layer 2/3 networking and routing protocols.
• Expertise in physical network infrastructure and security concepts.
• A proven track record of implementing zero-trust architectures and advanced threat detection systems.
• Proficiency with cloud security, including security group policies, IAM, and compliance frameworks.
• Experience with infrastructure automation using Ansible, and Python.
• Knowledge of DevOps methodologies and CI/CD pipelines.
• Experience with SIEM tools and incident response frameworks.
• Ability to work onsite.
• Battle-tested troubleshooting skills honed in high-pressure, mission-critical environments.

Responsibilities

• The role requires a deep understanding of cloud environments (Azure), network security, automation (Terraform, Ansible), and Agile/DevOps methodologies.
• Design, implement, and manage Palo Alto Networks firewalls and security solutions, ensuring optimal security posture and performance.
• Monitor, analyze, and respond to security incidents, ensuring robust threat detection and response capabilities.
• Configure and maintain Cisco networking infrastructure to include Nexus, Catalyst, ASR, ASA.
• Develop and deploy network security policies, intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS).
• Enhance automation and orchestration using Ansible, and Python to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Collaborate with cloud teams to integrate security solutions within AWS and Azure environments.
• Ensure compliance with security best practices, industry standards.
• Integrate security solutions within Azure environments.
• Provide mentorship and training to junior engineers and cross-functional teams.
• Coordinate with remote team members to ensure network consistency and performance.
• Operate in a work environment that is primarily onsite.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with Air Force policies and environments, working knowledge of Cisco switching and routing, Visio, F5, VMWare, Microsoft, Citrix, Cisco VOIP, Cisco ISE, Splunk, Palo Alto security appliances, firewalls, IDS/IPS.
• Familiarity with Air Force LAN and WAN routing configurations and network terminology.