Firewall Engineer

PlanIT Group is seeking a Firewall Engineer to support our Federal customer in the Washington, DC area. The ideal candidate will be responsible for designing, configuring, implementing, and troubleshooting firewalls to protect IT systems from unauthorized access, attacks, and other security threats. Knowledge of networking protocols and security policies, as well as experience with firewalls such as Check Point, Juniper, Fortigate, and Cisco ASA.

Job Title: Firewall Engineer
Location: Remote or in Raleigh, NC
Start Date: 03/17/25
Duration: One year plus annual extensions
Background and Introduction
The Firewall Engineer will be responsible for designing, configuring, implementing, and troubleshooting firewalls to protect IT systems from unauthorized access, attacks, and other security threats. Knowledge of networking protocols and security policies, as well as experience with firewalls such as Check Point, Juniper, Fortigate, and Cisco ASA.

Responsibilities:
Design and configure firewalls to protect IT systems and networks from external and internal threats
Implement and enforce security policies and procedures to ensure compliance with industry standards and regulations
Monitor network traffic and security logs to identify potential security threats and vulnerabilities
Collaborate with other IT teams to ensure the secure integration and operation of all IT systems and applications
Participate in incident management and response activities to contain and address security incidents
Conduct periodic security assessments to identify and address security gaps and risks
Provide technical guidance and support to other IT teams as needed

Desired Skills:
Expertise in configuring, managing, and troubleshooting firewalls and related security technologies such as VPNs, IDS/IPS, web application firewalls, etc. Experience and knowledge of firewall platforms such as Check Point, Juniper, and Cisco ASA would be an added advantage.
Knowledge in TUFIN Firewall management tool.
Solid understanding of networking protocols such as TCP/IP, VPN, VLAN, ACL, and DNS, with the ability to troubleshoot and resolve issues related to network connectivity.
Deep understanding of security threats, vulnerabilities, and attacks, and should be familiar with security concepts such as risk management, access control, network segmentation, and security policy enforcement.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills that will enable them to quickly identify and resolve complex security issues, such as DDoS attacks, malware infections, or network breaches.
Certifications such as CISSP, CCNA, and CCNP in networking or security disciplines would be an added advantage.
Excellent communication and collaboration skills to work effectively with cross-functional teams comprising of network engineers, security analysts, system administrators, and business stakeholders.
Good documentation skills to maintain accurate records of network configurations, security policies, and incident reports.

Requirements:
• Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or related field
• 3-5 years of experience in firewall engineering and network security
• Extensive knowledge of networking protocols and security policies
• Experience with firewall platforms such as Palo Alto Networks, Check Point, and Cisco ASA
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills
• Professional certifications such as CISSP, CCNA, and CCNP are a plus

Additional Provisions:
• Must be able to obtain a Public Trust Clearance
• Pass both a client mandated clearance process to include drug screening, criminal history check and credit check.
• All candidates must be a US Citizen or US Permanent Resident / Green Card required
• Candidate must have lived in the United States for the past 5 years.
• Cannot have more than 6 months travel outside the United States within the last five years. Military Service excluded. (Exception does not include military family members.)
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