Cybersecurity Firewall Analyst II

Strategic Staffing Solutions is currently looking for a Cybersecurity Firewall Analyst II ,W-2 contract opportunity. Locations: Charlotte, NC Type: W-2 Contract (NO C2C) Schedule: Hybrid Contract: 12 months Top Skills 3–5 years of experience in firewall administration, network security, or a related cybersecurity role. Solid hands‑on experience with Palo Alto Networks next‑generation firewalls and Panorama management. Experience analyzing and optimizing large‑scale firewall rule bases in an enterprise environment. Working knowledge of SASE/SSE concepts and Palo Alto Prisma Access is a plus. Strong understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, NAT, routing, and common network protocols. This is a W-2 contract opportunity, and candidates must be able to work on our W-2 only. NO C2C or 1099. Position Summary This position plays a key role in the SASE initiative by performing in‑depth analysis, optimization, and cleanup of Palo Alto Networks security policies in preparation for migration to a Prisma Access / SASE architecture. The Analyst II will independently review complex rule bases, develop policy recommendations, and coordinate with business stakeholders to validate security requirements. This role serves as a technical bridge between the Analyst I and Analyst III, driving day‑to‑day execution of the policy review effort. Responsibilities & Duties Performs detailed analysis of Palo Alto Networks firewall security policies to identify optimization opportunities, including consolidation, tightening, and removal of unused or redundant rules. Evaluates existing egress internet policies and recommends cleanup actions aligned with best practices and the target SASE/Prisma Access architecture. Maps current firewall policy constructs (zones, address groups, application filters, security profiles) to their Prisma Access equivalents. Develops and documents policy migration recommendations, including rule‑by‑rule disposition (migrate, consolidate, retire, rewrite). Coordinates with business partners and IT teams to validate traffic flows, application dependencies, and rule ownership. Provides technical guidance and mentorship to Analyst I team members. Maintains comprehensive documentation of analysis findings, decisions, and migration readiness status. Contributes to the development of standardized processes, templates, and criteria for the policy review effort. Adheres to change management requirements and processes. Participates in project planning, status reporting, and stakeholder communications. Identifies and escalates complex policy conflicts or architectural questions to the Analyst III / project lead. Desired Qualifications 3–5 years of experience in firewall administration, network security, or a related cybersecurity role. Solid hands‑on experience with Palo Alto Networks next‑generation firewalls and Panorama management. Experience analyzing and optimizing large‑scale firewall rule bases in an enterprise environment. Working knowledge of SASE/SSE concepts and Palo Alto Prisma Access is a plus. Strong understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, NAT, routing, and common network protocols. Ability to develop and refine firewall policy while balancing business requirements and security controls. Experience analyzing firewall security and traffic logs for policy validation. Palo Alto Networks PCNSA required; PCNSE preferred. CompTIA Security+ or equivalent preferred. Experience in a large enterprise or critical infrastructure environment preferred. Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to document findings clearly and present to stakeholders. Demonstrated commitment to personal and team success. #J-18808-Ljbffr Strategic Staffing Solutions