Firewall/ Secure Access Engineer

Downer; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional development

Flexible work arrangements

Parental leave

Employee Assistance Program

Diversity and inclusion

Discounted services

Job summary

Downer is seeking a senior Firewall / Secure Access Engineer to join the Group Technology team. You will lead enterprise firewall design, secure access platforms and policy governance across a large, complex environment.

This role focuses on automation, IaC, and DevOps-aligned practices, ensuring security controls scale with the business and risk objectives. Collaboration with cyber security, cloud, and architecture teams is essential.

Qualifications

• Senior level firewall engineering experience in enterprise environments.
• Experience with secure access technologies and network segmentation.
• Proven ability to lead security policy governance and automation initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, engineering and lifecycle management of enterprise firewall and secure access platforms.
• Drive network segmentation, remote access, DMZ and partner connectivity initiatives.
• Act as senior escalation point for complex firewall and network security incidents.

Skills

Firewall engineering

Secure access

VPN management

SASE

Zscaler

DevOps IaC

AIOps

Vendor relationships

Security governance

Education

Tertiary qualifications in CS/Engineering

Tools

Fortinet

Check Point

Cisco Secure Access

Algosec

Job description

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced Firewall / Secure Access Engineer to join Downer's Group Technology team. This is a senior engineering role suited to a highly capable network security professional who thrives in complex enterprise environments and is passionate about delivering secure, resilient and well-governed connectivity services across a large and diverse technology landscape.

Reporting to the Cloud, Access & Security Team Lead, you will play a critical role in shaping and securing Downer's network environment, providing technical leadership across firewall platforms, secure access technologies, network segmentation, remote access, secure internet egress, partner connectivity and security policy governance.

Working closely with Cyber Security, Architecture, Cloud, Identity and Service Management teams, you will help modernise and strengthen our network security capability through automation, standardisation and DevOps-aligned engineering practices.

Operating within a product-led DevOps model, you will contribute across the full lifecycle including strategy, architecture, engineering, deployment, optimisation and operational governance, ensuring security controls remain scalable, supportable and aligned to business and risk objectives.

About the Role

In this role you will:

• Lead the design, engineering and lifecycle management of enterprise firewall and secure access platforms.
• Drive network segmentation, secure remote access, DMZ, secure internet egress and partner connectivity initiatives.
• Act as the senior escalation point for complex firewall, access control and network security incidents.
• Champion automation, policy standardisation and configuration consistency across security platforms.
• Contribute to strategic transformation programs focused on network modernisation, cloud adoption and security uplift.
• Partner with Cyber Security teams to support Zero Trust, Essential Eight and vulnerability management initiatives.
• Manage relationships with technology vendors, managed service providers and specialist network security partners.
• Champion AIOps capability, automation, Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and DevOps-aligned engineering practices.
• Provide technical assurance, guidance and support across projects, operational services and major technology changes.
• Contribute to a culture of engineering excellence, accountability and continuous improvement.

This is a highly visible role where you will influence strategic security decisions while ensuring critical enterprise network services remain secure, resilient and operationally effective.

Our Ideal Candidate

You are a technically strong and commercially aware network security professional who enjoys solving complex challenges and influencing outcomes across multiple technology teams.

You bring a balance of strategic thinking, deep technical expertise and operational leadership, with the ability to communicate complex security concepts clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

What You Will Bring

• Tertiary qualifications in Computer Science, Engineering or a related discipline.
• Firewall certifications such as Fortinet, Check Point, Cisco or equivalent.
• 10+ years' experience in enterprise firewall engineering, network security and secure access environments.
• Strong experience designing, deploying and supporting next-generation firewall platforms.
• Demonstrated experience in firewall policy governance, policy optimisation and segmentation enforcement.
• Experience managing VPNs, remote access solutions, partner connectivity and secure internet access services.
• Strong troubleshooting skills across firewalls, network security controls, inter-zone traffic flows and access management.
• Experience supporting enterprise transformation, security uplift and technology modernisation initiatives.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills across cyber security, cloud, infrastructure and business teams.
• Experience working within operationally critical and highly governed environments.
• Experience with SASE, Zscaler, Cisco Secure Access or similar secure access platforms.
• Experience with DevOps, Infrastructure as Code and security automation practices.
• Experience with Algosec or firewall policy automation platforms.
• Exposure to AIOps, intelligent monitoring and AI-assisted support capabilities.
• Experience working in highly distributed enterprise environments with strong security and compliance requirements.

Benefits Of Working with Downer

• Work with an ASX listed company, working with market leaders.
• Grow your career with us, we are passionate about giving our people opportunities to grow through personal and professional development and continuous learning:
  • Professional development programs
    • Access to professional memberships and industry networks
• Be part of a team that cares, we foster a work environment built on support that is flexible around our employee's wellbeing needs:
  • Flexible work arrangements
    • Parental leave
    • Employee Assistance Program
    • Programs promoting diversity and inclusion
• A range of Corporate Benefits, including:
  • Discounted services (car hires, hotels, insurance, retail stores, gyms)

Why Downer?

As a trusted name in infrastructure, transport, facilities management, and construction, Downer is committed to delivering projects that create a lasting, positive legacy.

We're committed to building a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve, and we welcome people of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, cultures, abilities, and lived experiences. We especially encourage applications from those whose voices have traditionally been underrepresented in our industry, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Māori and Pasifika Peoples, veterans, people with disability, and neurodivergent individuals.

Even if your experience doesn't align perfectly with this role, we'd still like to hear from you.

As a WORK180 Endorsed Employer, we support flexibility that works for your life, inclusive leadership that values your voice, and equitable access to opportunity so you can do your best work and bring your whole self to it.