Firewall Specialist (fortinet)

Programmers.io; New Jersey; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Programmers.io is seeking a Senior Network Security Engineer to architect, deploy, and centrally manage Fortinet security infrastructure across data centers, campuses, and branches. You will lead automated ZTP workflows and Fortinet Secure SD-WAN deployments, serving as the SME for Forti Manager, FortiGate, and related Fortinet products.

You will design scalable automation, enforce security standards, and mentor junior engineers while collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver secure,

Qualifications

• Deep FortiManager and FortiGate expertise with complex configuration templates and ZTP blueprints.
• Advanced networking knowledge: BGP, OSPF, IPsec VPNs, SD-WAN path management.
• Scripting proficiency (Python, Jinja2, Ansible) for network automation.
• Familiar with security frameworks (NIST, ISO 27001, PCI-DSS) for compliant templates.

Responsibilities

• Design and scale automated ZTP pipelines for FortiGate deployments.
• Administer Forti Manager centralized environments with ADOMs, templates, and policy packages.
• Develop meta-fields, variables, and runtime scripts for edge configuration rollouts.
• Deploy FortiGate firewalls in HA, VDOMs, and multi-tenant architectures.
• Architect Fortinet Secure SD-WAN with overlay design and ADVPN.
• Integrate Fortinet stack including FortiSwitch, FortiAP, and FortiAnalyzer.
• Implement ZTNA and micro-segmentation across hybrid environments.
• Analyze telemetry to build dashboards and long-term compliance reports.
• Lead technical projects, perform vulnerability assessments, and act as Tier-3 escalation.
• Mentor junior engineers and document standards and runbooks.

Skills

FortiManager

FortiGate

ZTP pipelines

Python scripting

NIST/ISO 27001 security

SD-WAN

HA/VDOMs

Tools

FortiAnalyzer

FortiSwitch

FortiAP

Job description

The Senior Network Security Engineer is responsible for architecting, deploying, and centrally managing enterprise-grade security infrastructure with a primary focus on the Fortinet Security Fabric. This role serves as the subject matter expert for Forti Manager, spearheading the design and execution of automated Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) workflows and Secure SD-WAN deployments across extensive data center, campus, and branch environments.

Key Responsibilities

Automated Provisioning & Centralized Management

• Design and scale automated Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) pipelines to accelerate the deployment of FortiGate firewalls and branch infrastructure.
• Administer Forti Manager centralized environments, establishing standardized Administrative Domains (ADOMs), device life-cycle tracking, provisioning templates, CLI scripts, and policy packages.
• Develop and maintain meta-fields, variables, and runtime scripts within Forti Manager to ensure highly adaptive, programmatic edge configuration rollouts.

Security Architecture & Engineering

• Deploy and operate FortiGate firewalls in High Availability (HA) clusters, Virtual Domains (VDOMs), and multi-tenant architectures.
• Architect Fortinet Secure SD-WAN, including overlay link design, SLA-based path selection rules, application steering, and Auto-Discovery VPN (ADVPN).
• Integrate and maintain the broader Fortinet stack, including Forti Switch, FortiAP, and Forti Analyzer.
• Implement Zero-Trust Network Architecture (ZTNA) and robust micro-segmentation strategies across hybrid environments.

Operations, Compliance & Leadership

• Analyze telemetry data from Forti Analyzer to construct operational dashboards, security event correlation models, and long-term compliance audit reporting.
• Lead technical project delivery, conduct vulnerability assessments, and act as a Tier-3 escalation point for critical network or security outages.
• Mentor junior engineering staff and establish consistent configuration standards, runbooks, and architectural documentation

Qualifications & Skills

Technical Requirements

• Deep, expert-level competency in Forti Manager and FortiGate, with documented experience designing complex configuration templates and ZTP blueprints.
• Advanced knowledge of core networking protocols, including BGP, OSPF, IPsec VPNs, advanced routing/switching, and SD-WAN path management.
• Proficiency with scripting languages (e.g., Python, Jinja2, Ansible, or FortiManager CLI scripting) used to optimize network automation workflows.
• Strong understanding of security frameworks (such as NIST, ISO 27001, or PCI-DSS) to ensure automated templates strictly enforce organizational compliance.