Intermediate Firewall Engineer

Chenega Corporation; Oakton (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Chenega MIOS in Oakton, Virginia is seeking an Intermediate Firewall Engineer to manage Palo Alto Networks NGFWs via Panorama, implement policies, and maintain secure boundary defenses across on-prem and classified enclaves.

The role requires 4+ years of hands-on firewall engineering, DoD 8140/8570 IAT II, PCNSA certification, active Secret with TS/SCI/SAP eligibility, and mentoring junior engineers; you will coordinate maintenance, support SOC, and ensure compliance with DISA STIGs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, IT, CS or related field with 4+ years of hands-on network security/firewall engineering experience; OR HS with 8+ years of demonstrable operational experience
• Must meet DoD 8140 / 8570.01-M IAT Level II baseline certification requirements (e.g., Security+ CE, CCNA Security, CySA+)
• Vendor certification: PCNSA required; PCNSE preferred
• Active Secret security clearance with eligibility to obtain TS/SCI/SAP

Responsibilities

• Administer, configure, and maintain Palo Alto NGFWs via Panorama and direct interfaces
• Provision and deploy security policies, App-ID rules, TLS/SSL decryption, NAT/PAT across multi-tenant environments
• Serve as Tier 2/3 escalation point for complex network issues, VPNs, routing, and performance
• Implement BGP/OSPF, VLAN segmentation, and perimeter access controls for resilient edge connectivity
• Lead remote site management across classified networks, establish VPNs and telemetry
• Coordinate PAN-OS maintenance, updates, and threat content releases
• Maintain ATO posture by following DISA STIGs and updating SOPs/documents
• Provide incident support to SOC and validate telemetry pipelines
• Maintain network diagrams, change logs, and ITSM ticketing records
• Mentor Junior Engineers and assist in complex troubleshooting

Skills

Palo Alto NGFW

PAN-OS

VPN Troubleshooting

BGP/OSPF

DISA STIGs

SIEM/SOAR

Jira/ServiceNow/Redmine

Packet capture & analysis

Mentorship

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity/IT/CS

HS diploma or GED with 8+ years experience

Tools

Jira

ServiceNow

Redmine

Splunk

Cribl

XSOAR

IXIA Packet Brokers

Job description

Summary

Intermediate Firewall Engineer

Oakton, VA

Are you ready to enhance your skills and build your career in a rapidly evolving business climate? Are you looking for a career where professional development is embedded in your employer’s core culture? If so, Chenega Military, Intelligence & Operations Support (MIOS) could be the place for you! Join our team of professionals who support large-scale government operations by leveraging cutting-edge technology and take your career to the next level!

SecuriGence deliver essential technology services to our customer in support of their missions to sustain the national security and economic interest of our nation. SecuriGence is seeking a talented Intermediate Firewall Engineer to help contribute to our success. The talented Intermediate Firewall Engineer will be responsible for the core engineering, day-to-day administration, and operational maintenance of enterprise boundary defense platforms and network security appliances. The Intermediate Firewall Engineer serves as the Tier 2/3 escalation and implementation lead, translating architectural designs into active, secure firewall configurations across on-premises and classified mission enclaves (DMSS, Secret/SAP, TS/SCI/SAP). Key responsibilities include managing Palo Alto Networks firewalls via Panorama, troubleshooting Site-to-Site IPsec VPN tunnels, administering dynamic routing protocols (BGP/OSPF), coordinating scheduled PAN-OS software updates, and enforcing continuous compliance with DISA STIGs and DoD change-management standards. This role bridges strategic engineering initiatives with routine operational support, providing escalation resolution for junior staff and operational support to the Senior Firewall Engineer. Come help us solve problems with Innovation through Intelligence.

Responsibilities

• Administer, configure, and maintain Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW) via enterprise Panorama and direct management interfaces in strict alignment with change control protocols.
• Provision and deploy security policies, App-ID rules, TLS/SSL decryption policies, dynamic NAT/PAT schemes, and standardized security objects across multi-tenant environments.
• Serve as the Tier 2/3 operational escalation point, investigating and resolving complex network connectivity failures, IPsec VPN tunnel drops, routing anomalies, and application performance bottlenecks.
• Implement dynamic routing protocols (BGP, OSPF), VLAN segmentation, and perimeter access controls to maintain resilient edge connectivity and segmentation across mission partner enclaves.
• Lead remote site management for performers and external stakeholders across classified networks, including establishing, monitoring, and maintaining IPsec tunnels, VPN gateways, and operational telemetry.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute scheduled PAN-OS maintenance updates, dynamic threat content releases, antivirus definitions, and security patches under the direction of senior engineering leads.
• Maintain rigorous Authority to Operate (ATO) and security posture baselines by executing DISA STIG checklists, remediating vulnerability scan findings, and updating PO&AM documentation.
• Provide incident isolation support to the Security Operations Center (SOC), validating security telemetry log-forwarding pipelines and isolating traffic anomalies during cyber events.
• Maintain comprehensive technical configuration records, network topology diagrams, change audit logs, and operational standard operating procedures (SOPs) within ticketing and project systems (e.g., Redmine, Jira).
• Provide operational mentorship and technical guidance to Junior Firewall Engineers, reviewing routine change requests and assisting in complex troubleshooting workflows.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field with 4+ years of hands-on network security/firewall engineering experience; OR
• High school diploma or GED equivalent with 8+ years of demonstrable operational experience in lieu of a degree.
• Must meet DoD 8140 / 8570.01-M IAT Level II baseline certification requirements (e.g., CompTIA Security+ CE, CCNA Security, CySA+).
  • Vendor technical certification: Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator (PCNSA) required; Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) preferred.
• Active Secret security clearance with eligibility to obtain TS/SCI/SAP

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Strong operational knowledge of Palo Alto Networks NGFW administration, Panorama centralized management, and PAN-OS feature sets (App-ID, Content-ID, User-ID).
• Proven experience building, troubleshooting, and tuning Site-to-Site IPsec VPN tunnels, Global Protect remote access gateways, and dynamic NAT/PAT policies.
• Solid working knowledge of dynamic routing protocols (BGP, OSPF), static routing, sub-netting, and Layer 2/3 switching fabrics.
• Practical understanding of DoD RMF, DISA STIG validation, and boundary protection compliance checklists.
• Experience integrating firewall telemetry and syslog forwarding with SIEM/SOAR platforms (Splunk, Cribl, XSOAR) and network visibility fabrics (IXIA Packet Brokers).
• Strong analytical and packet-level troubleshooting skills utilizing tools such as Wireshark, TCPdump, and Panorama traffic/threat inspection logs.
• Familiarity with IT Service Management (ITSM) workflows, strict configuration change management boards (CCB), and tracking platforms (Jira, ServiceNow, Redmine).

How you’ll grow

At Chenega MIOS, our professional development plan focuses on helping our team members at every level of their careers to identify and use their strengths to do their best work every day. From entry-level employees to senior leaders, we believe there’s always room to learn.

We offer opportunities to help sharpen skills in addition to hands-on experience in the global, fast-changing business world. From on-the-job learning experiences to formal development programs, our professionals have a variety of opportunities to continue to grow throughout their careers.

Benefits

At Chenega MIOS, we know that great people make a great organization. We value our team members and offer them a broad range of benefits.

Learn more about what working at Chenega MIOS can mean for you.

Chenega MIOS’s culture

Our positive and supportive culture encourages our team members to do their best work every day. We celebrate individuals by recognizing their uniqueness and offering them the flexibility to make daily choices that can help them be healthy, centered, confident, and aware. We offer well-being programs and continuously look for new ways to maintain a culture where we excel and lead healthy, happy lives.

Corporate citizenship

Chenega MIOS is led by a purpose to make an impact that matters. This purpose defines who we are and extends to relationships with our clients, our team members, and our communities. We believe that business has the power to inspire and transform. We focus on education, giving, skill-based volunteerism, and leadership to help drive positive social impact in our communities.

Learn more about Chenega’s impact on the world.

Tips from your Talent Acquisition Team

We want job seekers exploring opportunities at Chenega MIOS to feel prepared and confident. To help you with your research, we suggest you review the following links:

Chenega MIOS web site - www.chenegamios.com

Glassdoor - https://www.glassdoor.com/Overview/Working-at-Chenega-MIOS-EI_IE369514.11,23.htm

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/1472684/

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/chenegamios/

Estimated Salary/Wage

USD $119,700.00/Yr. Up to USD $140,000.00/Yr.