IT NETWORK ENGINEER IV – FIREWALL ENGINEER

AptivaCorp; Hackensack (NJ); Remote; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Hackensack Meridian Health is seeking an IT Network Engineer IV – Firewall Engineer to design, implement, and maintain enterprise firewall and network security. The role emphasizes Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet platforms to secure complex healthcare networks.

The engineer collaborates with Network Engineering, Information Security, and vendors to deliver reliable connectivity, implement security policies, and support incident response within the tristate area.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT-related discipline or equivalent certification.
• 10+ years of experience in IT with enterprise network infrastructure.
• Hands-on experience designing, implementing, administering NGFW (Palo Alto, Fortinet).
• Strong firewall policy design, NAT, VPN, traffic analysis, logging.
• TCP/IP networking, routing, switching, VPNs, LAN/WAN expertise.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, maintain, and improve firewall/network security architectures.
• Develop and maintain firewall policies and NAT/VPN configurations.
• Analyze traffic, logs, and alerts to identify security risks and incidents.
• Plan upgrades, maintenance, and lifecycle activities with minimal disruption.
• Provide advanced troubleshooting for complex network/security issues.
• Collaborate with teams to design and document network solutions.
• Support on-call and after-hours tasks as needed.

Skills

Next-gen firewall engineering

Palo Alto Networks

Fortinet

Enterprise network design

Troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT-related discipline

Equivalent certification

Tools

Palo Alto Networks

Fortinet

Job description

We have an Urgent opening for IT NETWORK ENGINEER IV with one of our clients.

Job Title : IT NETWORK ENGINEER IV – FIREWALL ENGINEER

Location : Remote -Hackensack, NJ (needs to be located in the tristate area. )

Duration : 6 Month Contract to Hire-W2

Position Overview

The IT Network Engineer IV – Firewall Engineer is a senior‑level technical resource responsible for designing, implementing, maintaining, and supporting enterprise network and network security infrastructure. The role has a primary focus on next‑generation firewall engineering, including Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet platforms, while maintaining the broader networking expertise needed to support secure, reliable connectivity across local and wide area networks. The engineer works closely with Network Engineering, Information Security, infrastructure teams, end users, and technology vendors to protect organizational resources, resolve complex issues, and deliver network projects.

Key Responsibilities

Design, implement, maintain, and continuously improve enterprise firewall and network security architectures, with an emphasis on Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet technologies.

Develop, review, implement, and maintain firewall policies, security rules, network objects, NAT, VPN configurations, and related controls in accordance with approved security standards and business requirements.

Analyze network traffic, firewall logs, alerts, and system behavior to identify security risks, troubleshoot connectivity issues, and support the investigation and response to security incidents.

Plan and execute firewall upgrades, configuration changes, platform maintenance, migrations, and lifecycle activities while minimizing operational risk and service disruption.

Provide advanced troubleshooting and problem resolution for complex network and security issues involving firewalls, routing, switching, wireless, VPN, and LAN/WAN connectivity.

Participate in the planning, design, implementation, testing, and documentation of network architecture and infrastructure solutions.

Support network infrastructure that may include routers, switches, wireless systems, firewalls, optical transport, and related hardware and software.

Evaluate emerging network and security technologies, conduct technical research, and provide recommendations regarding solutions, standards, and equipment purchases.

Collaborate with Information Security, Network Engineering, infrastructure teams, application owners, end users, and vendors to resolve issues and deliver secure, reliable services.

Participate in security incident response, root‑cause analysis, remediation planning, and the development of corrective actions.

Maintain accurate technical documentation, including network and firewall designs, configurations, standards, operational procedures, and change records.

Contribute to project planning and execution, including technical coordination, implementation planning, testing, communication, and post‑implementation validation.

Respond to and resolve service requests and incidents in accordance with established support processes and service expectations.

Provide technical guidance and knowledge sharing to team members and support the development of consistent engineering practices.

Participate in the Network Team on‑call program and provide after‑hours support as required.

Adhere to Hackensack Meridian Health organizational competencies, policies, and standards of behavior.

Required Education, Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Bachelor’s degree in an IT‑related discipline, equivalent certification, or a combination of education and relevant professional experience.

Ten or more years of experience in an IT‑related discipline, with substantial experience supporting enterprise network infrastructure.

Demonstrated hands‑on experience designing, implementing, administering, and troubleshooting next‑generation firewalls, particularly Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet platforms.

Strong understanding of firewall policy design and administration, including security rules, NAT, VPNs, traffic analysis, logging, and security best practices.

Comprehensive working knowledge of TCP/IP networking, routing, switching, wireless, VPN, and LAN/WAN technologies.

Ability to troubleshoot complex, multi‑layer network and security issues using a structured, analytical approach.

Working knowledge of optical transport systems, including DWDM and ROADM technologies.

Experience planning and coordinating the installation, configuration, maintenance, and troubleshooting of network hardware, systems, software, and related infrastructure.

Understanding of network security principles, access controls, threat mitigation, and the importance of maintaining compliance with organizational security policies.

Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain technical issues, risks, and proposed solutions to technical and non‑technical audiences.

Demonstrated leadership, project coordination, and organizational skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and work independently.

Strong problem‑solving, analytical, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in a healthcare environment or supporting systems where availability, security, and operational continuity are critical.

Experience supporting enterprise‑scale network security environments and collaborating across Network Engineering and Information Security teams.

Preferred Licenses and Certifications

Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP).

Palo Alto Networks Next‑Generation Firewall Engineer (NGFW-Engineer).

Palo Alto Networks Network Security Professional (NetSec-Pro).