Lead Firewall Engineer / Cybersecurity Engineer

Cybersecurity Jobs; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 83,000 - 118,000; Full time

Job summary

Cybersecurity Jobs seeks an experienced security engineer to lead network and perimeter security efforts in Washington, DC (onsite). The role focuses on enterprise firewall administration and strengthening cybersecurity controls across cloud and on‑prem environments.

You will manage Palo Alto firewalls, review policies, and implement changes while supporting AWS and Azure security initiatives. A Master’s degree and 11+ years of relevant experience are preferred.

Qualifications

• 11+ years in cybersecurity engineering with emphasis on network and firewall security.
• Hands-on experience administering Palo Alto Networks firewalls in large enterprises.
• Strong knowledge of firewall policies, rule reviews, configuration changes, security architecture, and troubleshooting.
• Understanding of TCP/IP, routing, switching, VPNs, WAN/LAN, and network security architecture.
• Experience with IDS/IPS, WAF, SIEM, EDR, DLP, CASB; AWS and Azure security.
• Vulnerability management, security risk assessments, threat analysis, and incident response.
• Scripting in Python, PowerShell, or Bash; security standards: NIST, CIS Controls, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001.
• Ability to create security architecture diagrams, technical documentation, runbooks, and procedures.
• Ability to lead security projects and collaborate with infra/network/cloud teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead network and perimeter security engineering work focused on enterprise firewall administration and strengthening cybersecurity controls.
• Manage enterprise firewall infrastructure to support secure network operations.
• Strengthen security controls through reviews, updates, and engineering support.
• Support cloud and enterprise cybersecurity initiatives.

Skills

11+ years in cybersecurity engineering

network and firewall security

Palo Alto Networks firewalls

firewall policies and rule reviews

TCP/IP, routing, switching, VPNs, WAN

IDS/IPS, WAF, SIEM, EDR, DLP, CASB

AWS and MS Azure security

vulnerability management and threat/rm

scripting: Python/PowerShell/Bash

industry standards: NIST, CIS, PCI-DSS

security architecture and runbooks

lead security projects with cross-team

Education

Master’s degree in Cybersecurity or IT

Tools

Palo Alto Networks

Job description

Lead network and perimeter security engineering work focused on enterprise firewall administration and strengthening cybersecurity controls in Washington, DC (onsite).

Responsibilities

• Lead network and perimeter security engineering efforts
• Manage enterprise firewall infrastructure to support secure network operations
• Strengthen security controls through reviews, updates, and engineering support
• Support cloud and enterprise cybersecurity initiatives

Requirements

• 11+ years of cybersecurity engineering experience with strong emphasis on network and firewall security
• Extensive hands‑on experience administering and managing Palo Alto Networks firewalls in large enterprise environments
• Strong knowledge of firewall policies, rule reviews, configuration changes, security architecture, and troubleshooting
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP, routing, switching, VPNs, WAN/LAN, and network security architecture
• Experience with IDS/IPS, Web Application Firewalls (WAF), SIEM, EDR, DLP, and CASB
• Experience supporting security operations across AWS and Microsoft Azure environments
• Knowledge of vulnerability management, security risk assessments, threat analysis, and incident response
• Scripting and automation experience using Python, PowerShell, or Bash
• Strong knowledge of security standards including NIST, CIS Controls, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001
• Experience preparing security architecture diagrams, technical documentation, operational procedures, and runbooks
• Ability to lead security projects, collaborate with infrastructure/network/cloud teams, and provide technical guidance

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications such as CISSP, PCNSE, CCNP Security, GIAC, CEH, or Security+
• Experience supporting SOC operations, threat hunting, root cause analysis, and forensic investigations
• Knowledge of Zero Trust architecture and cloud-native security tools
• Experience with security automation and orchestration
• Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, IT, or a related discipline

Technologies

• Palo Alto Networks
• TCP/IP, routing, switching, VPNs, WAN/LAN
• IDS/IPS, Web Application Firewalls (WAF), SIEM, EDR, DLP, CASB
• AWS, Microsoft Azure
• Python, PowerShell, Bash
• NIST, CIS Controls, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001

Location: Washington, DC (onsite)

Employment type: Contract

Compensation: USD 73 per hourly

Minimum experience: 11 years