Lead Firewall Engineer / Cybersecurity Engineer

MACHINE LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES LLC; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 83,000 - 118,000; Full time

Job summary

MACHINE LEARNING TECHNOLOGIES LLC in Washington, DC, seeks an experienced Lead Firewall Engineer / Cybersecurity Engineer to lead enterprise firewall infrastructure, with a strong focus on Palo Alto Networks and perimeter security. You will design, implement, and optimize security controls across on-prem and cloud environments.

You will collaborate with infrastructure, network, and cloud teams to strengthen security postures, lead security projects, and mentor junior engineers.

Qualifications

• 11+ years of cybersecurity engineering experience with focus on network and firewall security.
• Hands-on experience administering Palo Alto Networks firewalls in large enterprise environments.
• Knowledge of firewall policies, rule reviews, configurations and troubleshooting.
• Experience with TCP/IP, routing, switching, VPNs, WAN/LAN and network security architecture.
• Experience with IDS/IPS, WAF, SIEM, EDR, DLP, and CASB.
• Experience supporting security operations in AWS and Azure.
• Knowledge of vulnerability management, risk assessments, threat analysis, and incident response.
• Scripting in Python/PowerShell/Bash for automation.
• Familiar with NIST, CIS Controls, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, ISO 27001 security standards.
• Ability to create security architecture diagrams, technical docs, runbooks.

Responsibilities

• Lead network and perimeter security engineering efforts.
• Manage enterprise firewall infrastructure and security controls.
• Collaborate with infra/network/cloud teams to deliver security projects.
• Support cloud security initiatives across AWS and Azure.
• Produce runbooks, technical docs, and run security governance.

Skills

Cybersecurity engineering

Firewall administration (Palo Alto)

Network security architecture

TCP/IP routing & switching

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

Cloud security (AWS, Azure)

Vulnerability management

Threat analysis & incident response

Scripting (Python/PowerShell/Bash)

Security standards (NIST/CIS/PCI-DSS/H

Documentation & runbooks

Education

Master's degree in Cybersecurity

CISSP / PCNSE / CCNP Security / GIAC (certs)

Tools

Palo Alto Networks

SIEM tools

Cloud security tooling

Job description

Job Description

Job Overview

Job ID

J54040

Job Title

Lead Firewall Engineer / Cybersecurity Engineer

Location

Washington, DC

Duration

12 Months + Extension

Bill Rate

$73/hour (C2C)

Job Type

W-2, 1099, C2C

Client

To Be Discussed Later

Work Authorization

US Citizen, Green Card, OPT-EAD, CPT, H-1B, H4-EAD, Other

Position Overview

Seeking an experienced Lead Firewall Engineer / Cybersecurity Engineer with extensive hands‑on experience in enterprise firewall administration, particularly Palo Alto Networks. The candidate will lead network and perimeter security engineering, manage enterprise firewall infrastructure, strengthen security controls, and support cloud and enterprise cybersecurity initiatives.

Key Required Skills

• 11+ years of cybersecurity engineering experience, with strong focus 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 NIST, CIS Controls, PCI-DSS, HIPAA, and ISO 27001 security standards.
• 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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

We are an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, citizenship/ immigration status, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.