Network Security Specialist

Candescent; Atlanta (GA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Candescent is looking for a Lead Network Security Specialist to oversee the design and implementation of modern network security controls. This role is essential for securing networked and cloud-connected environments, ensuring resiliency, and maintaining compliance with regulations.

The ideal candidate should have over 8 years of experience in network security engineering, with a focus on Zero Trust principles and strong leadership abilities. The position is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and offers a dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in network security engineering, with at least 3 years in a lead or senior technical role.
• Hands-on expertise with enterprise-grade firewall platforms and secure network architecture.
• Strong experience securing hybrid architectures and implementing Zero Trust-aligned controls.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute network security strategy aligned to business objectives.
• Architect and maintain network security technologies across cloud and branch environments.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing team of network security engineers.

Skills

Network security engineering

Team leadership

Cloud security

Incident response

Education

8+ years in network security engineering

3 years in a lead or senior technical role

Tools

Enterprise-grade firewall platforms

Terraform

CloudFormation

Job description

Candescent is a forward‑thinking technology company transforming how financial institutions deliver Intelligent Banking experiences. We unite digital banking, account opening, and branch solutions that power and connect digital banking, account opening, and branch solutions—creating seamless engagement across digital, remote, and in‑person channels.

Our Experience‑Led, Intelligence‑Driven approach combines human‑centered design with data, automation, and cloud‑based innovation. Built on an API‑first architecture, our extensible ecosystem enables institutions to adapt quickly, integrate easily, and unlock new opportunities for growth—turning every customer interaction into a moment of clarity, confidence, and connection.

The Lead Network Security Specialist will serve as Candescent’s principal technical authority for securing our networked and cloud‑connected environments. This role oversees the design, implementation, and ongoing evolution of modern network security controls—including identity‑centric Zero Trust enforcement, firewall and segmentation strategy, secure remote access, and encrypted traffic visibility.

The ideal candidate brings deep technical expertise, strong leadership experience, and a passion for continuous improvement in a highly dynamic environment.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute Candescent’s network security strategy aligned to business objectives, risk posture, and Zero Trust principles.
• Serve as the subject‑matter expert for network security architecture, providing guidance to leadership, engineering, infrastructure, and product teams.
• Evaluate emerging technologies and regulatory requirements, ensuring Candescent’s network defenses remain current and aligned with leading practices.

Architecture, Engineering & Operations

• Architect, implement, and maintain network security technologies across cloud, data center, and branch environments—including NGFW, segmentation, VPN/ZTNA, DNS security, WAF, and DDoS protection.
• Oversee firewall policy lifecycle management, ensuring consistent, scalable, and auditable deployment of rules and objects.
• Lead secure connectivity initiatives supporting cloud adoption, SD‑WAN evolution, Zero Trust access patterns, and encrypted traffic inspection capabilities.
• Partner with DevOps/Platform teams to integrate network security into CI/CD pipelines, automation frameworks, and infrastructure provisioning.
• Ensure resiliency through documented recovery procedures, redundancy planning, and continuous performance tuning.

Governance, Compliance & Assurance

• Maintain alignment with PCI, SOC 2, GLBA, and internal security standards.
• Develop and maintain documentation including network security standards, runbooks, diagrams, and technical reference architectures.
• Support internal and external audits and risk assessments, providing evidence and remediation plans as required.

Team Leadership & Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing team of network security engineers.
• Oversee workload planning, technical decision‑making, and escalations for incidents and complex engineering challenges.
• Foster strong partnerships with Infrastructure, Cloud Engineering, Security Operations, Application Security, and Product teams.
• Champion a culture of secure‑by‑design engineering and continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

• 8+ years of experience in network security engineering, with at least 3 years in a lead or senior technical role.
• Hands‑on expertise with enterprise‑grade firewall platforms, secure network architecture, segmentation, and threat prevention services.
• Strong experience securing hybrid architectures (cloud, data center, branch) and implementing ZTNA or Zero Trust‑aligned controls.
• Advanced understanding of TCP/IP, routing, VPN technologies, DNS security, and encrypted traffic inspection.
• Experience with infrastructure‑as‑code practices (Terraform, CloudFormation), network automation, and CI/CD integration.
• Strong analytical, communication, and incident leadership skills.

Preferred Distinctions

• Experience in financial services or other regulated industries.
• Certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, PCNSE, NSE7, AWS/Azure/GCP architectures, or equivalent.
• Familiarity with container networking, service mesh architectures, and secure API connectivity.