Security Engineer- Onsite/No Relocation

Apscareerportal; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Vision insurance

401(k)

401(k) matching

Dental insurance

Job summary

Bank is seeking a Security Engineer to administer Palo Alto Networks firewalls and oversee network security operations. The role includes configuring VPNs, security policies, and ongoing monitoring to safeguard banking systems.

Ideal candidates will have hands-on firewall experience, Windows/AD familiarity, and strong problem-solving abilities within a regulated financial environment. Collaboration with IT and business units is essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years IT/cybersecurity experience.
• 2+ years hands-on firewall administration experience.
• Experience troubleshooting enterprise networking and security technologies.
• Working knowledge of Windows Server and Active Directory environments.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP networking concepts.

Responsibilities

• Administer, maintain, and support Palo Alto Networks firewalls across Bank environments.
• Configure and troubleshoot VPN connectivity and NAT configurations.
• Monitor firewall health, performance, and capacity; perform log analysis for security events.
• Manage security policies, rule requests, and object administration.
• Assist with Microsoft Defender, Defender for Cloud, and Sentinel monitoring and incident response.
• Support vulnerability management and incident response activities.
• Maintain firewall documentation and network diagrams.

Skills

Troubleshooting

Threat monitoring

Security policy management

Network security concepts

TCP/IP fundamentals

Windows AD familiarity

Documentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/Cybersecurity/CS

Tools

Palo Alto firewalls

VPN technologies

Microsoft Defender

Microsoft Sentinel

Microsoft Entra ID

Job description

Benefits:

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance

The Security Engineer is responsible for the administration, monitoring, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the Bank's technical security controls, with primary responsibility for Palo Alto Networks firewall infrastructure and related network security technologies.

This position serves as the technical owner for firewall operations, network security monitoring, VPN connectivity, security policy administration, threat prevention technologies, and network segmentation initiatives. The Security Engineer works closely with Information Technology, Information Security, and business units to support secure and reliable banking operations.

In addition to managing network security technologies, the Security Engineer provides operational support for the Bank's Microsoft security ecosystem, including Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Entra ID, Conditional Access, and other security tools used to protect Bank information assets.

The ideal candidate possesses strong troubleshooting abilities, hands‑on experience supporting enterprise firewalls, and working knowledge of modern Microsoft security technologies. This individual should be comfortable operating in a regulated financial services environment and capable of translating technical security issues into practical operational solutions.

The position reports to the Security Operations Manager.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Palo Alto Firewall Administration (Primary Responsibility)

• Administer, maintain, and support Palo Alto Networks firewalls across all Bank environments.
• Manage firewall policies, security rule requests, NAT configurations, and object administration.
• Configure, maintain, and troubleshoot site-to-site VPN and remote-access VPN connectivity.
• Monitor firewall health, performance, capacity, and availability.
• Perform log analysis and traffic review to identify malicious activity, policy violations, and operational concerns.
• Implement security policy changes in accordance with change management procedures.
• Maintain network segmentation controls supporting secure banking operations.
• Configure and support Palo Alto security services including:
  • Threat Prevention
  • GlobalProtect
• Perform software upgrades, content updates, and security patching activities.
• Assist with network architecture reviews and security design recommendations.
• Maintain firewall documentation, network diagrams, and configuration standards.
• Participate in disaster recovery and business continuity testing related to network security infrastructure.

Microsoft Security Operations (Secondary Responsibility)

• Assist with administration of Microsoft Defender security solutions.
• Monitor and investigate alerts generated through Microsoft Defender and Microsoft Sentinel.
• Support Microsoft Entra ID security controls and identity protection initiatives.
• Assist with Conditional Access policy administration and review.
• Support implementation and maintenance of Microsoft Secure Score recommendations.
• Assist with email security and anti-phishing technologies within Microsoft 365.
• Participate in vulnerability management and remediation activities.
• Assist with implementation of security enhancements across Microsoft cloud services.
• Maintain awareness of emerging Microsoft security capabilities and recommend improvements when appropriate.

Security Monitoring and Incident Response

• Monitor security alerts and investigate suspicious activity.
• Participate in incident response activities including analysis, containment, eradication, and recovery efforts.
• Collect and preserve evidence during security investigations.
• Document incidents, findings, corrective actions, and lessons learned.
• Assist with threat hunting and security monitoring activities.
• Escalate significant security events in accordance with established procedures.
• Phishing investigations and security awareness support.

Compliance and Audit Support

• Assist with regulatory examinations and internal/external audits.
• Support vulnerability assessments and penetration testing activities.
• Maintain documentation supporting security controls and operational processes.
• Assist with remediation of audit findings and security recommendations.
• Follow Bank security policies, standards, and procedures.
• Support compliance with applicable regulatory and security requirements.
• Support vendor security reviews and third-party risk assessments.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Three to five years of information technology or cybersecurity experience.
• Two or more years of hands‑on firewall administration experience.
• Experience troubleshooting enterprise networking and security technologies.
• Working knowledge of Windows Server and Active Directory environments.
• Strong understanding of TCP/IP networking concepts.

Required Technical Skills

• Palo Alto Networks firewall administration.
• VPN technologies and troubleshooting.
• Network routing and switching fundamentals.
• Security logging and event analysis.
• Network segmentation and security policy management.
• Vulnerability management concepts.
• Windows administration fundamentals.
• Microsoft 365 administration fundamentals.
• Security incident investigation and response.

Preferred Qualifications

• Palo Alto PCNSA certification.
• Palo Alto PCNSE certification.
• CompTIA Security+ certification.
• Experience with Microsoft Defender.
• Experience with Microsoft Sentinel.
• Experience with Microsoft Entra ID.
• Experience with Microsoft Azure.
• Experience within a financial services or regulated environment.
• PowerShell scripting experience.

Core Competencies

• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex technical issues.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Effective verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with technical and business teams.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to sit for extended periods while working on computer systems.
• Ability to occasionally lift and move equipment weighing up to 25 pounds.
• Ability to travel occasionally between Bank locations and vendor sites as needed.