VPN/ Firewall Network Engineer (w/ active Secret)

CriticalSolutions, LLC; Norfolk (VA); On-site; USD 112,000 - 144,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical/Dental/Vision & Life Insurance

401K matching

PTO/Holidays

Education reimbursement

Job summary

Critical Solutions is seeking a VPN/Firewall Network Engineer to support our federal customer in Norfolk, VA. You will design, implement, and maintain robust global network security solutions, focusing on Juniper firewalls, DMZs, and enterprise VPN infrastructure.

You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to safeguard network integrity, participate in incident response, change management, and ITSM initiatives, and handle on-call rotations as required.

Qualifications

• Active DoD Secret clearance required.
• BS degree with experience; degree can be substituted at Hiring Manager's discretion.
• Active DoD 8570.01 IAT Level III Certification (CCNP Security / CISSP / CASP+).
• Active Associate level Network Vendor Certification (Cisco/Juniper/Palo/F5).
• Ability to work after hours and participate in on-call rotations.
• Tier-III support experience for NOC operations; SME for network engineering.

Responsibilities

• Provide VPN, DMZ, and Firewall SME support for the Agency's intranet.
• Collaborate with NOC, Network Admins, and Engineering teams to improve security appliances.
• Test and validate automation opportunities; implement best practices.
• Lead development of Network SOPs and TTPs.
• Drive CSI and system performance tuning.
• Create and maintain Engineering Implementation Plans (EIPs).
• Plan and execute network upgrades with stakeholders.
• Provide Tier III escalation support and vendor engagement.

Skills

VPN & Firewall eng

Network security

Incident response coordination

On-call readiness

Education

DoD 8570.01 IAT Level III Certification (CCNP Security / CISSP / CASP+)

Associate level Network Vendor Certification (Cisco / Juniper / Palo / F5)

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Tools

Juniper firewalls

Cisco network appliances

DMZ management

Ansible

Python (IaC)

Job description

Location: Norfolk, VA
Clearance: Secret
Type: Full-time, Onsite
Schedule: 8AM - 5PM (M-F) and on call on weekends as needed
Salary Range: $112,000 - $144,000. Salary range may vary depending on location.

Job Description

Critical Solutions is seeking a VPN/Fire Network Engineer to support our federal customer.

We are seeking a skilled Firewall & VPN Network Engineer proficient in network engineering appliances and technologies (i.e. Firewalls, DMZ, VPN) to join our Transport Operations team. In this role, you will be responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining robust & mature global network security solutions.

Your expertise in configuring enterprise-grade Juniper firewalls, managing DMZ environments, engineering secure Firewall/VPN solutions, and administering Cisco network appliances will be crucial. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional engineering and project management teams to safeguard our network infrastructure against threats and vulnerabilities ensuring the highest levels of operational integrity. You will be a member of a technical team, managing customer relationships and overseeing key resources for Incident Response, Change Management, Problem Management, Operations and Maintenance (O&M), and ITSM and DevSecOps initiatives.

Primary Roles And Responsibilities

• Support Current Operations for the Agency by providing VPN, DMZ, and Firewall Network Engineering Subject Matter Expertise (SME) for the largest Intranet in the world. A qualified candidate for this position would be responsible for network modification, operation, integration, maintenance, security, and implementation of services for the as-fielded Agency network.


• Collaborates with the Network Operations Center, Network Administrators, and the Network Engineering Team to define and/or continuously improve:


• Network Security Appliances (i.e. DMZ, VPN, Firewalls)


• Test and Validate Automation and best practice insertion opportunities.


• Leads development of Network SOPs/TTPs


• Continuous Service Improvements (CSI)


• System performance tuning and enhancements


• Create and maintain Engineering Implementation Plans (EIP)


• Plans and executes network upgrades and maintenance activities with the Operations Manager, NOC Lead, Release Management team and other key stakeholders.


• Tier III escalation support and vendor engagement supporting Incident Management activities.


• Active participation in Root Cause Analysis for Problem Management activities.

Basic Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen with an active DoD Secret security clearance.


• Requires B.S. Degree with prior relevant experience. Work experience may be substituted for degree at Hiring Manager's discretion.


• Must currently possess an active DoD 8570.01 IAT Level III Certification i.e. CCNP Security, CISSP, or CASP+.


• Must currently possess an active Associate level Network Vendor Certification (from one of the following Vendors): Cisco, Juniper, Palo, F5 Networks.


• Ability to work or be called in to work during off-hours to meet customer mission support requirements.


• Participate in on-call rotation for Incident Management responsibilities among the Transport Operations team.


• Network Subject Matter Expert for operations providing Tier-III support to the NOC watch staff.


• Perform highly technical maintenance and configuration to firewalls, VPNs, and DMZ appliances.


• Extensive experience engineering and troubleshooting networks, including routing, switching, MPLS, VPNs, routing protocols (i.e. BGP, OSPF, IS-IS), switching protocols (i.e. Spanning Tree Protocol, VLANs, LLDP, VoIP) Multicast protocols and emerging network technologies.


• Strong understanding and in-depth knowledge of IP network/subnet addressing.


• Extensive knowledge of defense-in-depth principles, Network architecture, Modern Network Topologies, Network appliance integrity, and common networking security elements.


• Ansible, Python, IaC network automation experience.

Certification Requirement

• Must currently possess an active DoD 8570.01 IAT Level III Certification i.e. CCNP Security, CISSP, or CASP+.


• Must currently possess an active Associate level Network Vendor Certification (from one of the following Vendors): Cisco, Juniper, Palo, F5 Networks.

Schedule

• 8AM - 5PM (M-F) and on call on weekends as needed

LOCATION

• Onsite 100% Norfolk, VA,


• Other acceptable work location: Pearl Harbor, HI/ San Diego, CA/ Washington, DC/ or Pensacola, FL

Additional Information

Must possess an active DoD Secret Clearance. In addition, selected candidate must undergo background investigation (BI) and finger printing by the federal agency and successfully pass the preceding to qualify for the position. US CITIZENSHIP IS REQUIRED.

Critical Solutions Pay And Benefits

Salary range $112,000 - $144,000. The salary range for this position represent the typical salary range for this job level and this does not guarantee a specific salary. Compensation is based upon multiple factors such as responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, certifications, and other requirements.

BENEFIT SNAPSHOT: 100% premium coverage for Medical, Dental, Vision, and Life Insurance, Supplemental Insurance, 401K matching, Flexible Time Off (PTO/Holidays), Higher Education/Training Reimbursement, and more.