Senior Security Network Engineer

TMA; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 700,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Job summary

TMA is seeking a Senior Network Security Engineer (L3) in Centurion, South Africa. This hands-on role combines deep technical mastery with leadership, driving incident response for high-severity network events and mentoring L2 engineers across a 24/7 shift.

Familiarity with Azure/AWS hybrid setups and strong policy design are essential. The ideal candidate brings 5+ years in network security, PCNSE and PCNSA, and advanced Palo Alto experience in complex multi-client environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/IT or equivalent
• Palo Alto Networks PCNSE required; PCNSA as a minimum with active pursuit of PCNSE
• CCNP Security/CCNA or equivalent senior-level networking certs are advantageous
• 5+ years hands-on network security or engineering experience, with at least 2 years at senior/L3 level
• Expert-level Palo Alto PA-Series/Panorama experience in multi-client environments
• Strong incident response leadership and senior technical authority during shifts

Responsibilities

• Lead investigation, containment, and resolution of high-severity network security incidents during shifts.
• Lead network security projects and design, configure, and optimize firewalls and policies.
• Manage next-generation firewall features, VPN architectures, and security policies in multi-client environments.
• Produce post-incident root cause analyses with remediation recommendations.
• Mentor L2 engineers and conduct shift handovers and technical stand-ups.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for network architecture, runbooks, and client configurations.

Skills

TCP/IP

VPN

BGP/OSPF

SD-WAN

Network monitoring

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science/IT or related field

Tools

Wireshark

SolarWinds

SNMP

Python

Ansible

Palo Alto Panorama

Job description

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Network Security Engineer (L3) is the highest tier of technical escalation within a SOCaaS network security function, responsible for the design, optimisation, and senior-level management of network firewall infrastructure and complex client network environments. Operating on a rotational shift basis to support extended international timezone coverage, the incumbent leads incident response for high-severity network events, mentors L2 engineers, drives continuous improvement across network security tooling and processes, and serves as the primary technical authority for client network security engagements. This is a hands‑on senior role requiring both deep technical mastery and the leadership capability to maintain operational excellence across a 24/7 shift environment. You will be required to be available after hours when needed.

Senior Network Security Operations & Incident Leadership

• Lead the investigation, containment, and resolution of complex and high-severity network security incidents escalated from L2 during shift and on‑call periods.
• Lead network security projects.
• Configure, optimise, and maintain network firewalls at an advanced level, including policy architecture, zone design, and threat prevention profiles.
• Implement and manage next‑generation firewall features, VPN architectures, and advanced network security policies across multi‑client environments.
• Conduct root cause analysis on network‑related security incidents and produce structured post‑incident reports with actionable remediation recommendations.
• Familiarity with Azure environments will be advantageous.

Team Leadership & L2 Development

• Provide technical leadership, guidance, and structured mentorship to L2 Network Security Engineers during shift operations and day‑to‑day work.
• Review and quality‑assure L2 escalation documentation, incident reports, and configuration changes before client communication or implementation.
• Lead shift handovers, technical stand‑ups, and post‑incident reviews with clear, actionable outputs for the team.
• Identify skills gaps within the network security team and recommend or deliver targeted development interventions.

Compliance, Documentation & Client Engagement

• Maintain comprehensive, accurate documentation for network architecture, security policies, runbooks, and client‑specific configurations.
• Conduct security assessments, contribute to audit processes, and ensure client environments adhere to NIST, ISO 27001, and CIS standards.
• Engage directly with client technical stakeholders on network security matters, providing credible, expert guidance and clear communication of risk and remediation.

Education & Certification

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent demonstrated experience.
• Palo Alto Networks PCNSE required; PCNSA as a minimum with active pursuit of PCNSE.
• Additional networking certifications strongly advantageous: CCNP Security, CCNA, or equivalent senior‑level qualification.

Experience

• 5+ years of hands‑on experience in network security or network engineering, with a minimum of 2 years at senior/L3 level.
• Expert‑level experience designing, configuring, and troubleshooting Palo Alto Networks firewalls (PA‑Series, Panorama) in complex, multi‑client production environments.
• Proven experience leading network security incident response and conducting root cause analysis on high‑severity events.
• Demonstrated experience mentoring or providing technical leadership to junior or intermediate engineers in an operational environment.
• Comfortable operating as the senior technical authority during extended or non‑standard shift hours with full accountability for escalation decisions.

Technical Skills

• Advanced knowledge of network protocols: TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VPN, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, and SD‑WAN concepts.
• Proficiency with network monitoring and diagnostic tools: Wireshark, SolarWinds, SNMP, and equivalent platforms.
• Cloud networking experience in AWS and/or Azure hybrid environments.
• Scripting and automation capability: Python, Ansible, or equivalent for network operations and configuration management.
• Familiarity with additional security appliance platforms advantageous: Cisco ASA, Fortinet.

Key Performance Indicators

• SLA adherence and resolution quality for high‑severity network incidents across shift coverage periods.
• Client environment stability and reduction in repeat incidents through proactive architecture improvements and detection tuning.
• L2 engineer development progress and reduction in unnecessary L3 escalations through effective mentorship.
• Quality, accuracy, and completeness of technical documentation, post‑incident reports, and client‑facing communications.
• Automation and process improvement contribution, measurable reduction in manual operational tasks across the network security function.