Network Engineer

Firewall Subject Matter Expert (SME) – Cisco & Palo Alto

We are seeking a highly skilled Firewall Subject Matter Expert (SME) with deep expertise in Cisco and Palo Alto firewall technologies to strengthen and optimize the organization’s network security posture. This technical leader will design, configure, implement, and support advanced firewall solutions while ensuring compliance with security best practices. The ideal candidate has hands-on experience with enterprise firewall deployments, strong troubleshooting skills, and the ability to advise on architecture and policy improvements. This is a 3-6 month contract role, 2 days a week in office for our client in Hamilton, Ontario.

Key Responsibilities:

• Act as the primary technical expert for Cisco and Palo Alto firewall platforms, including design, deployment, and ongoing support.
• Configure and manage firewall rules, policies, NAT, VPNs, and traffic inspection to secure enterprise networks.
• Conduct firewall audits, log analysis, and policy reviews to identify risks and recommend improvements.
• Collaborate with infrastructure and security teams to integrate firewall solutions into broader enterprise security architecture.
• Troubleshoot and resolve complex network security incidents related to firewall performance, connectivity, or configuration.
• Monitor firewall performance and capacity; optimize configurations for scalability, reliability, and compliance.
• Support segmentation strategies, DMZ design, and secure routing across hybrid environments (cloud and on-prem).
• Document firewall configurations, policies, and procedures to support knowledge transfer and operational consistency.
• Stay current with emerging threats, vendor updates, and new features for Cisco and Palo Alto technologies.

Qualifications:

• 5+ years of hands-on experience managing and engineering Cisco and Palo Alto firewall environments.
• Strong expertise with firewall configuration, policy management, VPN setup, and high availability.
• Experience with Panorama (for centralized Palo Alto management) and Cisco security platforms (ASA, Firepower, or equivalent).
• Solid understanding of network security concepts, including segmentation, intrusion prevention, threat detection, and Zero Trust models.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex issues across firewalls, networks, and hybrid environments.
• Excellent documentation and communication skills for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Relevant certifications strongly preferred (e.g., PCNSE – Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer, Cisco CCNP Security, CCIE Security).

Nice-to-Have:

• Experience integrating firewalls with SIEM/SOC operations (e.g., Microsoft Sentinel, Splunk).
• Familiarity with cloud networking and security (Azure, AWS, GCP).
• Previous experience in public sector or large enterprise environments.