Senior Firewall Administrator

NetImpact Strategies • Alexandria, VA

12h

About The Position

NetImpact Strategies is seeking an experienced Senior Firewall Administrator to manage the agency’s Palo Alto firewall infrastructure. In this role, you will oversee deployment, configuration, and maintenance of firewall systems—both on-premises and in cloud environments. You’ll ensure security, performance, and availability, mentor junior staff, and integrate firewall solutions across the enterprise.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or related field
• 5–7 years of experience in network administration focused on Palo Alto firewalls
• Proven expertise with deployment, configuration, performance tuning, and troubleshooting of Palo Alto devices
• Strong skills in security policy application, patching, and device hardening
• Excellent documentation, analytical, and communication abilities

Nice To Haves

• Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) certification
• Experience managing firewall solutions in cloud environments (e.g., AWS, Azure)
• Familiarity with next-gen firewall features: App-ID, URL filtering, WildFire, GlobalProtect
• Automation/Scripting experience (Python, PowerShell) to enhance firewall management processes
• Knowledge of security compliance frameworks (e.g., NIST, FISMA, DoD)

Responsibilities

• Manage and maintain the organization’s Palo Alto-based firewall infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance, security, and availability.
• Lead the installation, configuration, and maintenance of Palo Alto firewall devices and cloud firewall configurations.
• Monitor and optimize the performance of firewall systems and network traffic, ensuring efficient resource allocation and minimal downtime.
• Diagnose and resolve complex firewall issues, including connectivity, performance, and security-related problems.
• Apply patches, updates, and security configurations to Palo Alto devices to maintain compliance and protect network security.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation of firewall configurations, policies, and operational procedures.
• Collaborate with IT and security teams to support organizational network security requirements and integrate firewall solutions with enterprise systems.
• Provide guidance, mentorship, and technical expertise to junior firewall and network administrators.
• Ensure adherence to industry best practices for firewall management, security hardening, and troubleshooting.
• Support incident response and security operations by identifying, investigating, and mitigating firewall-related threats.

Benefits

• Your health comes first – we offer comprehensive medical, dental, & vision insurance that starts the first of the month after you join the team
• Invest in your future – 401(k) Plan – Immediately vested employer contributions; no matching required
• Work hard, play hard – we offer a generous Paid Time Off (PTO) policy, one (1) additional day of paid wellness leave per calendar year, and observe ten (10) federal holidays
• Pawsitively pawesome – Pet Insurance (because our little critters are part of our families, too!)
• Invest in your education – Tuition reimbursement, internal training programs, & company-sponsored industry certifications!
• Be part of a dynamic and collaborative work environment recently ranked by The Washington Post as a Top Work Place in 2019, 2021,2022, 2023, & 2024!
• Have fun and celebrate and give back – Team building activities, community volunteering, quarterly HQ days, wellness events, happy hours, family fun events, and more!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level