Job DescriptionCoreFactor is searching for a Senior Network Security Engineer on a contract basis for a client in the GTA.
This position is hybrid and will require the successful consultant to be in the office four (4) times per week.
The Role:Our client is looking for a Senior Network Engineer to support a major Firewall (FW) Project. The ideal candidate will be focused on hands-on delivery, migration, and operational support for the project and have expert level hands-on experience with Palo Alto in VPN, IT and OT environments. Having the ability to operate with leadership in critical business environments, stakeholdering change requests and outages, while adhering to change processes will be of utmost importance.
Core Technical Skills:- Deep understanding of firewall rule processing and security policy architecture, including rule cleanup, optimization, and lifecycle management.
- Expert level experience with rule set implementation and validation ensuring zero operational impact.
- Strong hands-on experience with NAT (source and destination), routing (static and dynamic protocols such as OSPF and BGP), and VPN technologies (IPSec, GlobalProtect).
- Proven expertise in High Availability (HA) designs, including active/passive and active/active configurations, failover testing, and break/fix support.
- Advanced troubleshooting skills across the OSI stack (Layers 3–7), with the ability to quickly diagnose and resolve complex network and security issues.
- Solid understanding of enterprise network architecture, including segmentation, zoning strategies, and security domain separation.
Network & SD-WAN Expertise- Hands-on experience supporting enterprise-scale network environments integrating Palo Alto security platforms with SD-WAN solutions and Prisma cloud access, with a global user base.
- Expert working knowledge of VMware SD-WAN (VeloCloud), including firewall integration, routing, and branch connectivity.
- Experience implementing secure branch connectivity models, hybrid WAN architectures, and traffic steering aligned with security requirements.
Delivery Expectations:- Execute firewall changes, migrations, and upgrades with minimal supervision.
- Support project-driven deliverables while maintaining operational stability.
- Produce clear technical documentation and handover artifacts as required.
Requirements
- 10+ years of hands-on experience with Palo Alto Networks firewalls (PA-Series and VM-Series) in large, complex enterprise environments and all associated services that run in top of the modern hardware.
- Proven, real-world expertise with Palo Alto Panorama, Prisma Access & SCM for centralized management, policy orchestration, upgrades, and large-scale deployments.
- Hands on proven experience with Prisma Access in large enterprise deployments.
- Hands on proven experience with Palo Alto IOT in manufacturing environments.
- Ability to assess firewall rules, at the detailed level, to support IT/OT segmentation.
- Demonstrated experience working in contract or project-based roles, delivering against defined timelines and scope.
RequirementsBachelor’s degree in computer science, Information Technology, or related field AND 10+ years technical experience in Microsoft Systems engineering, Cloud Administration, Network engineering, or equivalent experience. Microsoft Industry or product specific Certifications 8+ years of Hands-on experience in Microsoft Windows Servers, Azure, O365, Active Directory/Azure AD, Exchange (On-Prem/O365/Hybrid) and RDS. 8+ years technical experience working with large-scale cloud and Enterprise environments. 8+ Years Hands on experience and deep knowledge of Microsoft PowerShell Verified Certifications: Microsoft and other Technology platforms: VMware, RHEL, Cisco…etc Advanced knowledge managing cloud technologies (such as Azure, AWS and Google) Solid experience with Microsoft Servers and knowledge of Server hardware. Solid knowledge of Networking fundamentals (DNS, DHCP, Routing, Load Balancing) Solid knowledge of Security fundamentals (eDiscovery, IAM, MFA and firewalls) Experience in container technologies and automation Ability to participate in on-call rotational shifts, during non-standard business hours that may include evening, nighttime, weekends, and/or holidays. Exceptional writing and interpersonal skills, including documenting configuration and support information. Strong customer service focus and attention to detail Desire to take on big challenges and the ability to see the big picture as well as the details. Ability to react with appropriate urgency to situations and requests. Preferred Qualifications: Experience with Microsoft Security and compliance Platforms Experience with Microsoft Teams Experience with Linux RHEL Experience managing Microsoft workload for Manufacturing/CPG companies. Ability to lift and move standard office equipment (i.e. computers and peripherals). Ability to travel across North America and within the GTA based on project requirements.