SENIOR ENGINEER - Palo Alto Networks - Firewalls

Location: SMILES 1, Bengaluru

Years of Experience: 3-5 Years

Job Summary: We are seeking a skilled Network Security Engineer with a strong focus on Palo Alto Networks firewalls to monitor, manage, and optimize our network security infrastructure across data centers, branch offices, and cloud connectivity. The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience with Palo Alto NGFWs and a solid understanding of firewall and network security best practices. This role requires a proactive approach to incident response, root cause analysis, and collaboration with various teams to ensure the security and integrity of our network.

Responsibilities:

• Monitor and manage firewall, VPN, IDS/IPS, and network security infrastructure, particularly Palo Alto NGFWs.
• Respond to and escalate firewall/network security incidents, performing root cause analysis and coordinating with relevant teams and vendors for resolution.
• Configure, maintain, and optimize rule sets, NATs, zones, policies, user/group objects, and application controls in Palo Alto firewalls.
• Ensure firewall firmware/software is up to date and maintain comprehensive documentation, including network topology, firewall rule base, incident response playbooks, and operational runbooks.
• Operate in a 24/7 shift rostered environment, being on-call as required, and ensure SLAs for response and resolution are met.
• Collaborate with network operations, LAN/WAN, cloud connectivity, and security teams, as well as SOC and threat intelligence, to ensure holistic visibility and response.
• Participate in continuous improvement initiatives, including automation of monitoring/alerting and building reporting metrics for firewall/network security operations.

Mandatory Skills:

• Proven experience with Palo Alto Networks firewalls (NGFWs).
• Strong understanding of network security principles and practices.
• Experience in incident response and root cause analysis.
• Ability to configure and manage firewall rule sets and policies.

Preferred Skills:

• Familiarity with automation tools for monitoring and alerting, such as Ansible or Terraform.
• Experience with cloud security and connectivity, specifically with AWS or Azure.
• Knowledge of other firewall technologies and security solutions, such as Cisco ASA or Fortinet.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, or a related field.
• Relevant certifications such as Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) or equivalent.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.