Senior Network Security Engineer to support policy changes and troubleshooting for Palo Alto Firewalls for a professional services client

Our valued professional services client is looking for a Senior Network Security Engineer to support policy changes and the development of training materials for Palo Alto Firewalls!Initial 8-month contract with strong probability of extension. % remote contract (in Central Timezone). 8 hours per day, Monday to Friday. ResponsibilitiesDesign, configure, and deploy Palo Alto Networks firewall solutions to meet the organization's security requirements. Develop comprehensive firewall policies and rulesets based on best practices and security standards.Manage and maintain Palo Alto Networks firewalls and Panorama infrastructure, including upgrades, patches, and performance tuning.Support the integration of Palo Alto infrastructure with Splunk SIEMCollaborate with the incident response team to develop and refine incident response procedures.Conduct periodic reviews and audits of firewall configurations to ensure compliance and adherence to security policies.Provide technical support and assistance to other IT teams and stakeholders regarding Palo Alto Networks firewall-related issues.Serve as a subject matter expert in firewall technologies and best practices.Maintain accurate documentation of firewall configurations, policies, and procedures.Generate regular reports on firewall performance, security incidents, and compliance status for management and regulatory purposes.Partake in projects and collaborate with cross-functional teams, including network engineering, system administration, and cybersecurity, to integrate Palo Alto Networks firewall solutions seamlessly into the organization's infrastructure. Must-Have Skills5+ years of experience as a Network/Security Engineer in designing, implementing, and managing Palo Alto Networks (PAN) firewall solutions in enterprise environments.Knowledge of Palo Alto Wildfire configuration and management.Proficiency in configuring and troubleshooting Palo Alto Networks firewalls, Panorama management platform, and related security technologies.Demonstrated experience working with Algosec Firewall Management Solid knowledge of networking protocols (TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing, etc.) and network architecture principles.Experience with scripting and automation tools (e.g., Python, PowerShell) for firewall administration and management.Nice-to-Have Skills:Relevant Palo Alto Networks certifications such as PCNSA (Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator) and PCNSE (Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer) Demonstrated understanding of Splunk Search Processing Language (SPL)