Lead Senior Network Operations Engineer – Network Security, Palo Alto, Zscaler

• Serve as the highest technical escalation point within the global NOC organization
• Perform advanced packet analysis, protocol decoding, and cross-platform correlation for high-severity network incidents
• Lead deep-dive root cause analysis and produce engineering-quality post-incident reports
• Recommend long-term corrective and preventive actions
• Direct network recovery efforts during major outages involving routing instability, security incidents, hardware failures, or cloud connectivity disruptions
• Troubleshoot complex, multi-tier network and security architectures using Palo Alto firewalls, Palo Alto Cloud Security, and Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange services
• Apply security automation, API-driven provisioning, lifecycle management, and Infrastructure as Code pipelines
• Support Cisco ASA, Palo Alto NGFW, IPSec architectures, segmentation policies, and enterprise security posture validation
• Validate, enforce, and improve security architectures and industry best practices
• Define and govern Zero Trust access architectures using Zscaler Internet Access and Zscaler Private Access
• Use packet analysis and monitoring tools including Blue Cat, Solar Winds, APCON, Wireshark, and Net Flow/sFlow platforms
• Develop and maintain automation scripts for configuration validation, monitoring, and incident response workflows
• Evaluate, integrate, and optimize operational tools and observability platforms
• Partner with Network Engineering teams to validate designs, perform pre-deployment testing, and influence standards
• Mentor junior and mid-level NOC engineers through coaching, lab guidance, and training materials
• Engage vendors on escalated TAC cases, hardware issues, and architectural reviews

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, Information Systems, or equivalent practical experience
• 8+ years of enterprise network operations or engineering experience supporting large-scale, mission-critical environments
• Expert-level knowledge of network security architecture
• Deep expertise in Palo Alto and Zscaler platforms
• Extensive hands-on experience with Cisco, Juniper, Brocade, Palo Alto, Aruba, and F5 technologies
• Proven ability to lead major incidents under pressure with clear communication and strong technical leadership
• Participation in a 24x7 Tier 3 on-call escalation rotation
• Availability to support after-hours change execution and major incident coverage as needed
• Preferred certifications: CCNP, CCIE, JNCIP/JNCIE, PCNSE, F5 Certified Admin or Engineer, AWS Advanced Networking
• Vanguard is not offering visa sponsorship for this position

Demonstrates expert-level knowledge of network security architecture and extensive hands-on experience with Palo Alto and Zscaler platforms. Proven ability to lead major incidents, perform advanced packet analysis, and mentor junior engineers in a high-pressure environment.

• Expert-Level Knowledge Of Network Security Architecture
• Palo Alto And Zscaler Platforms Expertise
• Advanced Packet Analysis And Protocol Decoding
• CCNP, CCIE, JNCIP/JNCIE, PCNSE Certifications
• 24x7 Tier 3 On-Call Escalation Experience

• Packet Analysis
• Protocol Decoding
• Network Troubleshooting
• Security Automation
• Infrastructure As Code
• Configuration Validation
• Incident Response Workflows
• Routing Instability Management
• Security Architecture Validation
• Multi-Tier Network Architecture

• Technical Leadership
• Clear Communication
• Mentoring
• Coaching
• Training Development

• CCNP
• CCIE
• JNCIP
• JNCIE
• PCNSE
• F5 Certified Admin
• F5 Certified Engineer
• AWS Advanced Networking

• Enterprise Network Operations
• Mission-Critical Environments
• Network Security
• Cloud Connectivity
• Routing Instability
• Security Incidents
• Hardware Failures
• Zero Trust Access Architectures
• Operational Tools
• Observability Platforms

• Palo Alto Firewalls
• Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange
• Cisco ASA
• Solar Winds
• Wireshark
• Blue Cat
• APCON
• Net Flow/sFlow
• Zscaler Internet Access
• Zscaler Private Access