Data Security Analyst

GovCIO is seeking a highly experienced Data Security Analyst — Master to lead the design, implementation, operation, and continuous improvement of enterprise security controls that protect data, networks, applications, and cloud-connected environments. This senior individual-contributor role requires deep hands‑on expertise with the Palo Alto Networks security portfolio—particularly next-generation firewalls, Panorama, Cortex, and Strata—as well as strong Cisco networking and security capabilities.

This position will be located within the United States and will be a fully remote opportunity.

• Architect, deploy, administer, and optimize Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewalls across data center, campus, branch, cloud, and remote-access environments.

• Lead centralized firewall management using Palo Alto Panorama , including device groups, templates, template stacks, shared policy, role-based administration, configuration standards, software lifecycle management, and high-availability operations.

• Design and maintain security policies using least privilege, application-aware controls, user identity, URL filtering, DNS security, TLS decryption where approved, threat prevention, Wild Fire analysis, anti-spyware, vulnerability protection, and file-blocking capabilities.

• Lead the operational use of the Palo Alto Networks Strata portfolio to improve network security posture, policy consistency, visibility, segmentation, and operational resilience.

• Deploy and operationalize Cortex capabilities for security analytics, endpoint detection and response, extended detection and response, incident investigation, automation, orchestration, and response improvement, as applicable to the enterprise environment.

• Investigate security alerts, anomalous traffic, malware activity, policy violations, data‑exfiltration indicators, and firewall-related incidents; coordinate containment, eradication, recovery, and post‑incident review activities.

• Develop and tune detections, correlation logic, dashboards, investigations, and response playbooks using Cortex tooling and integrated security platforms.

• Build and maintain secure network segmentation strategies, including zone-based architecture, east‑west traffic controls, microsegmentation principles, and protections for high‑value data systems.

• Partner with Cisco network engineering teams to integrate secure routing, switching, VPN, wireless, identity, and network‑access controls. Troubleshoot issues across Cisco and Palo Alto environments without weakening security controls.

• Support and strengthen Cisco security technologies and enterprise network services, which may include Cisco ASA/Firepower, Cisco Secure Firewall Management Center, Cisco ISE, Cisco Secure Network Analytics, VPN, routing, switching, and wireless infrastructure.

• Review, approve, implement, and document firewall and network‑security change requests according to established change‑management, risk‑review, and emergency‑change processes.

• Perform regular firewall rulebase reviews, access recertifications, risk assessments, policy cleanup, unused‑rule retirement, object normalization, and security‑control validation.

• Maintain accurate network security diagrams, data‑flow documentation, firewall standards, operational runbooks, architecture decisions, and escalation procedures.

• Conduct vulnerability and configuration assessments; validate remediation of high‑risk findings affecting firewall, network, endpoint, and data‑security controls.

• Collaborate with Security Operations Center, Incident Response, Cloud Engineering, Infrastructure, Application Development, Governance/Risk/Compliance, and Audit teams on security requirements and remediation plans.

• Provide technical mentorship to…