Senior Network Engineer

Job Title: Sr. Network Engineer Location: Chicago, IL Onsite Job Duration: 12+ Months Contract
About VLink: Started in 2006 and headquartered in Connecticut, VLink is one of the fastest growing digital technology services and consulting companies. Since its inception, our innovative team members have been solving the most complex business, and IT challenges of our global clients.
Job Description: We are looking for a Senior Network Engineer to act as a technical expert for enterprise firewall
and load balancer platforms. The role focuses on advanced support, solution ownership, and
technical leadership.
Responsibilities:
Act as SME for Palo Alto Firewalls and F5 BIG-IP
Lead troubleshooting and resolution of firewall and load balancer issues
Design, review, and optimize firewall and F5 configurations
Perform architecture reviews, security hardening, and policy optimization
Lead major incident handling and root cause analysis (RCA)
Support migrations, new customer onboarding, and technology refresh activities
Engage with vendors (Palo Alto, F5) for TAC escalations
Provide technical guidance and mentoring to L2 engineers
Own documentation standards, best practices, and operational improvements
Participate in 24x7 support and on-call rotations
Requirements / Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, or a related field (or
equivalent practical experience)
6 10+ years of experience in managed network security or firewall operations
Deep hands-on expertise with Palo Alto Firewalls and F5 BIG-IP Load Balancers
Strong understanding of enterprise network security architecture and design
Experience acting as a technical lead or subject matter expert
Proven ability to lead issue resolution and technical decision-making
Experience with vendor coordination and TAC case management
Strong analytical, documentation, and stakeholder communication skills

Certifications:
CCNA & CCNP
PCNSA, F5-CA, or ITIL Foundation
Employment Practices:
EEO, ADA, FMLA Compliant
VLink is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive environment where diversity is celebrated. All qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Applicant information will be handled in accordance with VLink's privacy policy.