Network Engineer

Role: Network Engineer (On-Prem & Azure Cloud) 

Location: Carson City, NV or Santa Clara, CA (100% onsite) 

Duration: 6-Month Contract-to-Hire 

Overview: We are seeking a highly skilled Network Engineer with over a decade of hands-on experience in managing complex network infrastructures across on-premises and Azure cloud environments. This role is ideal for professionals with strong expertise in Cisco and Meraki technologies, firewall implementations (Palo Alto and Fortinet), Zero Trust architectures, and network automation using Python. You will play a critical role in securing, architecting, maintaining, and optimizing the network infrastructure in a high-impact, senior-level position. 

Key Responsibilities: 

• Network Infrastructure & Security Management 

• Design, configure, and maintain Cisco routing and Meraki switching environments. 

• Deploy and manage Fortinet and Palo Alto firewalls, including advanced security policies and SSL inspection. 

• Implement IPS/IDS solutions for proactive threat monitoring. 

• Zero Trust & Micro-Segmentation 

• Architect and deploy Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA 2.0) frameworks. 

• Implement network micro-segmentation to minimize lateral threats and enforce granular access controls. 

• Cloud Networking (Azure) 

• Manage hybrid network architectures, ensuring secure and efficient connectivity between on-prem and Azure cloud. 

• Configure Azure networking components like VNets, VPN Gateways, ExpressRoute, and NSGs. 

• Network Automation & Scripting 

• Develop Python scripts for automating network tasks and improving operational efficiency. 

• Automate network configurations, monitoring, and incident response workflows. 

• DMZ, NAT & IP Scheme Management 

• Design and support DMZ architecture and NAT configurations. 

• Manage IP schemes, including subnetting and IP planning for scalable network design. 

• Documentation & Monitoring 

• Create and maintain network flow diagrams and network SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures). 

• Utilize tools like SolarWinds for performance monitoring and proactive troubleshooting. 

• Cross-Functional Collaboration 

• Work closely with security, IT, and cloud teams to implement integrated and secure network solutions. 

• Communicate technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders. 

Must-Have Skills & Qualifications: 

• Certifications: CCIE (Required) or Palo Alto PCNSE (if CCIE is unavailable) 

• 10+ years of hands-on experience in: 

• Cisco routing/switching, Meraki wireless 

• Palo Alto and Fortinet firewalls 

• IPS/IDS, SSL traffic inspection, and advanced firewall policies 

• IPsec tunneling, VPN, NAT, and DMZ configurations 

• Azure cloud and hybrid network solutions 

• Python scripting for automation 

• Network micro-segmentation and Zero Trust (ZTNA 2.0) 

• Strong knowledge of TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs 

• Proven experience with IP addressing/subnetting and IP allocation planning 

• Excellent communication and collaboration skills 

Preferred Qualifications: 

• Experience with SASE, Prisma Access, or Zscaler 

• Hands-on experience with SD-WAN technologies 

• Familiarity with Microsoft Intune and M365 

• Experience with high availability network design and disaster recovery planning 

• Proficiency in network monitoring tools such as SolarWinds