CyberSecurity Engineer/Hands On Architect

Our customer is seeking an experienced Cybersecurity Engineer / Hands-On Architect to support a highly secure, mission-critical public sector environment in Orange County. This role requires a senior-level practitioner who is architecturally strong but very hands-on, capable of owning day-to-day security engineering while leading design decisions across network, firewall, SIEM, and incident response domains.
This position is fully onsite and supports a highly regulated law enforcement environment, requiring deep attention to security, compliance, and operational stability.

Key Responsibilities

Firewall & Network Security (Palo Alto Focus)

• Design, implement, and manage Palo Alto NGFWs and Panorama
• Own firewall policies, rule optimization, segmentation, and Zero Trust design
• Lead firewall consolidations, migrations, and redesigns
• Act as the Palo Alto SME for engineering, troubleshooting, and optimization

Security Architecture & Zero Trust

• Architect enterprise network security aligned to Zero Trust principles
• Design secure VPN solutions (GlobalProtect, site-to-site, MFA integrations)
• Secure wired and wireless environments (corporate, guest, BYOD/IoT)
• Design and maintain secure DNS architectures

SIEM & SOC Enablement

• Architect and tune SIEM solutions
• Lead log onboarding, correlation rules, dashboards, and detections
• Partner closely with SOC operations and incident responders

Incident Response Leadership

• Develop and maintain Incident Response plans and playbooks
• Serve as technical lead during major security incidents
• Conduct root-cause analysis and drive remediation initiatives

Compliance & Governance

• Ensure security architecture aligns with CJIS and applicable government standards
• Develop security standards, baselines, and reference architectures
• Support audits, assessments, and compliance initiatives

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

• BS + 7 years, or MS + 5 years, or PhD + 4 years in Cybersecurity or related field

Certifications (Required - One or More):

• CISSP, GCIH, CEH, GREM, or equivalent

Technical Expertise

• Expert-level Palo Alto Networks experience
• Strong background in network security, segmentation, and Zero Trust
• SIEM design and engineering experience
• Incident response and SOC support experience

Other Requirements

• Comfortable operating independently in a high-pressure environment
• Strong documentation and communication skills
• Ability to support after-hours or weekend work when required

Job Type & Location
This is a Contract to Hire position based out of Orange, CA.
Pay and Benefits
The pay range for this position is $80.00 - $95.00/hr.
Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to specific elections, plan, or program terms. If eligible, the benefits available for this temporary role may include the following:
Medical, dental & vision
Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
401(k) Retirement Plan - Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
Short and long-term disability
Health Spending Account (HSA)
Transportation benefits
Employee Assistance Program
Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)
Workplace Type
This is a fully onsite position in Orange,CA.
Application Deadline
This position is anticipated to close on Apr 17, 2026.
>About TEKsystems:
We're partners in transformation. We help clients activate ideas and solutions to take advantage of a new world of opportunity. We are a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 clients, including 80% of the Fortune 500, across North America, Europe and Asia. As an industry leader in Full-Stack Technology Services, Talent Services, and real-world application, we work with progressive leaders to drive change. That's the power of true partnership. TEKsystems is an Allegis Group company.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regards to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.

About TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services

We're a leading provider of business and technology services. We accelerate business transformation for our customers. Our expertise in strategy, design, execution and operations unlocks business value through a range of solutions. We're a team of 80,000 strong, working with over 6,000 customers, including 80% of the Fortune 500 across North America, Europe and Asia, who partner with us for our scale, full-stack capabilities and speed. We're strategic thinkers, hands-on collaborators, helping customers capitalize on change and master the momentum of technology. We're building tomorrow by delivering business outcomes and making positive impacts in our global communities. TEKsystems and TEKsystems Global Services are Allegis Group companies. Learn more at TEKsystems.com.

The company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic protected by law.