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. 

Responsibilities

• 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, WildFire 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 analysts and engineers; establish engineering standards and lead complex troubleshooting and root-cause analysis.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, platform features, and threat trends; recommend pragmatic improvements to the enterprise security roadmap.
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Qualifications

Bachelor's with 12+ years (or commensurate experience)

• 10+ years of progressive experience in cybersecurity, network security, security engineering, or security operations, including substantial hands-on firewall administration and incident-response experience.
• Deep expertise administering Palo Alto Networks next-generation firewalls in complex enterprise environments.
• Advanced experience with Panorama, including centralized policy administration, device-group design, templates, HA workflows, logging, upgrades, troubleshooting, and configuration governance.
• Strong practical knowledge of Palo Alto Strata security capabilities, including NGFW architecture, App-ID, User-ID, Content-ID, security profiles, decryption, segmentation, and policy optimization.
• Strong experience using Palo Alto Cortex products or related XDR/EDR/SOAR/SIEM technologies for detection, investigation, incident response, threat hunting, and automation.
• Demonstrated ability to investigate and resolve complex network-security issues using packet captures, firewall traffic logs, threat logs, system logs, routing information, and endpoint telemetry.
• Strong Cisco networking background, including TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, NAT, routing, switching, VLANs, VRFs, BGP/OSPF fundamentals, VPNs, network segmentation, and high-availability concepts.
• Experience supporting Cisco security and network technologies, such as Cisco Secure Firewall/Firepower, ASA, ISE, Secure Network Analytics, Catalyst switching, Nexus switching, enterprise routing, and wireless platforms.
• Thorough understanding of security principles including zero trust, least privilege, defense in depth, identity-aware access, network segmentation, threat prevention, encryption, logging, and vulnerability management.
• Experience with security frameworks and control expectations such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST SP 800-53, CIS Controls, ISO 27001, PCI DSS, HIPAA, SOX, or similar requirements, as applicable.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical risks and solutions to both technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
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Clearance Required: Must be able to attain and  maintain an AOUSC Public Trust

Preferred Skills and Experience

• Master’s degree in Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field
• Palo Alto Networks certifications such as PCNSA, PCNSE,, or equivalent advanced Palo Alto Networks credentials.
• Cisco certifications such as CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, CCNP Security, CCIE Enterprise Infrastructure, CCIE Security, or equivalent experience.
• Experience with cloud networking and security in AWS, Microsoft Azure, and/or Google Cloud Platform, including cloud firewalls, transit architectures, virtual firewalls, security groups, and centralized logging.
• Experience with infrastructure-as-code, automation, or scripting using Python, PowerShell, Ansible, Terraform, REST APIs, or Panorama APIs.
• Experience with SIEM platforms, log pipelines, threat intelligence, vulnerability-management tools, and network detection and response capabilities.
• Experience leading security projects, technical workstreams, audit remediation, control modernization, or enterprise-wide firewall migrations.

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Posted Salary Range

USD $125,000.00 - USD $150,000.00 /Yr.