Network Security Engineer II @ Rackspace Technology

We are seeking a Network Security Engineer II to join our infrastructure team. This role requires experience in the security space for someone who can seamlessly navigate traditional hardware, software-defined networking, and advanced load-balancing solutions.

You will be the primary administrator for our high-availability security stack, with a specific focus on Cisco (ASA/Firepower/ISE), Palo Alto, F5 BIG-IP, and VMware NSX.

• Multi-Vendor Firewall Management: Lead the migration, configuration, and maintenance of Cisco ASA (Classic) and Firepower (FTD) systems, while managing a robust Palo Alto environment via Panorama.

• Application Delivery & Security: Design and manage F5 BIG-IP solutions, focusing on LTM (Local Traffic Manager) for load balancing and ASM/WAF (Application Security Manager) for protecting web applications.

• Software-Defined Networking (SDN): Implement and manage micro-segmentation policies and virtualized security services within VMware NSX (T/V) environments.

• Legacy to Next-Gen Migration: Architect strategies to transition legacy Cisco ASA rulesets to Cisco Firepower or Palo Alto NGFWs without service disruption.

• Tier 3 Support: Act as the highest escalation point for complex network outages, security breaches, or performance degradation across the global fabric.

• Provide exceptional customer support via phone and ticketing systems.

• Own level-appropriate customer requests and issues, seeing them through to resolution.

• Handle support escalations from other engineers and teams as per escalation procedures.

• Collaborate with Service Delivery Managers and Account Executives to build strong customer relationships.

• Work closely with customers during the pre-implementation phase to design and architect solutions.

• Coordinate with implementation teams to quality-check deployments and perform initial vulnerability assessments.

• Research, plan, and coordinate complex maintenance activities.

• Participate in Root Cause Analysis (RCA) exercises to drive process and technology improvements.

• Share knowledge with other administrators and engineers via documentation and training sessions.

• Contribute to the development of technical best practices.

• Prepare and review policy and process standards.

• Communicate effectively (verbal and written) with customers and internal stakeholders, including presentations.

• Be available for flexible working hours (24x7x365 coverage, including weekends and holidays).

Security & Networking Stack

• Cisco Specialist: Advanced knowledge of Cisco ASA (CLI/ASDM) and Firepower Threat Defense (FTD) managed via FMC.

• Palo Alto Expert: Deep experience with Palo Alto NGFW features (App-ID, User-ID, SSL Decryption).

• Load Balancing: Proficiency in F5 BIG-IP, including iRules development, SSL offloading, and traffic steering.

• Virtualization: Hands-on experience with VMware NSX, including distributed firewalls (DFW) and edge gateways.

• Protocols: Strong knowledge of TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, and deep packet inspection.

Required Certifications

Candidates must hold industry-recognized certifications:

1. Cisco Security (Primary):

• CCNA Security Required

• CCNP Security Highly Preferred

• Specialist certifications in Firepower or ASA are a significant plus

2. Palo Alto Networks (Secondary):

• PCNSE (Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer) Highly Preferred

3. Supplemental (Preferred):

• F5-CTS (Certified Technology Specialist)

• VCP-NV (VMware Certified Professional Network Virtualization)

• Intermediate-level professional experience in network security engineering.

• Demonstrated experience managing complex firewall rule bases (10,000+ rules) across multiple platforms.

• Expertise in troubleshooting complex asymmetric routing issues and application-level latency in multi-vendor environments.