Firewall Expert – Technical Architect

Job Description:

1. Checkpoint Firewall Skills

• Expertise in Checkpoint Security Products: Deep understanding of Checkpoint's Next-Generation Firewalls (NGFW), including installation, configuration, and management of Checkpoint devices.

• Checkpoint Security Management (R80.x, R77.x): Proficient in managing security policies, firewall rules, VPNs, and traffic monitoring.

• Advanced Threat Prevention: Experience with Checkpoint's advanced security features such as IPS, Threat Emulation, Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus, and Application Control.

• VPN Configuration and Management: Hands-on experience in IPsec VPN, SSL VPN configurations, site-to-site VPNs, and remote access solutions.

• Clustering & High Availability: Familiarity with clustering, failover, and load balancing using Checkpoint's ClusterXL and other HA solutions.

• Security Gateway and Endpoint Security: Expertise in configuring and maintaining Checkpoint's Security Gateway and Endpoint Security solutions.

• Security Operations & Troubleshooting: Extensive experience in monitoring, diagnosing, and troubleshooting Checkpoint firewall-related issues.

• Certifications: certifications such as CCSE (Checkpoint Certified Security Expert) or CCSA (Checkpoint Certified Security Administrator) preferred

2. Fortinet Firewall Skills

• FortiGate Configuration & Management: Extensive experience in deploying and managing FortiGate firewalls, including deep understanding of FortiOS.

• Fortinet Security Fabric: Familiarity with integrating FortiGate firewalls with other Fortinet products like Forti Analyzer, Forti Manager, Forti Web, and Forti Sandbox.

• Advanced Security Features: Proficient in setting up features like web filtering, antivirus, intrusion prevention system (IPS), application control, and anti-spam within Fortinet devices.

• FortiGate VPN: Advanced expertise in configuring SSL VPNs, IPsec VPNs, and troubleshooting VPN connectivity issues.

• High Availability & Redundancy: Knowledgeable in configuring HA clusters, load balancing, and failover solutions using FortiGate’s HA modes (active-active, active-passive).

• Policy & Rule Management: Strong experience in designing, implementing, and maintaining security policies, rules, and access controls.

• Traffic Analysis & Troubleshooting: Skills in network traffic analysis, packet inspection, and real-time troubleshooting with tools like FortiView and FortiAnalyzer.

• Certifications: Fortinet certifications such as NSE4 (Network Security Expert Level 4) or higher (NSE5, NSE6, etc.) preferred.

3. General Firewall & Security Skills

• Network Security Architecture: Extensive experience in designing and implementing complex network security architectures.

• Routing & Switching Knowledge: Strong grasp of networking protocols like BGP, OSPF, MPLS, and VLANs.

• Security Incident Response: Ability to handle firewall-related security incidents, malware outbreaks, and intrusion attempts.

• Performance Tuning & Optimization: Skills in optimizing firewall performance, fine-tuning security policies, and reducing false positives.

• Cross-Vendor Integration: Experience in integrating Checkpoint and Fortinet firewalls with other vendors’ security solutions (e.g., Cisco, Palo Alto, Juniper).

4. Soft Skills

• Problem Solving and Troubleshooting: Analytical skills to resolve complex issues with minimal supervision.

• Documentation and Reporting: Ability to document configurations, procedures, and troubleshooting steps effectively.

• Collaboration: Teamwork and communication skills to collaborate with security teams, developers, and IT personnel.

• Training & Mentoring: Ability to lead teams, mentor junior engineers, and deliver training on firewall technologies.