Lead Network & Security Engineer (L3 Architect)

Buffalo, NY

Full Time

Position Overview

Take ownership of complex enterprise network and security environments while leading L3 support, architecture reviews, and infrastructure assessments. This role combines hands-on engineering with technical leadership across Cisco data center networking, Fortinet and Palo Alto firewalls, network optimization, and automation initiatives.

What You'll Do

• Lead enterprise network and firewall assessments across Fortinet and Palo Alto environments
• Perform advanced L3 troubleshooting for routing, switching, VPN, QoS, NAT, ACL, and network performance issues
• Support Cisco Nexus data center architecture including NX-OS, VPC, VXLAN/EVPN, and HA designs
• Review firewall governance, security policies, SD-WAN posture, and segmentation strategies
• Configure and support SolarWinds and other network monitoring/discovery tools
• Lead major network changes, migrations, upgrades, and change management activities
• Develop network standards, documentation, runbooks, and configuration templates
• Mentor L1/L2 engineers and act as the final technical escalation point

Required Qualifications

• 10–12 years of networking experience with 3–4 years in an L3 or Architect-level role
• Extensive hands-on experience with Cisco IOS/XE, NX-OS, and Cisco Nexus platforms
• Strong expertise with Fortinet FortiGate and Palo Alto Networks firewalls
• Experience with SolarWinds or comparable monitoring tools, including network discovery
• Strong knowledge of OSPF, BGP, VLANs, STP, EtherChannel, SD-WAN, VPNs, and HA clustering
• Working knowledge of automation and scripting using Python, Bash, or EEM
• CCNA or equivalent hands-on experience

Preferred Qualifications

• CCNP Enterprise
• Fortinet NSE 4 or higher
• Aruba Wireless, Extreme Networks, or Juniper Networks experience
• ITIL v4 Foundation