Senior Network Engineer

We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Network Engineer in the Atlanta, GA or Washington, DC office at Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP. We are searching for someone who wants to be a valued contributor and member of a talented and dynamic team of lawyers, paralegals and business professionals.The Senior Network Engineer designs, implements, maintains, and optimizes the firm's network infrastructure across all locations and remote users. This role encompasses the administration of Palo Alto next-generation firewalls, GlobalProtect VPN, Prisma Access, and SD-WAN solutions, as well as Cisco switching and Wi-Fi infrastructure. The engineer provides hands-on support for projects, new deployments, hardware and software upgrades, and security initiatives-ensuring secure, high-performance connectivity firm wide.Responsibilities and Duties: Designs, deploys, and manages network solutions across LAN, WAN, SD-WAN, and firewall environments, including Palo Alto firewalls, GlobalProtect VPN, Prisma Access, Cisco switches, and related platforms.Maintains the Palo Alto SD-WAN fabric to optimize traffic routing, application performance, and branch connectivity across the firm's locations.Configures, manages, and troubleshoots Prisma Access to deliver secure, cloud-based network access for remote and mobile users while enforcing consistent security policies across all endpoints.Administers the GlobalProtect VPN infrastructure, including gateway configuration, split tunneling policies, client deployment, and integration with the firm's identity and authentication systems.Manages Cisco switching infrastructure, including VLANs, switch stacking, and firmware lifecycle management to ensure reliable and secure LAN connectivity.Manages and maintains the Extreme Networks wireless infrastructure, including access point deployment, wireless controller configuration, RF optimization, and firmware updates to ensure reliable and secure Wi-Fi connectivity across all firm locations.Diagnoses and resolves complex network issues across all platforms-Palo Alto, Prisma Access, GlobalProtect, SD-WAN, and Cisco-collaborating with IT staff to determine root cause and implement effective solutions.Develops scripts and automation workflows to streamline routine tasks such as configuration management, monitoring, and reporting for Palo Alto and Cisco devices.Creates and maintains comprehensive documentation, including network diagrams, firewall rule sets, SD-WAN policies, Prisma Access configurations, and Cisco switch standards, keeping IT leadership informed of changes and improvements.Advises and supports internal IT teams on network troubleshooting, best practices, and technical documentation.Evaluates emerging technologies and platform enhancements-including Palo Alto Strata Cloud Manager, AIOps capabilities, and Cisco feature releases-and recommends adoption where they improve the firm's network efficiency and security posture.Stays current with industry developments, particularly within the Palo Alto and Cisco ecosystems, and assesses their applicability to the firm's environment.Maintains thorough knowledge of the existing network infrastructure from core and edge to desktop, including all Palo Alto security platforms, SD-WAN nodes, Prisma Access tenants, and Cisco switching environments, with a focus on continuous improvement.Maintains an accurate inventory of all network-related hardware, software, licenses, and subscriptions across Palo Alto, Prisma Access, SD-WAN, and Cisco platforms.Provides emergency support for critical firewall, VPN, SD-WAN, and switching incidents, and assists other offices as required.Adheres to the firm's change management process for all network modifications, ensuring proper documentation, approval, risk assessment, and communication prior to implementation.Implement network-related updates, patches, and security policy changes across all platforms in accordance with firm policy and change management procedures.Performs service-affecting changes during scheduled maintenance windows, which often require evening and weekend availability, including firmware upgrades, SD-WAN policy modifications, and switch maintenance.Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:Education: A Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in a computer-related field from an accredited college or university. An equivalent combination of an associate's degree and relevant experience in the computer science field is acceptable. Cisco certification: CCIE or CCNP Enterprise required. Palo Alto certification: NGFW Engineer (Specialist) required. Additional certifications such as Palo Alto SD-WAN Engineer (Specialist), Network Security Professional, Network Security Architect, or Cisco CCNP Automation are a plus.Experience: Six or more years of hands-on experience with Cisco networks, including configuring and supporting routers, switches, and enterprise switching infrastructure. Demonstrated experience deploying, managing, and troubleshooting Palo Alto next-generation firewalls, GlobalProtect VPN, Prisma Access, and Palo Alto SD-WAN. Experience with Azure cloud networking, including Azure VNet, NSGs, and hybrid connectivity, is required. Proven ability to configure and support client and site-to-site VPN solutions across both Palo Alto and Azure environments.Skills: Strong proficiency in Cisco IOS, DNS, DHCP, network communication protocols, switching and routing, VPN, virtualization, and load balancing. Deep expertise in Palo Alto PAN-OS, security policy management, threat prevention, URL filtering, and application-based firewall rules. In-depth knowledge of Prisma Access architecture, including service connections, remote network configurations, and mobile user deployment. Hands-on expertise with Palo Alto SD-WAN configuration, traffic steering policies, and application-aware routing. Familiarity with zero trust network architecture principles and SASE frameworks. Working knowledge of Azure cloud networking, including VNet, NSGs, and hybrid connectivity models. Proficiency in scripting and automation using Python, Ansible, and Palo Alto Panorama APIs to streamline network operations. Advanced knowledge of multiple operating systems, platforms, internet technologies, and cloud network engineering. Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot complex issues across multi-vendor environments. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document network designs, procedures, and policies clearly and concisely.This is a remote role and the salary ranges for this position vary depending on the geographic location and other factors such as experience, internal equity, market data, and job-related considerations. The range for this position is from $120,000 - $165,000, with offers contingent upon the various factors. The firm’s compensation strategy includes not just a base salary but also comprehensive benefits such as healthcare, paid time off, discretionary merit bonuses, life and disability insurance, retirement plans and tailored learning opportunities.Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within our Firm and in the larger legal profession. We believe that diverse skills, knowledge and viewpoints make us a stronger firm. Eversheds Sutherland (US) LLP maintains a policy of affording all employees and applicants equal employment opportunities without regard to actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity or expression or transgender status), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, marital or familial status, domestic violence victim status, ancestry, amnesty, citizenship status, ethnicity, military and veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Unlawful discrimination, harassment and retaliation will not be tolerated in any of the Firm’s offices or any other work-related setting. Qualified individuals with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation in order to apply for a position or to enable them to perform the essential functions of a position for which they are otherwise qualified. EEO.