Leidos is seeking an experienced Firewall Engineering Manager to lead a team of security and network engineers responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining NASA’s enterprise firewall and perimeter security infrastructure. This role provides hands-on technical leadership, operational oversight, and strategic direction to ensure the security, resilience, and reliability of NASA’s Local Area Networks (LAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN), Mission Networks, and cloud-connected environments.
The selected candidate will manage the Firewall Engineering Team and serve as a key technical authority for enterprise firewall operations, modernization initiatives, migration planning, and the integration of next-generation security technologies. This position requires strong leadership skills, deep expertise in firewall and network security engineering, and the ability to collaborate effectively with NASA leadership, cybersecurity teams, program managers, and cross-domain engineering groups.
Key Responsibilities- Lead and manage the Firewall Engineering Team, providing oversight for enterprise firewall, IDS/IPS, and perimeter security system design, implementation, and operations.
- Implement NASA’s firewall and perimeter security strategy in alignment with zero-trust principles, mission requirements, and cybersecurity frameworks.
- Serve as the senior escalation point for complex firewall, policy, and cross-domain security issues.
- Develop and maintain firewall standards, configuration baselines, rule governance processes, and lifecycle management practices.
- Oversee enterprise firewall migrations, data center and cloud integrations, segmentation initiatives, and modernization efforts.
- Support proposal development and Basis of Estimates (BOEs) related to firewall engineering and security architecture.
- Drive improvements in automation, orchestration, change control, and monitoring to enhance security and operational efficiency.
- Ensure compliance with NASA, Federal, and organizational security policies and directives.
- Mentor and develop engineering staff, fostering technical growth and operational excellence.
- Deliver technical briefings, reports, and recommendations to NASA and Leidos leadership.
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Cybersecurity, or a related technical field (Master’s preferred).
- 10–12+ years of experience in network security or firewall engineering, including 5+ years in a technical leadership or management role.
- Proven experience managing or supporting large-scale, mission-critical firewall and perimeter security infrastructures.
- Strong expertise with next-generation firewall platforms (e.g., Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco, Juniper).
- Solid understanding of routing/switching concepts, intrusion detection/prevention, segmentation, and zero-trust security.
- Demonstrated ability to lead engineering teams in complex, high-visibility environments.
- Experience supporting large infrastructure programs, including proposal development and BOEs.
- Excellent communication, leadership, and stakeholder engagement skills.
- U.S. Citizenship required; must be eligible for a NASA or Federal security clearance.
- Experience supporting government, aerospace, or NASA environments.
- Relevant industry certifications (e.g., CISSP, CCNP Security, PCNSE, JNCIS/JNCIP Security).
- Experience with cloud networking, cloud-native firewall solutions, or SDN-based security models.
- Experience managing geographically dispersed engineering teams.
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Original Posting:November 25, 2025For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above.
The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.
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For 50 years we have been tackling some of the biggest problems that face our nation and our world.
OUR MISSION
Through our culture of innovation and history of performance, we develop deep customer trust built on integrity and create enduring solutions that improve our world. Leidos is a science and technology solutions leader working to address some of the world’s toughest challenges in the defense, intelligence, homeland security, civil, and healthcare markets. The company’s 43,000 employees support vital missions for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Reston, Va., Leidos reported annual revenues of approximately $11.09 billion for the fiscal year ended January 3, 2020.
Leidos was cited for the meaningful work employees perform that is challenging, impactful, and aligned with our customers’ missions as reasons professionals want to work and stay at our company. Leidos has also been named to lists including Forbes’ Best Employers for Diversity, Forbes’ America’s Best Employers for Women, Military Times Best for Vets Employers, and Ethisphere Institute’s World's Most Ethical Companies®.
Employees enjoy career enrichment opportunities available through mobility and development and experience rewarding relationships with supportive supervisors and talented colleagues and customers. Employees appreciate our flexible work environment, allowing for and encouraging a true work-life balance. Our professionals are also excited about our Employee Resource Groups, like the newly launched Collaborative Outreach with Remote and Embedded Employees (CORE), which strives to create an environment where every employee, regardless of location, feels fully engaged as a valued employee of Leidos.
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