Network Engineering Lead (Cisco / Palo Alto)
Location: Phoenix, AZ 85034 - 100% Onsite (driving position, metro-area field sites, mileage reimbursed)
Job Type: Contract (W2 or 1099)
Duration: July 2026 – December 2026 (potential extension)
Pay Rate: $85–$93/hr W2, depending on experience (1099 option available)
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM, plus participation in 24/7 on-call standby rotation
About the Role:
Responsibilities:
- Design, implement, and manage Cisco Catalyst, Cisco Nexus, and Palo Alto Networks infrastructure (routers, switches, firewalls)
- Troubleshoot complex network issues, ensuring high availability of critical operations
- Perform configurations, upgrades, and patch management; monitor performance and run proactive health checks
- Provide technical leadership and mentorship to network engineers
- Coordinate copper/fiber premise cabling, equipment installation, and access control/CCTV needs at field sites
- Maintain network architecture documentation and support capacity planning and budget input
- Collaborate with internal departments, vendors, and stakeholders with strong customer service
Required Qualifications:
- 5+ years of recent experience in planning, design, and maintenance of a large network
- Strong hands-on experience configuring/managing/troubleshooting Cisco IOS, Cisco Nexus, and Palo Alto NGFW with Panorama
- Routing protocols: BGP, OSPF, EIGRP; point-to-point VPNs, IPsec, NAT, QoS
- Experience supervising a small team and supporting 24/7 critical operations (public safety environment preferred)
- Familiarity with Splunk, ServiceNow, Jira, and SolarWinds Orion
- CCNP, Palo Alto Networks NGFW Engineer, or similar certification
- Must be currently local to the Phoenix metro area, available for an in-person interview within one week, and able to start within two weeks of offer
- Valid driver's license required
Skills Required
- 5+ years of recent experience in planning, design, and maintenance of a large network
- Hands-on experience configuring, managing, and troubleshooting Cisco IOS and Cisco Nexus switches/routers
- Hands-on experience with Palo Alto NGFW and Panorama
- Routing protocols: BGP, OSPF, EIGRP; point-to-point VPNs, IPsec, NAT, QoS
- Experience supervising a small team and supporting 24/7 critical operations
- Experience in a public safety environment
- Familiarity with Splunk, ServiceNow, Jira, and SolarWinds Orion
- CCNP, Palo Alto Networks NGFW Engineer, or similar certification
- Must be local to the Phoenix metro area, available for in-person interview within one week, and able to start within two weeks of offer
- Valid driver's license (driving position, metro-area field sites)
- Ability to work 100% onsite in Phoenix and participate in 24/7 on-call standby rotation
What We Do
SunSoft Online is a US-operated IT consulting and technology services company that has been delivering solutions since 2006. The firm specializes in IT consulting, project delivery, and workforce support, focusing on placing highly qualified IT professionals—such as security engineers and product managers—with Arizona state agencies, government clients, and enterprise organizations across the United States.
