Senior Network Administrator (Palo Alto/Aruba)

Location: On-site in Los Angeles, California, United States. The role supports classified and unclassified DoD environments and requires an active Secret clearance; Top Secret is preferred.

Salary: $120,000–$180,000 annual base compensation, excluding bonus, equity, and benefits.

Company

Defense technology company developing a multi-product portfolio powered by Coherent Distributed Networks for warfighters, commercial air operators, and border protection teams.

What you will do

• Design, deploy, and maintain secure network architectures across classified and unclassified environments.
• Configure and manage Palo Alto firewalls, including PAN-OS, Panorama, GlobalProtect, NGFW, VPN, and threat-prevention capabilities.
• Implement and support Aruba switching, wireless, and ClearPass networking solutions.
• Perform network segmentation, zero-trust implementation, policy enforcement, performance monitoring, troubleshooting, and uptime optimization.
• Conduct vulnerability remediation, support incident response and traffic analysis, and maintain compliance with DoD cybersecurity frameworks.
• Collaborate with cybersecurity, systems, and DevOps teams; maintain network documentation and support system accreditation and ATO processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 8+ years of network administration experience in enterprise or DoD environments.
• Strong hands-on experience with Palo Alto firewalls, including NGFW, Panorama, VPNs, and threat prevention, and with Aruba networks, including switching, wireless, and ClearPass NAC.
• Deep understanding of TCP/IP, BGP, OSPF, VLANs, VPNs, network security principles, and zero-trust architectures.
• Experience operating in classified environments such as SIPR/NIPR or equivalent.
• Familiarity with RMF, NIST 800-53, STIGs, and other DoD cybersecurity standards.
• Ability to troubleshoot complex, multi-layer network issues under pressure.
• Active DoD Secret clearance required; Top Secret preferred.

Nice to have

• Palo Alto certification such as PCNSE or higher.
• Aruba certification such as ACMP or ACDX.
• Experience with network automation using Python, Ansible, or APIs.
• Experience with cloud networking in AWS GovCloud or Azure Government.
• Experience with Zero Trust, SASE, Zscaler ZIA, ZPA, or similar tools.
• Background in high-availability or mission-critical systems, defense contracting, or rapid-deployment environments.

Culture & Benefits

• Fast-paced, high-impact work supporting a DoD program and critical national security missions.
• Hands-on ownership from network architecture and modernization through operations and sustainment.
• Collaboration with engineers, operators, cybersecurity specialists, systems teams, and DevOps teams.
• On-site work in Los Angeles; the role is performance-sensitive and requires reliable operation of secure infrastructure.
• Base compensation excludes additional earnings such as bonus, equity, and benefits; the final offer may vary based on experience, education, training, critical skills, and business considerations.

Hiring process

• Unsolicited resumes or outreach from recruiting agencies are not accepted, reviewed, or compensated.