Senior Network Security Specialist

WaTech: Leading the way forward!
Washington Technology Solutions (WaTech) is a national leader in adopting new, innovative technologies that transform the way Washingtonians receive state services. WaTech sets the strategic technology direction of the state in multiple domains and programs and is responsible for the state’s core technology services.

About the position
This position is a part of the Network Operations Center (NOC) within the Network Services Division (NSD) within WaTech. NSD delivers data networking, internet, cloud connectivity, telephony, and network security (firewall) services to Washington state agencies, federal entities, all counties, various cities, municipalities, school districts, boards, commissions, Tribes, and nonprofits.

As a Senior Network Security Specialist, you will be the escalation point for state agencies, counties, municipalities and Tribes when they experience network outages or connectivity issues with their respective networks or applications. In this role you will be responsible for cross-divisional engineering, designing, and maintaining standards and enhancements, facilitating the installation and maintenance of a complex statewide network that supports state agencies and statewide critical business and financial applications.

Duties

Some of what to expect with this role:

• Implement high-level design solutions.
• Research, identify and suggest potential technical solutions to meet agency or customer needs and future state.
• Create logical designs, network-synthesis, and network realization to add clarity and understanding of design proposal(s).
• Administer and implement SSL VPN Virtual Private Networks (VPN) solutions.
• Provide senior technical level understanding and leadership for WaTech and customer agency IT staff for the Enterprise Reverse Proxy, Enterprise Forward Proxy, Application Delivery, Security, and Traffic Management, SSL VPN, Splunk and other F5 based services.
• Maintain critical statewide core network in a Cisco environment. Monitor and manage to ensure 24x7x365 network reliability on the statewide network that enables all state agencies to conduct essential businesses.
• Ensure all state agency internet and IT connectivity is operational. Address outages and escalations by customers’ IT groups.
• Utilize advanced hardware and software network monitoring tools, diagnostic equipment, and network design protocols.
• Document incident, customer service requests and requests for change in ticket management system.
• Analyze the security risk of the network and independently initiate actions to minimize the impact of network security incidents and system events.
• Provide consultation to internal and external customers on highly complex, statewide IT initiatives and efficiency.

 
Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Eight years of information technology (IT) experience. This experience must include:
  • Three years’ experience with digital Certificates, PKI and crypto concepts, http(s) protocols, and/or LDAP authentication and authorization.
  • Three years’ experience with supporting F5 or similar network gear to include Linux, VM Ware and SSL VPN, forward/reverse proxy technology.
  • Three years of layer 3 network routing and switching experience in a Cisco production environment to include IP addressing and knowledge of network protocols, and security concepts.
• A bachelor’s degree in IT Security or Network area or an equivalent technical discipline from an accredited college or university may substituted on a year for year basis for up to four years’ experience.

 
 
Preference may be granted to applicants with the following:

• Network, security or other IT networking related certifications such as:
  • Cisco Certified Networking Professional (CCNP) Routing and Switching.
  • Cisco Certified Design Professional (CCDP).
• Experience with supporting or deploying cloud services such as AWS/Azure or other cloud providers
• Security service edge (SSE) experience, such as:
  • Zero trust network access (ZTNA).
  • Secure Web Gateway (SWG).
  • Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB).
  • Cloud Firewall or Firewall-as-a-Service (FWaaS).

Telework: This position is approved for telework. However, it requires that the incumbent be within a two-hour commuting distance from the Olympia, WA office to response to emergencies and/or outages, lab testing and major maintenance activities.
 
We value diversity and different perspectives:
WaTech is committed to providing equal access and opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees. We seek to attract and retain a diverse staff and welcome your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity. 
 
What WaTech Offers:
As an employee of WaTech, you’ll have access to an outstanding employee benefits package that includes medical and dental plan options for you and your family, paid leave and holidays, retirement plan options and more.

While WaTech is headquartered in Olympia, Washington, which is near some of the country’s most scenic national parks, we are able to offer many of our positions telework and flexible schedule options to help support a healthy work life balance.

To learn more about WaTech, and what our employees enjoy about working here, please visit our website. 

How to apply:
Applications for this recruitment will be accepted electronically. Please select the large “apply button” at the top of this announcement. You may need to create a profile and account in Washington state’s automated application system. We invite you to include your name and pronouns in your material to ensure we address you correctly throughout the application process.

To be considered for this position you will need to:

• Submit your online application.
• Answer all required Supplemental Questions.
• Attach a Letter of Interest that addresses how your experience qualifies you for this role.
• Attach a Resume that clearly documents the work history, training, and education that makes you a viable and competitive candidate for this position.
• Include three professional references and their contact information.

Applicants wishing to claim Veterans Preference should attach a copy of their DD-214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22, or signed verification of service letter from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to their application. (Please redact any personally identifiable data such as social security number prior to submittal.)
 
Note: Applications without the requested attachments identified above or containing supplemental question responses with comments such as “see resume” may lead to your application being disqualified from consideration.

Conditions of employment: 
This position requires a background check. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment but will be considered in determining the applicant’s suitability and competence to perform in the position and is a continued condition of employment.
 
Recruitment process:
First round of application assessments will be conducted seven days after the initial job posting date. The hiring authority reserves the right to offer the position at any time after the initial seven-day job posting date during the recruitment process. It is to the applicant’s advantage to apply as early as possible. This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions. 
 
Contact us: For inquiries about this position, please contact Rebekah Wilkes at (360) 407-8646 or email to [email protected]

Persons requiring accommodation in the application process or for an alternative format may contact Human Resources at (360) 407-8242 or [email protected]. Persons of disability or those who are deaf or hard of hearing can call the Washington Relay Service by dialing 7-1-1 or 1-800-833-6388. WaTech complies with the employment eligibility verification requirements of the federal Form I-9. The selected candidate must be able to provide proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States consistent with the requirements of that form on the first day of employment.