Network Engineer

Position Summary We are seeking an experienced Network Engineer with deep, hands-on expertise across the Fortinet product family to design, deploy, manage, and migrate network and security infrastructure for our clients and sites. This role centers on FortiGate firewalls, FortiSwitch switching, and FortiAP wireless, and the day-to-day work spans greenfield deployments, ongoing operations and optimization, and migrations from legacy or third-party platforms into the Fortinet Security Fabric. This is a remote position. The engineer works independently from a home-based office and is expected to be largely self-managed, with periodic travel to client or project sites for implementation, cutovers, and hands-on commissioning as projects require. A significant part of the role involves guiding on-site “remote hands” and local staff through physical installation and troubleshooting steps clearly and patiently, so strong communication is as important as technical depth. Essential Duties & Responsibilities Deployment & Implementation * Design, configure, and deploy FortiGate firewalls, FortiSwitch switches, and FortiAP wireless access points for new sites and projects, including rack-and-stack planning, cabling guidance, and initial provisioning. * Build firewall policies, routing, VPNs (site-to-site and remote-access), VLANs, and wireless SSIDs/profiles to meet security, segmentation, and performance requirements. * Integrate devices into the Fortinet Security Fabric and centralized management (FortiManager / FortiGate Cloud) and logging/analytics (FortiAnalyzer) where applicable. * Develop and maintain implementation plans, cutover runbooks, test plans, and as-built documentation for each deployment. Migrations & Upgrades * Plan and execute migrations from legacy or third-party firewalls, switches, and wireless systems onto Fortinet platforms, including configuration translation, validation, and rollback planning. * Perform firmware upgrades and configuration changes following change-management practices, with minimal disruption during defined maintenance windows. * Validate connectivity, routing, security policy, and wireless coverage before and after cutover, and confirm success criteria with stakeholders. Management, Operations & Support * Administer, monitor, and optimize deployed Fortinet infrastructure, including policy tuning, firmware lifecycle, licensing, and health monitoring. * Troubleshoot network and security issues across firewall, switching, and wireless layers, performing root-cause analysis and implementing durable fixes. * Maintain accurate documentation, network diagrams, IP/VLAN schemes, and configuration backups for all managed environments. * Respond to escalations and support requests within agreed service levels, and coordinate with vendors (including Fortinet TAC) when needed. Remote Hands Coordination & Communication * Direct on-site remote hands, local IT staff, and non-technical personnel through physical installation, cabling, and troubleshooting steps with clear, patient, step-by-step instructions. * Translate technical procedures into plain language appropriate to the audience, confirming understanding and verifying each step before proceeding. * Communicate status, risks, and timelines proactively to clients, project managers, and internal stakeholders throughout each engagement.

Qualifications Experience & Education * Minimum 5 years of hands-on network engineering experience, with a strong emphasis on Fortinet products (FortiGate, FortiSwitch, FortiAP) in deployment, management, and migration roles. * Demonstrated experience deploying and migrating firewalls, switches, and wireless infrastructure in production environments. * Fortinet certification (NSE 4 or higher, or FCP/FCSS) strongly preferred; equivalent vendor certifications (e.g., CCNA/CCNP) a plus. * Associate or bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Networking, or a related field preferred, or equivalent professional experience. Technical Knowledge & Skills * Strong working knowledge of routing and switching fundamentals (TCP/IP, VLANs, STP, OSPF/BGP, NAT), VPN technologies (IPsec, SSL-VPN), and network security concepts. * Hands-on experience with enterprise wireless design and deployment, including SSID/profile configuration, RF considerations, and coverage validation. * Familiarity with centralized Fortinet management and analytics (FortiManager, FortiAnalyzer, FortiGate Cloud) and the broader Security Fabric. * Comfort with change management, structured documentation, and maintenance-window execution.