Network Security & Zero Trust Architect

This position supports a mission-critical federal program focused on enterprise IT portfolio rationalization, modernization, and governance within a federal agency’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO). Our team discovers, documents, and rationalizes a large and complex enterprise IT estate - spanning networks, infrastructure, applications, data, and identity - to establish an authoritative baseline and chart a clear path toward a consolidated, well-governed target state. We seek professionals who are not only technically proficient but also adaptable, analytical, and dedicated to excellence, ensuring that we continue to provide our clients with the best expertise available., The Network Security & Zero Trust Architect serves as the authoritative technical lead for assessing the enterprise security posture and charting its path toward Zero Trust. This role examines firewall rulebases, access controls, and trust boundaries; maps east-west traffic and segmentation; and frames the target state and roadmap that move the organization from an assumed security posture to a measurable one. The architect partners closely with the network, identity, cloud, and enterprise architecture teams to ensure security is built into the modernization and consolidation effort rather than bolted on, aligning the approach to the federal Zero Trust mandate.

This is a full-time, onsite role based in Washington, D.C., requiring availability during normal business hours, with occasional night and weekend work as needed based on program demands. The Network Security & Zero Trust Architect works closely with executive leadership and cross-functional engineering teams across network, identity, cloud, data, and enterprise architecture, and supports governance processes and milestone reviews throughout the program.

Key Responsibilities

• Audit firewall rulebases, access control lists (ACLs), and trust boundaries to identify gaps and over-permissioning

• Map east-west traffic and microsegmentation against Zero Trust pillars

• Assess security telemetry, logging, and endpoint posture coverage across the environment

• Frame the Zero Trust target state and the practical segmentation path to reach it

• Develop a defensible Zero Trust roadmap aligned to NIST SP 800-207 and the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model

• Partner with network, identity, cloud, and enterprise architecture teams so security findings align with consolidation and modernization objectives

• Translate security discovery into clear, measurable findings and prioritized recommendations

• Produce professional-grade security architecture artifacts, diagrams, and documentation

• Support governance processes, technical reviews, and milestone gates, and brief findings to leadership and federal stakeholders

• Identify opportunities for risk reduction and continuous improvement in partnership with the broader team

Do you have experience in Zero trust architecture design?, Do you have a Bachelor’s degree?, Education & Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Cybersecurity, or a related field preferred (or equivalent experience)

• Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification required

• One or more of the following strongly preferred: Cloud Security Alliance Certificate of Competence in Zero Trust (CCZT); GIAC Defensible Security Architecture (GDSA); a vendor network-security certification (e.g., Palo Alto Networks PCNSE, Cisco CCNP Security, or Fortinet NSE); CompTIA Security+; ITIL 4 Foundation

Experience

• At least 10 years of progressive experience in network security and security architecture

• Hands-on expertise auditing multi-vendor firewall and segmentation environments and identifying over-permissioning and trust-boundary gaps

• Demonstrated experience designing Zero Trust target states and segmentation roadmaps in large, complex enterprise environments; federal experience preferred

• Proven track record translating security posture into measurable findings and actionable recommendations

Technical Expertise

• Multi-vendor firewall and segmentation platforms (e.g., Palo Alto Networks, Cisco, Fortinet)

• Firewall rulebase, ACL, and trust-boundary review, including detection of over-permissioning

• Network segmentation and microsegmentation, and east-west traffic analysis

• Zero Trust architecture aligned to NIST SP 800-207 and the CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model

• Security telemetry, logging, SIEM, and endpoint posture assessment

• VPN, secure remote access, and secure connectivity design

• Working knowledge of federal security frameworks (e.g., NIST SP 800-53, Risk Management Framework, and FISMA)

Additional Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication, including briefing senior leadership and federal stakeholders

• Ability to translate security risk for both technical and executive audiences

• Strong documentation discipline and attention to detail

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and risk-identification skills

• Effective at collaborating with cross-functional teams to align technical work with program outcomes

• Adaptability in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities

Clearance

• Must be a U.S. citizen and be able to obtain a federal background investigation

Pulled from the full job description

• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Dental insurance

• Opportunities for advancement, * Contribute to a mission-critical federal modernization program with high visibility and impact

• Shape the program’s Zero Trust roadmap, turning security from a claim into something measurable

• Be part of a growing company that values innovation, technical excellence, and problem-solving

• Work alongside a senior, multidisciplinary team of architects and engineers

• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement

Pay: $120,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

The C.A.S.E. Engineering Group is an Information Technology (IT) engineering firm that specializes in providing cybersecurity advisory services, modernizing IT architectures, developing and implementing IT strategic plans, and designing and engineering innovative systems, software, and applications. C.A.S.E. stands for Cybersecurity, Architecture, Strategy, and Engineering, which reflects both our core expertise and our belief that developing innovative solutions in unique environments requires a balanced approach. While C.A.S.E. tailors its solutions on a case-by-case basis to address the specific challenges organizations face, it also leverages industry best practices to ensure efficiency, security, and long-term success.