Network Engineering Lead (Cisco / Palo Alto)

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: ​ Sun.

Soft Online, a Phoenix-based technology consulting firm, is seeking a Network Engineering Lead to support a mission-critical public safety network for a municipal agency in Phoenix. You will lead implementation of active improvement projects, including deployment of Palo Alto firewalls to facilities across the region, OSPF/BGP routing changes to reduce failover times, and strengthening the resiliency and security of a 24/7 CAD (Computer-Aided Dispatch) network.

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, Service.

Now, Jira, and Solar. Winds 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