Sr. Network Engineer
New York City, NY - USA
Job Summary
We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Network Engineer to serve as a deep technical resource on the Network & Infrastructure team. Reporting to the Director of Network & Infrastructure this individual will own enterprise network operations across a dynamic real estate portfolio encompassing commercial office retail multi-family residential and the Observatory. Ensuring high availability security and performance across the full property footprint.
The role spans cloud and hybrid network architecture firewall operations (Palo Alto / Panorama) secure identity and access platforms and a broad ecosystem of building IoT and PropTech environments. The ideal candidate brings 810 years of hands-on enterprise network engineering experience functions as the primary escalation point for complex incidents and is equally comfortable driving strategic design and executing in production environments.
RESPONSIBILITIES
TECHNICAL LEADERSHIP & ESCALATION:
- Serve as the primary escalation point for complex network incidents outages and performance issues owing problems through to resolution with clear communication to stakeholders
- Provide expert guidance to internal engineers MSP resources and NOC personnel on architecture troubleshooting methodology and root cause analysis
- Lead post-incident reviews drive root cause identification and implement lasting remediations to prevent recurrence
- Evaluate complex vendor and MSP escalations; make technical decisions on design tooling and resolution approach
NETWORK ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN:
- Work with the Director of Network & Infrastructure to architect scalable resilient and secure network solutions across LAN WAN wireless cloud and building infrastructure
- Lead the design and evolution of network segmentation strategy including zero-trust principles VRF separation and secure OT/IT boundary enforcement
- Develop and maintain network infrastructure standards reference architectures and design patterns for consistent deployment across properties
- Evaluate emerging technologies and contribute to the long-term infrastructure roadmap particularly around Palo Alto / Panorama Aruba and cloud connectivity platforms
NETWORK ENGINEERING & OPERATIONS:
- Design deploy and manage enterprise network infrastructure across BMS IoT Wi-Fi PropTech AV security systems corporate offices and the Observatory
- Administer Palo Alto NGFWs via Panorama policy management threat prevention VPN NAT and security profile lifecycle management
- Manage and optimize Aruba switching and wireless infrastructure including configuration upgrades RF planning and troubleshooting via Aruba Central
- Own BGP OSPF VLANs VPN QoS and DNS configurations across multi-site environments
- Manage WAN and ISP connectivity including failover design and carrier-level troubleshooting
- Support IoT and PropTech deployments in a secure manner with a focus on building systems access control and sustainability technology
SECURITY & COMPLIANCE:
- Lead network security posture improvements including firewall policy lifecycle ACL governance and vulnerability remediation
- Administer Zscaler ZIA and ZPA URL filtering SSL inspection cloud firewall rules and app connector management
- Manage Proofpoint email security platform including anti-spam anti-phishing encryption and threat response policies
- Administer BitSight to track triage and coordinate remediation of external security posture findings
- Maintain PCI-DSS and SOX compliance through adherence to and enforcement of network policies and procedures
- Collaborate with the MSSP on security monitoring threat analysis and incident response
- Ensure timely application of patches hotfixes and firmware upgrades across all network equipment
IDENTITY ACCESS & CLOUD:
- Administer Okta for SSO/SAML/OIDC MFA enforcement and user lifecycle management including SCIM provisioning and deprovisioning
- Manage Conditional Access Policies and integrate identity platforms with Palo Alto User-ID Zscaler IdP federation and Azure AD
- Design and manage Microsoft Azure cloud networking including hybrid connectivity VNet architecture NSGs and Azure Firewall
- Support Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online from a network and connectivity perspective including split tunneling and optimization
- Support IAM and PAM platforms as they relate to network access control and privilege governance
BUILDING NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE:
- Administer building rise infrastructure and ensure integration of IT and OT devices on segregated network segments.
MONITORING DOCUMENTATION & GOVERNANCE:
- Drive network monitoring strategy and tooling to ensure proactive alerting and performance trending across the full infrastructure estate
- Author and maintain high-quality documentation including topology diagrams configuration baselines SOPs and runbooks
- Contribute to business continuity and disaster recovery procedures; develop test and maintain failover runbooks
- Adhere to change management and PMO best practices for all infrastructure changes; manage project milestones with clear stakeholder communication
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
- Complex escalations are resolved decisively and thoroughly with clear communication throughout the team and Director trust this person to own the hardest problems
- Network architecture documentation standards and reference designs are developed and kept current reducing reliance on tribal knowledge
- Security posture improves measurably: firewall policies are rationalized vulnerabilities remediated on time and segmentation consistently enforced
- Network stability and availability are maintained across all properties; incidents are detected proactively rather than reactively
- New technologies and architectural improvements are identified and brought forward with well-reasoned business cases
- Service Desk escalations are resolved efficiently with recurring patterns identified and addressed proactively
REQUIRED SKILLS / ABILITIES
- Expert-level policy management troubleshooting and architecture across a distributed multi-site environment
- Panorama: centralized policy administration device group management log forwarding and operational management at scale
- Advanced firewall design: zone-based architecture App-ID User-ID URL filtering SSL decryption threat prevention and WildFire integration
- GlobalProtect: VPN configuration gateway management and site-to-site connectivity
- NAT policy design security profile tuning and firewall policy lifecycle management
- PCNSE certification strongly preferred
ARUBA WIRELESS & SWITCHING:
- Aruba CX / AOS-CX switching configuration troubleshooting and lifecycle management across multi-site environments
- Aruba Central management: RF planning access point lifecycle and performance optimization
- Wireless security: 802.1X RADIUS integration guest network segmentation and rogue AP detection
- SD-WAN architecture awareness and WAN/ISP circuit failover design
ZSCALER ZIA / ZPA:
- Zscaler Internet Access (ZIA) URL filtering SSL inspection cloud firewall and policy configuration
- Zscaler Private Access (ZPA) zero-trust application access app connector management and policy administration
- Zscaler tenant administration log streaming and integration with SIEM and identity providers
OKTA / IAM & PAM:
- Okta SSO/SAML/OIDC configuration MFA enforcement and user lifecycle management including SCIM provisioning
- Okta integration with Palo Alto User-ID Zscaler IdP federation and Azure AD directory sync
- PAM platform familiarity and IAM integration with network access controls and Conditional Access Policies
DNS & DOMAIN SECURITY:
- Windows DNS / Active Directory-integrated internal DNS external authoritative DNS and split-brain DNS architectures
- DNSSEC implementation and DNS-based threat detection and filtering
- Domain protection monitoring for lookalike/spoofed domains and unauthorized SSL/TLS certificate issuance
- SSL/TLS certificate lifecycle management across internal and external services
- BitSight or equivalent EASM platform administration
PCI-DSS & SOX COMPLIANCE:
- Working knowledge of PCI-DSS and SOX requirements for network segmentation access control and audit logging
- Firewall ACL governance policy review cycles and evidence collection for compliance audits
- Experience in a regulated industry (real estate financial services or similar) preferred
CLOUD & HYBRID NETWORKING:
- Microsoft Azure VNet design hybrid connectivity (ExpressRoute / VPN Gateway) NSGs Azure Firewall and Azure AD / Entra
- Hybrid DNS resolution cloud-to-on-premises connectivity patterns and identity federation
- Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online network requirements split tunneling and connectivity optimization
OT / BMS / IoT / PROPTECH (PREFERRED SKILLS):
- Hands-on experience with network design for building management systems (BMS) IoT devices and PropTech deployments
- Network segmentation for OT/IT boundaries including VRF separation and secure access control
- Experience supporting access control CCTV AV systems and sustainability technology in a commercial real estate or multi-family residential environment
- Awareness of OT security principles and protocols relevant to building infrastructure
- Communicates complex technical issues architectural decisions and incident status clearly to both engineering peers and executive leadership
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting instincts works through ambiguous high-pressure situations methodically and calmly
- Collaborative mindset: works effectively with internal teams MSP MSSP and vendors; shares knowledge freely and raises team capability
- Self-directed and highly accountable that takes ownership without waiting to be asked and follows through to full resolution
- Strong documentation discipline; leaves systems configurations and designs better documented than found
- Proactively monitors industry developments and brings emerging technologies and best practices to the teams attention
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
810 years of progressive hands-on enterprise network engineering experience with demonstrated depth in complex multi-site environments
At least 3 years in a senior or lead capacity managing complex multi-site infrastructure
Proven experience serving as a technical escalation resource or informal architect on an infrastructure team
Experience in Real Estate Financial Services or a similarly regulated industry preferred
PCNSE (Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer) strongly preferred; Panorama hands-on experience is a firm requirement
Aruba/HPE (ACSA/ACCP) Zscaler (ZCCA-IA/PA) Azure (AZ-104) or Okta Certified Administrator are a plus
CCNP Enterprise or equivalent routing/switching certification considered; demonstrated production depth matters most
Associates or Bachelors Degree in Computer Science Information Technology or related field preferred; equivalent professional experience considered
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer
- Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT
- Adaptable you are a self-starter whos able to quickly digest and execute new processes to work both collaboratively and independently
- Dynamic you are solutions-oriented aim to improve processes and implement efficiency and offer insightful feedback to improve ESRT
- Dependable you take a strong sense of ownership and accountability over your work
- Passionate you keep up with industry trends and are excited about the potential to propel the industry forward with a roll-up-your-sleeves attitude
- Curious you consistently look for new ways to work smarter not just harder
- Ethical you treat others with respect act with integrity in how you perform your work and embrace our collaborative culture
- Positive you possess a service-oriented attitude with excellent follow through
BENEFITS
- Competitive base salary and bonus
- Health/Dental/Vision insurance
- Company sponsored Life AD&D STD (with Salary Continuation) and LTD Insurance
- Voluntary Enhanced LTD Program
- Voluntary Hospital Accident and Cancer Programs
- 401(k) with 100% match up to 5%
- Paid parental leave
- Pre-tax transit accounts
- Employee Assistance Program for emotional financial and legal support
WELL-BEING
- Generous paid time off
- Flex remote work time
- Flex Summer Fridays
- Employee engagement programs
- Volunteer time off
- Continuing education
- Complimentary Empire State Building Observatory access
- Complimentary gym membership and other wellness benefits
- Employee Discount Programs
Required Experience:
Senior IC
About Company
Discover modern office spaces at the Empire State Building, featuring top-tier amenities and energy efficiency that attract top tenants from diverse industries.