Network Engineer - GxP/Regulated Environment

We are seeking an experienced Network Engineer with strong hands-on expertise in Palo Alto, Cisco, and Meraki technologies to support and maintain secure, compliant network infrastructure within GxP-regulated environments for one of our clients in South San Francisco, CA. The ideal candidate will have a strong understanding of regulatory compliance requirements, including FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, GAMP 5, and data integrity, and experience operating under validated IT and quality systems.

This role will be responsible for ensuring network availability, security, change control, and compliance while supporting regulated pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or medical device operations.

Key Responsibilities

Network Engineering & Operations

• Design, implement, configure, and support enterprise network infrastructure using Palo Alto firewalls, Cisco networking, and Meraki solutions.
• Manage LAN, WAN, VPN, wireless, and firewall configurations in accordance with approved architectures.
• Perform routine network monitoring, performance tuning, and troubleshooting to ensure high availability and reliability.
• Support secure remote access, site-to-site VPNs, and segmentation for regulated systems.

Security & Compliance

• Implement and maintain network security controls aligned with GxP, ISO 27001, NIST, and company security policies.
• • Configure firewall rules, security zones, NAT policies, and threat-prevention features in Palo Alto environments.
  • Support vulnerability remediation, security hardening, and periodic access reviews.
  • Ensure systems support data integrity, confidentiality, and availability requirements.

  GxP & Quality System Alignment

  • Support change controls, including impact assessments, approvals, implementation, and documentation.
  • Participate in audits, inspections, and periodic reviews by internal QA, clients, and regulatory agencies.
  • Assist in preparation and maintenance of validation documentation, including network diagrams, configuration baselines, and evidence for audits.

  Documentation & Collaboration

  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date network diagrams, SOPs, configuration standards, and work instructions.
  • Collaborate with IT Quality, CSV, Security, and Infrastructure teams to ensure compliance and operational alignment.
  • Support disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BCP) testing activities.

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  Required Qualifications

  Education

  • Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or equivalent experience.

  Technical Skills

  • Strong hands-on experience with:
  • Palo Alto Networks (PAN-OS, firewall policies, VPNs, security profiles)
  • Cisco (routers, switches, routing protocols)
  • Meraki (cloud-managed switches, wireless, firewalls)
  • Solid understanding of:
  • TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, VLANs, routing, and switching
  • Network security concepts and best practices
  • Experience supporting enterprise or regulated IT environments.

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  Preferred Qualifications

  • Palo Alto, Cisco, or Meraki certifications (e.g., PCNSE, CCNA/CCNP, Meraki CMNA).
  • Experience with ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, or NIST CSF frameworks.
  • Exposure to cloud networking (AWS, Azure) in regulated environments.
  • Experience with validated infrastructure, DR/BCP testing, and periodic reviews.