Network Security Engineer / Architect (Fortinet, FortiGate, Enterprise IT, Segmentation & Zero Trust) CUI - US Persons ONLY

No 3rd party firm / C2C candidates. No sub-vendors, layers, or candidate ownership by another staffing or consulting firm.

Location:

Hybrid onsite in Fountain Valley, CA. We prefer 3-5 days a week on-site for the 1st 2 weeks, then you can work fully remote (from the US/Pacific Time Zone).

Work authorization:

Due to the nature of the work and access to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in support of U.S. Department of Defense-related programs, candidates must qualify as a U.S. Person (USPER), including U.S. Citizens, U.S. Nationals, or Lawful Permanent Residents (Green Card holders), and must meet all applicable requirements for access to CUI-regulated environments. This may include background screening, completion of required security/privacy training, and execution of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in accordance with federal compliance standards. KORE1, a nationwide provider of staffing and recruiting solutions, has an immediate opening for a Network Security Engineer / Architect (Fortinet, FortiGate, Enterprise IT, Segmentation & Zero Trust) - CUI Environment / US Persons Only We are seeking a highly experienced Network Engineer with deep expertise in the Fortinet ecosystem, specifically Fortinet FortiGate firewalls and FortiSwitch infrastructure. This role requires an expert-level engineer who understands the full Fortinet stack, security best practices, advanced routing/switching, VPN technologies, segmentation, wireless networking, and enterprise cybersecurity operations. The ideal candidate will be hands-on, capable of architecting, implementing, troubleshooting, securing, and optimizing complex enterprise environments across multiple locations. This individual must be able to work independently, lead projects, mentor junior IT staff, and provide high-level escalation support. Key Responsibilities Design, deploy, manage, and optimize enterprise Fortinet environments Configure and support: FortiGate Firewalls FortiSwitch FortiAP Wireless FortiAnalyzer FortiManager FortiClient VPN Implement and maintain: VLAN segmentation Site-to-site IPSec VPNs Remote access VPNs SD-WAN High Availability (HA) clusters NAC and network access policies Perform advanced firewall policy design and security hardening Troubleshoot complex routing, switching, ARP, NAT, DNS, and connectivity issues Configure dynamic and static routing protocols including:

BGP OSPF RIP

Policy-based routing Maintain a secure enterprise wireless infrastructure using

WPA2/WPA3

Enterprise and certificate-based authentication Monitor network performance, logs, and security events Conduct firmware upgrades, vulnerability remediation, and lifecycle management Support disaster recovery and business continuity planning Create and maintain detailed network diagrams and documentation Provide Tier 3 escalation support for critical outages and incidents Collaborate with vendors, ISPs, and managed security providers Required Qualifications Fortinet Certified Professional (FCP) is a plus 5+ years of hands-on Fortinet experience Expert-level knowledge of: FortiGate FortiSwitch FortiAP FortiAnalyzer FortiManager Strong understanding of: Enterprise networking Cybersecurity Firewall architecture Zero Trust principles Experience with: Multi-site enterprise environments Network segmentation

IPS/IDS SSL

inspection MFA integration VPN troubleshooting Advanced knowledge of:

TCP/IP DNS DHCP NAT

QoS

STP LACP

Experience supporting Microsoft environments: Active Directory Entra ID Microsoft 365 NPS/RADIUS Strong documentation and communication skills Preferred Experience Experience in regulated environments such as: Defense Aerospace Manufacturing Experience with: CMMC compliance

ITAR/CUI

environments

SOC/SIEM

integrations Datacenter networking VMware or Nutanix environments Familiarity with: Meraki Cisco Aruba Veeam Datto RMM Compensation depends on experience but is typically $75-85/hr

ABOUT KORE1

Specializing in professional and technical recruiting, KORE1 is committed to supporting top IT, Engineering, Creative, Scientific, Accounting and Finance professionals in their career paths. We build deep relationships with leading companies, connecting them to exceptional talent every day. With extensive industry expertise and unmatched opportunities, our goal is to provide a unique experience for our contractors and consultants as they prepare for their next role. We are passionate about matching the right people with the right companies. Kore1 provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics. In addition to federal law requirements, Kore1 complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training. Kore1 expressly prohibits any form of workplace harassment based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, or veteran status. Improper interference with the ability of Kore1's employees to perform their job duties may result in discipline up to and including discharge.