TPWD - Network Specialist IV (Firewall/Network Security Administrator)

TPWD - Network Specialist IV (Firewall/Network Security Administrator Organization: PARKS AND WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Primary Location: Texas-AustinWork Locations: DW-TPWD Headquarters 4200 Smith School Road Austin 78744

Job: Computer and Mathematical

Employee Status: Regular

Schedule: Full-timeStandard Hours Per Week: 40.00

Travel: Yes, 5 % of the Time

State Job Code: 0290

Salary Admin Plan: B

Grade: 23

Salary (Pay Basis): 6, , Monthly)

Number of Openings: 1

Overtime Status: Exempt

Job Posting: Jan 12, 2026, 10:03:04 AM

Closing Date: Jan 26, 2026, 11:59:00 PM

Description

TPWD MISSION

To manage and conserve the natural and cultural resources of Texas and to provide hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation opportunities for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

EXCELLENT BENEFITS:

Texas Parks and Wildlife offers a variety of benefits for employees such as generous paid time off, group insurance, retirement and pension, and frequent training and staff development opportunities. Other benefits include longevity pay, merit pay, deferred compensation, flexible benefit plans, 401K/457 retirement plans, direct deposit, staggered work hours, Employee Assistance Program and a Return-to-Work Program. For new employees or rehires, health insurance is available on the 1st of the following month after a 60-day waiting period. Click HERE to view our Benefits page.

PLEASE NOTE:

All applications must contain complete job histories in the WORK HISTORY SECTION to include

• Job Title
• Dates of employment (month/year)
• Hours worked per week
• Name of Employer, Name of Supervisor and Phone Number
• Description of duties performed
• Volunteer experience credit is counted toward any experience requirement. Please list those experiences to receive credit towards meeting the minimum requirements.
• Part-time experience credit is prorated based on the duration and hours worked per week. Please indicate hours worked for part-time/temporary/seasonal experience.
• Omission of data can be the basis for disqualification; you may state 'unknown' for any incomplete fields.
• College Transcripts are required at the time of interview (unless otherwise noted on the posting) if education is used to meet the minimum requirements of the job posting. A copy of a college transcript(s) issued from the registrar must be provided if you are selected for an interview.
• Applications with "See attached" or "See resume"will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.
• Work In Texas (WIT) Applications: WIT applicants are required to complete the supplemental questions to be considered for the posting. To complete the supplemental questions, login to CAPPS Recruit.

IF THIS INFORMATION IS NOT SUBMITTED, YOUR APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE.

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MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY CODES:

Job Classification

Service

Military Specialty

Network Specialist I-VI

Army

17C, 18E, 25B, 25D, 25N, 25U, 25X, 35T, 255A, 255N, 255S, 255Z, 26A, 26B, 26Z

Network Specialist I-VI

Navy

CT, CTM, CTN, CTT, ET, IT, ITS, 181X, 182X, 681X, 682X, 781X, 782X

Network Specialist I-VI

Coast Guard

IT, CYB10, CYB11, ISM

Network Specialist I-VI

Marine Corps

0631, 0639, 0699, 1721, 1799, 2611, 2659, 5974, 6694, 0605, 0620, 0630, 0670

Network Specialist I-VI

Air Force

1B4X1, 1D7X1, 1N2X1, 3D0X2, 3D0X3, 3D1X1, 3D1X2, 3D1X7, 17C0, 17DX, 17SX

Network Specialist I-VI

Space Force

514A, 5C0X1D, 5C0X1N, 5C0X1S, 17S

• More information on military occupational specialty codes can be found below:

MILITARY EMPLOYMENT PREFERENCE:

If you choose to claim military employment preference as outlined by the State of Texas, you must attach the required documentation referenced below at the time your application is submitted. If you have questions regarding this requirement, please visit our Military Employment Reference page at

Required forms that will need to be attached with application for Military Employment Preference:

• Veteran- DD214 showing honorable discharge or Statement of Service (only for transitioning service members who have not reached their date of separation).
• Surviving spouse of a veteran who has not remarried- Marriage Certificate and DD Form 1300 or appropriate documentation.
• Orphan of a veteran killed while on active duty- Birth Certificate and DD Form 1300 or appropriate documentation.
• Spouse of a member of the US Armed Forces/Texas National Guard serving on Active Duty- Marriage Certificate and copy of spouses active-duty military orders.
• Spouse of a veteran with disability and is the primary income for household- Marriage Certificate, Veterans DD214, and VA Benefits Summary Letter showing disability rating.

Documentation must be attached to the application before military preference can be granted.

HIRING CONTACT: Gaylon Williams,

PHYSICAL WORK ADDRESS: TPWD Headquarters, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Under the direction of the Network Operations Manager, this position performs highly advanced (senior-level) network security administration and technical work in support of the agency's enterprise firewall and network authentication infrastructure. Functions as a technical lead within the Network Team and provides direction, guidance, and advanced troubleshooting support to other network staff. Manages high-availability firewall deployments, supports VPN services, participates in after-hours on-call rotations, and responds to critical network issues. Work involves the configuration, operation, monitoring, and maintenance of the agency's firewall and network security technologies and centralized management operations. Serves as the primary technical specialist for these systems and is responsible for ensuring the availability, stability, and security of authentication and firewall services supporting facilities across all agency locations. May require limited travel to remote locations. Works under limited supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment. Performs additional duties as assigned. Complies with all Agency, Division, and Branch rules, regulations, and procedures.

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Graduation from an accredited college or university with an Associate's degree with course work in Computer

Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Network Engineering or closely related field.

Experience:

Five years of progressively responsible experience in network administration, network security, or enterprise infrastructure support.

Licensure:

Must possess a valid Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) certification or equivalent.

Must possess a valid class 'C' Texas driver's license.

ACCEPTABLE SUBSTITUTIONS

Education:

One additional year of relevant work experience may substitute for 30 semester hours of required education, up to a maximum of 60 semester hours.

Four years of experience in network security, gained through internships, entry-level positions, or project-related tasks may substitute for 30 semester hours of required education, up to a maximum of 60 semester hours.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Education:

Graduation from an accredited college or university with a Bachelor's degree with course work in Computer Science, Information Systems, Cybersecurity, Network Engineering or closely related field.

Experience:

Seven or more years of progressively responsible experience in network administration, network security, or enterprise infrastructure support.

Licensure:

Cisco Certified Network Professional – Security.

Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of enterprise network security principles, practices, and architectures.

Knowledge of Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) components, including RADIUS authentication, policy sets, profiling, and wireless integration.

Knowledge of Cisco and Palo Alto Networks firewalls, including high-availability (HA) configurations, rule base management, App-ID, User-ID, and VPN technologies.

Knowledge of Panorama centralized management, including device groups, templates, and commit workflows.

Knowledge of firewall migration methodologies and best practices for transitioning from Cisco to Palo Alto platforms.

Knowledge of general networking concepts, including LAN/WAN technologies, TCP/IP, routing and switching, VLANs, subnets, DHCP, DNS, and network segmentation.

Knowledge of VPN technologies, including Cisco AnyConnect and Palo Alto Global Protect.

Knowledge of network protocols and standards such as HTTPS, SSL/TLS, 802.1X, SNMP, and syslog.

Knowledge of Microsoft Sentinel or similar SIEM platforms, including log forwarding and event analysis concepts.

Knowledge of enterprise change management processes, CAB/ECAB governance, and configuration management standards.

Knowledge of documentation standards, including diagrams, SOPs, runbooks, and technical procedures.

Skill in administering and supporting Cisco ISE, Cisco or Palo Alto firewalls, Firepower or Panorama, and related authentication platforms.

Skill in troubleshooting complex network and security issues involving firewalls, authentication systems, HA pairs, VPN services, and general networking infrastructure.

Skill in planning, coordinating, and implementing large technical projects, including system upgrades and platform migrations.

Skill in analyzing logs, events, and alerts from Firepower or Panorama, firewalls, authentication systems, and SIEM tools to identify and resolve issues.

Skill in producing clear and accurate technical documentation, diagrams, and operational procedures.

Skill in using ServiceNow (or similar ITSM systems) to track incidents, changes, and service requests.

Skill in interpreting network, firewall, and security policies and making recommendations for optimization and compliance.

Skill in communicating technical information to both technical and non-technical staff.

Skill in providing technical direction and knowledge