Network Security Engineer (SOC)

Network Security Engineer (SOC) Location: Stevenage Salary: Circa £50,000 per annum Contract: Part-time | SC Eligible (British Citizenship Required) Working Pattern: 24/7 shift rota on-site & on-call We’re looking for a Network Security Engineer to join a high-performance security operations environment, protecting critical infrastructure and ensuring the resilience of complex enterprise networks. You’ll work within a 24/7 Incident Response function, combining hands-on engineering with real-time threat detection, investigation, and remediation. Key Responsibilities: Monitor, investigate and triage security events within a 24/7 SOC environment Configure, maintain and troubleshoot enterprise firewalls (Cisco, Palo Alto, Checkpoint) Manage secure proxy platforms such as Bluecoat or F5, including content filtering and SSL inspection Lead deep-dive analysis using packet capture to identify malicious traffic and attacker behaviours Implement secure changes across network architecture, ensuring compliance and best practices Support continuous improvement through the optimisation of network security tools, including “purple team” feedback and hardening recommendations Contribute to the standardisation of network security tooling and documentation Collaborate with infrastructure, security and architecture teams to deliver robust, resilient network solutions About You: Strong understanding of core networking: TCP/IP, DNS, routing, switching, VLANs, load balancing Hands-on experience with next-generation firewall technologies and advanced features (IPS/IDS, SSL decryption, DPI) In-depth knowledge of IPSec, SSL/TLS, VPNs and authentication mechanisms Experience with network monitoring tools (PRTG, Nagios or similar) Ability to analyse complex traffic flows and identify threat patterns such as exploitation, C2, lateral movement, or exfiltration Understanding of secure network architectures (DMZs, segmentation, internal zones) Exposure to SIEM platforms (Splunk, LogRhythm, Darktrace) is beneficial Experience interpreting OSI model behaviours and protocol-level diagnostics is advantageous SC eligible with British citizenship Benefits: Company bonus scheme Pension contributions up to 14% Paid overtime opportunities Flexi-leave (up to 15 additional days) Enhanced parental leave Subsidised meals, free parking and excellent on-site facilities