VMware vDefend Security Engineer (SME) - Top Secret clearance

VMware vDefend Security Engineer (SME)

Location: Onsite – Alexandria, VA (occasional travel to Springfield, VA)
Clearance: Top Secret (TS) Required
Type: Full-time / Onsite Federal Engagement

Job Summary

The VMware vDefend Security Engineer will serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) supporting the Department of State’s secure on-premise environment. This role focuses on designing, deploying, and optimizing VMware vDefend and associated security technologies, including firewalling, advanced threat protection, micro-segmentation, and AVI (NSX Advanced Load Balancer). The engineer will ensure secure, resilient infrastructure in accordance with federal requirements, customer use cases, and VMware best practices.

Key Responsibilities:

vDefend Architecture & Deployment

• Lead design and deployment of VMware vDefend solutions to meet Department of State requirements.
• Develop architecture plans for threat protection, segmentation, distributed firewalling, and monitoring.
• Integrate vDefend capabilities with existing VMware and security infrastructure.

Firewall, Threat Protection & Security Engineering

• Configure and optimize vDefend and NSX firewall rulesets (north–south and east–west).
• Implement advanced threat protection policies and defensive security measures.
• Apply micro-segmentation strategies to protect virtual workloads and sensitive data.
• Ensure compliance with DoS security standards and federal cybersecurity frameworks.

AVI Load Balancing (NSX ALB)

• Design, deploy, and manage AVI load balancing services for mission-critical applications.
• Configure virtual services, health checks, policies, and HA settings.
• Integrate AVI with vDefend and other VMware components to support secure application delivery.

Infrastructure Security & Hardening

• Assess and enhance the security posture of the on-prem VMware environment.
• Implement infrastructure hardening, vulnerability reduction, and secure configuration controls.
• Troubleshoot complex security, networking, and virtualization issues across the environment.

Documentation & Knowledge Transfer

• Produce architecture diagrams, design documents, configuration guides, and operational SOPs.
• Provide knowledge transfer and technical mentorship to government IT/security personnel.
• Support stakeholder discussions, technical recommendations, and solution briefings.

Requirements

• Hands-on expertise with VMware vDefend security technologies.
• Strong knowledge of vDefend firewalling, advanced threat protection, tenant-level security, and north–south/east–west security.
• Experience with AVI (NSX Advanced Load Balancer) deployment and configuration.
• Background in infrastructure security, micro-segmentation, and virtualized networking.
• Ability to design, deploy, and validate enterprise VMware security solutions in a secure federal environment.
• Excellent troubleshooting and diagnostic skills across VMware, security, and network domains.

Required Certifications

• Security+ (meets DoD 8570 baseline requirements)
• VMware Certified Professional (VCP) in a relevant track (e.g., VCP-DCV, VCP-NV)

Additional Requirements

• Active Top Secret clearance (required on day one).
• Ability to work onsite in Alexandria, VA, with occasional travel to Springfield, VA.
• Strong communication and documentation skills.
• Experience supporting federal or air-gapped environments preferred.

Benefits

140-185K

Our comprehensive benefits package for full-time salaried employees is effective immediately upon the start date. Benefits include comprehensive PPO medical coverage with access to a Health Savings Account (HSA) option, a vision plan, and dental insurance with the base dental plan option paid for by PGTEK. Life Insurance, Short and Long-Term disability, and Critical Illness insurance have premiums covered.  Additionally, PGTEK offers a matching 401(k) plan and a discount on pet insurance through ASPCA Pet Insurance.   An Employee Assistance Program is available at no cost to all employees.  PGTEK offers a generous amount of PTO and Holidays, and an Education Assistance Program is available after 12 months of employment.

ABOUT PGTEK:

PGTEK is a true consulting organization dedicated to helping clients achieve their business and tech