Network Security Specialist

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: IBKR) is a global financial services company headquartered in Greenwich, CT, USA, with offices in over 15 countries. We have been at the forefront of financial innovation for over four decades, known for our cutting-edge technology and client commitment.

IBKR affiliates provide global electronic brokerage services around the clock on stocks, options, futures, currencies, bonds, and funds to clients in over 200 countries and territories. We serve individual investors and institutions, including financial advisors, hedge funds and introducing brokers. Our advanced technology, competitive pricing, and global market help our clients to make the most of their investments.

Barron's has recognized Interactive Brokers as the #1 online broker for six consecutive years. Join our dynamic, multi-national team and be a part of a company that simplifies and enhances financial opportunities using state-of-the-art technology.

Job Summary

We are looking for a seasoned Network Security Specialist with 10+ years of experience to drive network security implementation, architecture, and risk management. This role is focused on strengthening the organization’s security posture through design validation, policy enforcement, and continuous assessment of network security controls.

The role does not involve day-to-day deployment or operational maintenance but instead partners closely with network and infrastructure teams to ensure secure design and adherence to best practices.

Key Responsibilities

• Define, review, and enforce network security architecture standards and best practices
• Perform detailed firewall rule reviews (NGFW/WAF) to ensure compliance with security policies and least privilege principles
• Evaluate and approve firewall change requests based on risk, business justification, and security impact
• Conduct periodic network security posture assessments, identifying gaps and recommending remediation strategies
• Lead initiatives to improve network security maturity, including segmentation, zero trust adoption, and attack surface reduction
• Review and validate configurations of WAF platforms such as Akamai, Cloudflare, AWS WAF for effectiveness against modern threats
• Assess NGFW policies for rule optimization, redundancy removal, and risk exposure
• Partner with network operations teams to ensure secure implementation of approved designs and policies
• Provide security guidance during architecture reviews, solution design discussions, and project onboarding
• Analyze threat intelligence and emerging attack patterns to recommend proactive control improvements
• Support audit and compliance efforts by ensuring network security controls align with standards (ISO 27001, PCI-DSS, etc.)
• Develop and maintain security policies, standards, and review frameworks for network controls
• Act as a subject matter expert for network security in internal governance forums

Required Skills & Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in network security, with a strong focus on design, review, and implementation
• Deep understanding of networking fundamentals (TCP/IP, routing, switching, DNS, load balancing)
• Hands-on knowledge (not necessarily operational ownership) of:
• WAF solutions such as Akamai, Cloudflare, AWS WAF
• NGFW platforms: Palo Alto (preferred) or similar technologies
• Strong experience in firewall policy analysis, rule lifecycle management, and risk-based approvals
• Proven experience in network security posture assessment and gap analysis
• Strong understanding of security principles such as least privilege, defense-in-depth, and zero trust
• Familiarity with common attack vectors (OWASP Top 10, DDoS, bot mitigation techniques)
• Experience working with cloud environments (AWS/Azure/GCP) from a security architecture perspective
• Ability to interpret logs, traffic flows, and security events for risk evaluation

Preferred Qualifications

• Certifications such as CISSP, CISM, PCNSE, CCSP, or CCIE Security
• Experience with CDN and edge security architectures
• Exposure to threat modeling and risk assessment methodologies
• Familiarity with security governance frameworks and audit processes
• Experience working in large enterprise or regulated environments

Key Competencies

• Strong risk assessment and decision-making ability
• Attention to detail in policy review and control validation
• Ability to challenge and influence technical decisions constructively
• Clear communication with both technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Strategic mindset with a focus on continuous security improvement