Senior Network Engineer – F5 BIG‑IP | ThoughtLabs Belgium | Brussels

Position Summary

• ThoughtLabs Belgium is seeking a highly skilled Senior Network Engineer specializing in F5 BIG-IP architecture to support a high-profile European Institution project based in Brussels.
• This hybrid freelance engagement spans from November 2026 through December 2027, focusing on robust load balancing, high availability, and advanced security integrations.
• The ideal candidate brings extensive operational expertise in enterprise routing, switching, and security platforms within complex European institutional frameworks.
• You will play a critical role in designing, implementing, and securing mission-critical application delivery networks while ensuring seamless interoperability across diverse stakeholder environments.
• Active EU citizenship or a valid work permit in Belgium is a strict mandatory prerequisite for consideration on this project.
• Multilingual proficiency spanning English alongside Dutch and/or French is essential to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and institutional stakeholders.
• You will drive comprehensive incident resolution, proactive change management, and security posture enhancements across all deployed infrastructure domains.

Detailed Job Description

• As a Senior Network Engineer at ThoughtLabs Belgium, you will spearhead the design, deployment, and optimization of enterprise-grade F5 BIG-IP solutions within a major European Institution infrastructure.
• Your core mandate involves configuring advanced load balancing, high availability (HA) clusters, and robust security features to protect critical public sector applications.
• You will integrate and manage SSL/TLS offloading, Web Application Firewalls (WAF), and Access Policy Manager (APM) modules to enforce stringent institutional security baselines.
• Alongside F5 technologies, you will leverage deep IP networking knowledge and secondary IT security platforms including Checkpoint and Palo Alto firewalls.
• The role requires close coordination with project managers, system administrators, and security officers to execute structured change management and rapid incident remediation.
• You will participate in architecture reviews, troubleshoot complex traffic flow anomalies, and document operational procedures in alignment with European framework standards.
• Working in a hybrid setup in Brussels, you will balance on-site collaboration with remote flexibility to deliver reliable, high-performance network services.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement enterprise F5 BIG-IP solutions supporting mission-critical European Institution applications.
• Configure and manage local and global traffic management (LTM, GTM/DNS), high availability clusters, and load balancing policies.
• Deploy and tune Web Application Firewall (WAF) rules and Access Policy Manager (APM) configurations for secure user authentication.
• Manage end-to-end SSL/TLS termination, certificate lifecycles, and cryptographic security protocols.
• Troubleshoot complex network routing, switching, and security incidents across enterprise environments.
• Integrate and coordinate network operations with Checkpoint and Palo Alto security ecosystems.
• Execute structured change management procedures, incident response lifecycles, and root cause analysis.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams in Dutch, French, and English to gather requirements and deliver technical documentation.

Required Qualifications & Skills

• Extensive professional experience as a Senior Network Engineer or F5 Specialist within enterprise or institutional environments.
• Deep expertise in F5 BIG-IP design, implementation, administration, and troubleshooting.
• Proven proficiency in load balancing, high availability architectures, and network security features.
• Hands-on experience with SSL/TLS integration, Web Application Firewalls (WAF), and Access Policy Manager (APM).
• Strong foundational background in core IP networking and IT security platforms including Checkpoint and Palo Alto.
• Valid EU citizenship or an active, legally compliant work permit for employment in Belgium.
• Multilingual communication capabilities spanning English, Dutch, and French.
• Demonstrated capability in managing technical incidents and structured IT change management workflows.

Nice-to-Have Skills

• Previous working experience within European Union institutions or international public sector frameworks.
• Advanced F5 certifications such as F5 Certified BIG-IP Administrator or Solution Expert.
• Vendor certifications from Cisco (CCNP/CCIE), Palo Alto (PCNSE), or Checkpoint (CCSE).
• Experience with automated infrastructure deployment using scripting lan