Paul Gifford

Top-Secret Clearance  ·  Network Security Engineer  ·  Cloud / AI

Virginia Beach, VA 770-688-5803 pgifford88@proton.me linkedin.com/in/paul-giff github.com/Paul-Gifford

Professional Summary

Network and cybersecurity professional with 9+ years of experience supporting enterprise and Department of Defense environments across network engineering, systems administration, infrastructure security, vulnerability remediation, and mission-critical operations. Proven ability to secure routers, firewalls, wireless infrastructure, Windows-based environments, and segmented networks in high-stakes operational settings. Strong foundation in TCP/IP, network security, access control, security monitoring, and defense-in-depth, with experience supporting 500+ workstations, 1,000+ endpoints, and classified SIPR/NIPR infrastructure. Currently expanding technical depth in cloud infrastructure, AI agent development, and automation using AWS and the Anthropic Claude API.

Technical Skills

Networking & Infrastructure TCP/IP, DNS, VLANs, Subnetting, Routing, Switching, OSPF, BGP, SD-WAN, VPN, Aruba Controllers, Aruba APs, EdgeConnect, Cisco ISR, Cisco Catalyst, pfSense
Security & Compliance STIG Compliance, ACAS/Tenable, POA&M Remediation, IAVM, Firewall Hardening, ACLs, RBAC, Active Directory Security, 802.1X, RMF
Systems & Tooling Windows Server, Active Directory, VMware ESXi, Linux, PowerShell, Bash, Python, Splunk, Wireshark
Cloud & AI AWS (S3, CloudFront, Lambda, IAM), Anthropic Claude API, Tool Use / Function Calling, Agentic Workflows, REST APIs, Git, GitHub
Cryptographic Devices NSA Type 1 – KG-175D TACLANE, KG-75; Keying Material (KEYMAT) management
Offensive Security (Lab) Nmap, Burp Suite Professional, Metasploit, Kali Linux, SQL Injection, XSS, Authentication Bypass, OWASP Top 10

Professional Experience

Independent Study & Cloud/AI Portfolio Development January 2026 – Present
Self-Directed
  • Studying for AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03), covering EC2, S3, CloudFront, Lambda, RDS, IAM, and VPC architecture.
  • Built and deployed an autonomous AI agent using the Anthropic Claude API with tool use and function calling, implementing web search, file I/O, and session memory systems.
  • Developing cloud and AI portfolio projects targeting cloud security, serverless architecture, and AI-integrated infrastructure.
  • Maintaining active GitHub portfolio at github.com/Paul-Gifford documenting hands-on project work.
Network Engineer September 2025 – January 2026
Altagrove
  • Engineered and deployed shipboard wireless network infrastructure across 4 vessels, installing 40+ access points per ship to support 100+ users in high-interference maritime environments.
  • Configured and hardened Aruba wireless controllers and EdgeConnect SD-WAN solutions, maintaining 99.9% network uptime across all vessels.
  • Designed and implemented VLAN segmentation across 4 VLANs to isolate sensitive traffic and strengthen network security posture.
  • Conducted infrastructure assessments and site surveys to identify coverage gaps and operational constraints prior to deployment.
  • Applied STIG-aligned hardening practices to wireless infrastructure components, ensuring deployments met security baseline requirements.
Network Systems Administrator (SURTASS) September 2023 – September 2025
Leidos
  • Administered and secured 3 mission-critical classified networks (NIPR, SIPR, ICP) in support of Department of Defense operations.
  • Operated and maintained NSA Type 1 cryptographic devices including KG-175D TACLANE; managed KEYMAT distribution in compliance with NSA standards.
  • Conducted weekly ACAS/Tenable vulnerability scans and maintained zero unresolved findings through IAVM/STIG compliance.
  • Managed 40 VMware ESXi virtual machines across NIPR and SIPR enclaves; monitored security-relevant activity in Splunk.
  • Managed access for 30 user accounts and 10 security groups, enforcing RBAC and least-privilege practices across classified systems.
  • Troubleshot and restored satellite WAN circuit connectivity with average recovery times of 30–60 minutes.
Network Operations Specialist June 2022 – November 2022
Prime Technical Services, Inc.
  • Monitored enterprise network performance and supported incident response for an environment spanning 10,000+ systems, endpoints, and locations.
  • Resolved 10–20 tickets per week and restored critical network service outages with typical recovery times of 30–60 minutes.
  • Performed patching, configuration updates, and security remediation to maintain reliability across large-scale enterprise operations.
  • Authored SOPs and troubleshooting documentation to improve operational consistency and accelerate issue resolution.
Field Service Technician (NMCI) March 2017 – October 2021
Prime Technical Services, Inc.
  • Delivered technical support for 500+ workstations and 1,000+ endpoints across secure Navy and Marine Corps environments including NAS Oceana and Dam Neck.
  • Resolved 50–100 tickets per week involving hardware, software, access, and connectivity in high-availability operational settings.
  • Imaged, deployed, and reconfigured 200+ systems in compliance with DoD baseline standards.
  • Managed user accounts, permissions, and endpoint support activities to maintain secure access and reliable operations.
Hospital Corpsman (HM) May 2009 – August 2016
United States Navy
  • Served 7 years on active duty, demonstrating sustained commitment and performance under pressure in high-stakes operational environments.
  • Supervised and mentored a team of 3+ junior sailors on procedures, professional standards, and daily operations.
  • Developed and delivered training on medical procedures to personnel across the command.
  • Managed administrative duties including personnel records, supply tracking, and documentation.

Technical Projects

Claude Task Agent github.com/Paul-Gifford/claude-task-agent
Python, Anthropic Claude API, Brave Search API, Git
  • Built an autonomous AI agent using the Anthropic Claude API that accepts natural language goals, decomposes them into steps, and executes them using tool use and function calling.
  • Implemented an extensible tool registry supporting web search, file I/O, and safe math evaluation with a session memory system tracking full agent context across multi-step runs.
  • Designed a session memory system to track tool calls, results, and files written across multi-step agent loops.
Cloud Resume Challenge github.com/Paul-Gifford/aws-s3-static-website
AWS S3, CloudFront, Route 53, Lambda, DynamoDB, API Gateway, GitHub Actions
  • Deployed this resume as a static website on AWS S3 with HTTPS via CloudFront and a custom domain via Route 53.
  • Built a serverless visitor counter using Lambda, DynamoDB, and API Gateway with JavaScript integration on the frontend.
  • Automated deployment pipeline using GitHub Actions — changes pushed to main automatically sync to S3 and invalidate the CloudFront cache.
Hybrid Virtual Penetration Testing Laboratory
VMware, pfSense, Kali Linux, Metasploit, Burp Suite Professional
  • Deployed a segmented security lab with 5 virtual machines, 4 subnets, and 1 DMZ to simulate enterprise attack paths and defensive boundaries.
  • Built an Active Directory domain with Windows Server 2022, Kali Linux, and Metasploitable 2; conducted recon, enumeration, service analysis, and exploitation testing.

Education & Certifications

ECPI University — B.S. Computer and Information Science, Concentration in Cybersecurity Graduated July 2023
  • CompTIA Security+
  • CompTIA A+
  • AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate (SAA-C03) — In Progress, target Aug 2026

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