How to hire an information systems security officer

How to hire an information systems security officer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step information systems security officer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an information systems security officer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new information systems security officer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does an information systems security officer do?

Post an information systems security officer job for free, promote it for a fee

Post free

1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the information systems security officer you need to hire. Certain information systems security officer roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect information systems security officer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of information systems security officers.

   Type of Information Systems Security Officer	Description	Hourly rate
   Information Systems Security Officer	Information security analysts plan and carry out security measures to protect an organization’s computer networks and systems. Their responsibilities are continually expanding as the number of cyberattacks increases.	$32-57
   Securities Consultant	A securities consultant is responsible for maintaining the safety and security of the company's premises, including enforcing protection for all the employees and company assets. Securities consultants also handle the confidentiality and stability of data network systems to prevent potential breaches and unauthorized access to information... Show more	$34-55
   Securities Analyst	Securities analysts, also known as financial analysts, are responsible for collecting and interpreting data on securities, economies, corporate strategies, and financial markets. They provide clients with recommendations on investments based on in-depth research... Show more	$28-56

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • RMF
   • DOD
   • ISSO
   • Windows
   • Security Posture
   • SCI
   • POA
   • Configuration Management
   • Linux
   • ISSM
   • ICD
   • Incident Response
   • Nessus
   • Computer System

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage a $1 million civilian contract; ISSO for 4 separate networks , 9K users, and 8K systems.
   • Lead implementation for new DAR solution for global disk encryption, developing management policy to prevent document and data leakage.
   • Manage logistics of moving necessary equipment for test across country to newly designed/built NSA certify test facility.
   • Track and report risk identify in the vulnerability scans to the IAM.
   • Perform user account administration, media control, implementation and enforcement of DoD computer security plans/policies/procedures/directives, and system security training.
   • Install DISA security patches on UNIX servers.

   More information systems security officer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your information systems security officer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. An information systems security officer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for an information systems security officer in Alabama may be lower than in California, and an entry-level information systems security officer usually earns less than a senior-level information systems security officer. Additionally, an information systems security officer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average information systems security officer salary

   $90,730yearly

   $43.62 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level information systems security officer salary

   $68,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 21, 2025

   Average information systems security officer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$99,616	$48
   2	Washington	$94,607	$45
   3	Massachusetts	$90,665	$44
   4	Arizona	$90,342	$43
   5	Utah	$86,877	$42
   6	Virginia	$86,340	$42
   7	Texas	$85,971	$41
   8	District of Columbia	$81,557	$39
   9	New Mexico	$80,345	$39
   10	Georgia	$80,312	$39
   11	Colorado	$79,949	$38
   12	Illinois	$77,782	$37
   13	Maryland	$76,649	$37
   14	Florida	$73,493	$35
   15	Alabama	$71,827	$35
   16	Indiana	$70,478	$34
   17	Missouri	$69,875	$34

   Average information systems security officer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Parsons	$121,644	$58.48	63
   2	Avid	$117,106	$56.30	6
   3	Open Systems Technologies	$113,120	$54.38	2
   4	IntelliDyne	$112,028	$53.86	1
   5	Epsilon	$109,429	$52.61	5
   6	AT&T	$107,198	$51.54	79
   7	TEKsystems	$107,020	$51.45	104
   8	Los Alamos National Laboratory	$107,018	$51.45	16
   9	Battelle	$106,695	$51.30	14
   10	Goldbelt Falcon	$100,400	$48.27
   11	ICES Education	$99,795	$47.98
   12	TAD PGS	$97,907	$47.07	2
   13	Axient	$97,111	$46.69
   14	Booz Allen Hamilton	$96,609	$46.45	241
   15	Software.com	$96,282	$46.29	19
   16	Verizon Communications	$96,219	$46.26
   17	Coalfire Systems Inc.	$96,066	$46.19	3
   18	Commonwealth Computer Research	$95,761	$46.04
   19	General Electric	$95,188	$45.76	78
   20	Randstad North America, Inc.	$95,115	$45.73	19

4. Writing an information systems security officer job description

   An information systems security officer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. Below, you can find an example of an information systems security officer job description:

   Information systems security officer job description example

   GovCIO is a team of transformers-people who are passionate about transforming government I.T. We believe in making a difference by developing digital strategies and delivering the technology-related innovation governmental operations that improve the citizen experience every day.
   
   But we can't do it alone. We welcome and nurture an inclusive and diversified work culture. Because different backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and perspectives make us better decision-makers, problem solvers, and creators. We're changing the face of I.T. - from our diverse staff to the end-products we develop. And we're excited to expand our team. Are you ready to be a transformer?
   Responsibilities
   
   We are seeking an Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) to participate in a team that will provide 24x7 mission-critical network operations services to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in support of more than 45,000 users. As a member of our team, you will help to ensure the reliability and security of this FIPS security categorized "High" network. As a member of the Network Security Team, you will work alongside the Operations Team (responsible for 365x24x7 enterprise network operations) and Architecture Team (responsible for enterprise network architecture).
   
   The group's responsibilities include but are not limited to:
   Firewall Web Filtering Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) Network Access Control (NAC) Domain Name Systems (DNS) Remote Access VPN (RA-VPN) Application Delivery/Load Balancing Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Certificate Management Traffic Monitoring Infrastructure Monitoring System Accreditation and Authorization
   Required Qualifications
   Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering or other related discipline with 8+ years (or commensurate experience), at least 7 years of ISSO experience ORCertified Systems Security Professional (CISSP) with 10+ years (or commensurate experience), at least 7 years of ISSO experience Lead a team of network security experts Practical application of current/emergent technologies, agile IT, ITIL and continuous improvement practices and techniques Outstanding written and oral communications skills, and the demonstrated ability to convey technical concepts to non-technical audiences. Duties may require traveling, being on call periodically, and occasionally working outside normal working hours (evenings and weekends) Must be able to gain a government Public Trust clearance
   Desired Qualifications
   Experience with and knowledge of the NIH operational environment and network infrastructure ITIL Certification Knowledge of and experience with technical tools such as Science Logic One, RedSeal, LiveNX, AlgoSec, Net LineDancer, Graphana, StealthWatch, ZEN (Government-Off-The-Shelf), PerSonar, Cisco ISE, Cisco APIC/ACI Cluster Management, Cisco AnyConnect, Cisco DNA, SecureCRT, Infoblox, Network Traffic Generator, Network Packet Capture, TACACS, Riverbed, Gigamon, VMWare VSphere, Struxerware, xMatters, NetScout Air Magnet, Cisco Sourcefire, Palo Alto Wildfire, F5 Big IP, RedHat, Radware DDOS, Tenable, Active Directory, and Splunk
   #cjpost
   
   COVID Policy: New employees will be required to adhere to the Company's and its clients' COVID-19 safety procedures. In the event that the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for Federal Contractors is enforced, you must become fully vaccinated or request and be approved for an exemption. Employees working onsite at a client location must comply with our client's COVID-19 requirements.
   
   GovCIO is a team of professionals who want to make a difference. And that can only happen with a diverse, happy, and cared-for team. So, we prioritize your well-being, equity for all and look for ways to make work a better place for each of us every day.
   
   We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, or disability status. EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disabled

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find information systems security officers for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any information systems security officers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level information systems security officers with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your information systems security officer job on Zippia to find and recruit information systems security officer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit information systems security officers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   If your interviews with information systems security officer applicants aren't enough to make a decision, you should also consider including a test project. These are often the best, most straightforward, and least bias-prone ways of determining who will likely succeed in the role. If you don't know how to design an appropriate test, you can ask someone else on the team to create it or take a look at these websites to get a few ideas:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new information systems security officer

   Once you've found the information systems security officer candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new information systems security officer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

   Sign up to download full list

   Sign up

How much does it cost to hire an information systems security officer?