How to hire a Security Engineer

How to hire a security engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step security engineer hiring guide:

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

What does a Security Engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The security engineer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine Employee vs Contractor Status

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

   Yes

   No

   A security engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, security engineers from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list shows salaries for various types of security engineers.

   Type Of Security Engineer	Description	Hourly Rate
   Security Engineer	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.	$37-67
   Information Security Analyst	An information security analyst is a professional who is responsible for carrying out security measures to protect the computer network and systems of an organization. Information security analysts erect firewalls and encrypt data transmissions to protect the organization's data from being inappropriately accessed or used... Show More	$34-64
   Information Systems Security Officer	An information systems security officer's role is to perform preventive measures to protect a company's data and systems from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around assessing the existing security measures to identify any vulnerabilities or inconsistencies, recommending and implementing changes to improve security systems, and developing new strategies and programs for data protection... Show More	$32-57

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common Skills:

   • Java
   • Cloud Security
   • Infrastructure
   • Application Security
   • Incident Response
   • Windows
   • Troubleshoot
   • Linux
   • Network Security
   • SIEM
   • NIST
   • Security Solutions
   • Azure
   • Tcp Ip

   Check All Skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Provide SME level support in a manage PKI environment.
   • Achieve authority-to-operate (ATO) status ahead of schedule.
   • Hardened/Tune a manage fleet of Cisco ASA and IPS security appliances.
   • Create custom scripts using ruby and proprietary gems to automate testing and reporting.
   • Manage CND tools team standup of multiple ArcSight logger and connector appliances according to DISA STIG requirements.
   • Manage vendor relations for VPN connectivity.

   More Security Engineer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your security engineer job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A security engineer salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, security engineers' average salary in arkansas is 36% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level security engineers earn 45% less than senior-level security engineers.
   • Certifications. A security engineer with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a security engineer's salary.

   Average security engineer salary

   $104,524yearly

   $50.25 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level security engineer salary

   $77,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 14, 2025

   Average security engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. Salary	Hourly Rate
   1	California	$136,815	$66
   2	Washington	$115,380	$55
   3	New York	$106,157	$51
   4	Arizona	$103,822	$50
   5	Oregon	$102,634	$49
   6	District of Columbia	$99,895	$48
   7	New Jersey	$98,113	$47
   8	Maryland	$98,014	$47
   9	Connecticut	$97,528	$47
   10	Massachusetts	$97,326	$47
   11	Texas	$96,759	$47
   12	Virginia	$96,142	$46
   13	Pennsylvania	$95,184	$46
   14	North Carolina	$94,627	$45
   15	Maine	$93,548	$45
   16	Utah	$93,367	$45
   17	Georgia	$93,279	$45
   18	Illinois	$91,301	$44
   19	Ohio	$89,099	$43
   20	Florida	$87,707	$42

   Average security engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average Salary	Hourly Rate	Job Openings
   1	ICE Mortgage Technology	$177,574	$85.37
   2	Brex	$176,111	$84.67
   3	Credit Karma	$174,457	$83.87	1
   4	Coinbase	$173,178	$83.26	7
   5	Airbnb	$172,824	$83.09	1
   6	ByteDance	$170,801	$82.12	13
   7	Lyft	$167,175	$80.37
   8	Flexport	$166,123	$79.87
   9	Meta	$162,573	$78.16	325
   10	Waymo	$161,437	$77.61	4
   11	Palantir	$160,057	$76.95	19
   12	DoorDash	$159,823	$76.84
   13	Addepar	$159,760	$76.81
   14	The Walt Disney Company	$158,722	$76.31	13
   15	Apple	$157,059	$75.51	145
   16	Cruise Automation	$156,883	$75.42
   17	Safeway	$156,674	$75.32
   18	Grubhub	$156,341	$75.16	3
   19	Match Group	$153,231	$73.67	22
   20	Airtable	$152,465	$73.30	3

4. Writing a Security Engineer Job Description

   A good security engineer job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a security engineer job description:

   Security Engineer job description example

   • Perform or review technical security assessments to identify vulnerability points, non-compliance with established standards and recommend mitigation.
   • Performs requirements analysis to determine security needs for complex systems, components, and networks.
   • Designs software tools and subsystems to support the integration of security products into a secure IT environment.
   • Interfaces with client to determine present and future secure network needs, and designs complex network security architecture to meet requirements.
   • Designs and implements test and evaluation processes for security and resolves complex integrity issues.
   • Validate and verify system security requirements and analysis.
   • Design, develop, implement, and integrate IA and security systems and components to ensure sufficient security and compliance.
   • Develop, maintain, and deliver accreditation packages meeting agency requirements for ICD 503 with IC overlay.

   Skills/Qualifications:

   Required:

   • 10+ years of experience
   • TS/SCI Clearance with CI Polygraph
   • Minimum of 5 years experience managing information systems security including certifications and accreditation, security control deficiency remediation, security and test plan development and execution.

   Scheduled Weekly Hours:

   40

   Travel Required:

   None

   Telecommuting Options:

   Onsite

   Work Location:

   USA VA Springfield

   Additional Work Locations:

   USA MO St. LouisCOVID-19 Vaccination: GDIT does not have a vaccination mandate applicable to all employees. To protect the health and safety of its employees and to comply with customer requirements, however, GDIT may require employees in certain positions to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination requirements will depend on the status of the federal contractor mandate and customer site requirements.We are GDIT. The people supporting some of the most complex government, defense, and intelligence projects across the country. We deliver. Bringing the expertise needed to understand and advance critical missions. We transform. Shifting the ways clients invest in, integrate, and innovate technology solutions. We ensure today is safe and tomorrow is smarter. We are there. On the ground, beside our clients, in the lab, and everywhere in between. Offering the technology transformations, strategy, and mission services needed to get the job done.GDIT is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class.

   Copy This Example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right security engineer for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with security engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit security engineers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your security engineer job on Zippia to find and attract quality security engineer candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit security engineers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a security engineer applicant. In those cases, having candidates complete a test project can go a long way in figuring out who's the most likely to succeed in the role. If you aren't a technical person and 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 security engineer

   Once you've found the security engineer 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.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new security engineer. 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.)

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How much does it cost to hire a security engineer?