What does a senior information security engineer do?
Senior information security engineers are information technology (IT) professionals who are responsible for managing the IT security of an organization. These engineers are required to participate in the planning, design, and installation of security systems that support the security policies of the organization. They must provide security expertise to the organization by conducting training for corporate security education and awareness programs. Senior information security engineers must also review reports on event anomalies while investigating security violations.
Senior information security engineer responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real senior information security engineer resumes:
- Manage logistics of moving necessary equipment for test across country to newly designed/built NSA certify test facility.
- Participate in security plans for customer programs which involve DISA STIG as well as company derive controls.
- Serve as SME for advance network base security controls analysis.
- Deploy, configure & leverage SIEM capabilities to protect against advance threats.
- Create custom JAVA servlet middleware, to allow multiple PKI compatibility on servers.
- Configure the Splunk enterprise server to point to an external master license server.
- Specialize in laptop encryption, which includes the deployment and maintaining of the laptop encryption process.
- Play the role of an SME for secure coding guidelines for enterprise applications across the business lines.
- Install and configure Linux Centos, software packages and Bastille Linux hardening software in accordance with NASA Goddard security objectives.
- Provide IA technical guidance, assist with certification and accreditation efforts, and monitor and ensure FISMA compliance efforts are meet.
- Coordinate agency-wide annual FISMA effort and reporting.
- Maintain and monitor ArcSight SIEM infrastructure for corporate security.
- Complete daily and periodic vulnerability assessments/penetration tests of internet and intranet servers.
- Configure SafeNet ProtectDB to enable column level encryption for securing confidential customer data.
- Analyze, report, and correct Unix security vulnerabilities on transition servers from acquire insurance companies.
Senior information security engineer skills and personality traits
We calculated that 6% of Senior Information Security Engineers are proficient in Incident Response, Risk Management, and Windows. They’re also known for soft skills such as Analytical skills, Detail oriented, and Problem-solving skills.
We break down the percentage of Senior Information Security Engineers that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Incident Response, 6%
Provided network incident response for network intrusions and email vulnerabilities.
- Risk Management, 6%
Created Privacy Risk Management framework A Methodology for Privacy Risk Management of Personally Identifiable Information to help manage privacy risks.
- Windows, 5%
Worked with Windows and UNIX network administration teams to complete vulnerability and patch management assessments and implementation releases.
- Java, 5%
Created scan engine enhancements via Java for protocol clients, application programming interface, and vulnerability library.
- NIST, 4%
Developed and completed security plans based on the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Security Publications.
- Security Tools, 4%
Provide technical expertise and guide the administration of security tools that control and monitor information security.
Most senior information security engineers use their skills in "incident response," "risk management," and "windows" to do their jobs. You can find more detail on essential senior information security engineer responsibilities here:
Analytical skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a senior information security engineer to have is analytical skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "information security analysts must carefully study computer systems and networks and assess risks to determine how security policies and protocols can be improved." Senior information security engineers often use analytical skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "configured safenet protectdb to enable column level encryption for securing confidential customer data. "
Detail oriented. Another essential skill to perform senior information security engineer duties is detail oriented. Senior information security engineers responsibilities require that "because cyberattacks can be difficult to detect, information security analysts must pay careful attention to computer systems and watch for minor changes in performance." Senior information security engineers also use detail oriented in their role according to a real resume snippet: "monitored all intrusion detection systems for alerts and determine if remediation is required based upon the investigation of the intrusion details. "
Problem-solving skills. This is an important skill for senior information security engineers to perform their duties. For an example of how senior information security engineer responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "information security analysts must respond to security alerts and uncover and fix flaws in computer systems and networks." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a senior information security engineer: "led pci audits; hired qsas, designed and implemented solutions. ".
See the full list of senior information security engineer skills
The three companies that hire the most senior information security engineers are:
- Wells Fargo321 senior information security engineers jobs
- Applied Materials73 senior information security engineers jobs
- Highmark51 senior information security engineers jobs
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Compare different senior information security engineers
Senior information security engineer vs. 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. This role has various duties and responsibilities that include putting out a buy, sell or hold recommendation in the financial markets, assessing the value and financial stability of companies, and meeting with company representatives to better understand their business practices. Securities analysts are also responsible for devising financial models.
While similarities exist, there are also some differences between senior information security engineers and securities analyst. For instance, senior information security engineer responsibilities require skills such as "risk management," "security tools," "cloud security," and "iam." Whereas a securities analyst is skilled in "security systems," "database," "security events," and "strong problem-solving." This is part of what separates the two careers.
Securities analysts tend to make the most money working in the finance industry, where they earn an average salary of $95,246. In contrast, senior information security engineers make the biggest average salary, $120,119, in the hospitality industry.On average, securities analysts reach lower levels of education than senior information security engineers. Securities analysts are 6.5% less likely to earn a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior information security engineer vs. 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. They coordinate with the system analysts to design programs and databases as part of technical solutions to maximize productivity and increase efficiency. A securities consultant writes incident reports, recommend strategic techniques, and research threat risks that may put the company in jeopardy.
In addition to the difference in salary, there are some other key differences worth noting. For example, senior information security engineer responsibilities are more likely to require skills like "risk management," "security tools," "iam," and "network security." Meanwhile, a securities consultant has duties that require skills in areas such as "security management," "customer service," "amazon web services," and "architecture." These differences highlight just how different the day-to-day in each role looks.
On average, securities consultants earn a lower salary than senior information security engineers. Some industries support higher salaries in each profession. Interestingly enough, securities consultants earn the most pay in the technology industry with an average salary of $99,249. Whereas senior information security engineers have higher pay in the hospitality industry, with an average salary of $120,119.Average education levels between the two professions vary. Securities consultants tend to reach lower levels of education than senior information security engineers. In fact, they're 8.8% less likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 1.1% less likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Senior information security engineer vs. Engineer
Engineers are highly trained professionals who determine the feasibility of various projects, usually related to the construction industry. They are considered experts in mathematics and science, two disciplines that they need to use in designing and coming up with plans for projects. They should also be well-versed in different construction or industrial materials, and they ensure that appropriate materials are used for the project. They also ensure that the projects meet the requirements of the groups that hired them. They create spaces that would both address the needs of the end-users and the industry standards. They also ensure that the projects they make would stand the test of time.
There are many key differences between these two careers, including some of the skills required to perform responsibilities within each role. For example, a senior information security engineer is likely to be skilled in "incident response," "risk management," "nist," and "security tools," while a typical engineer is skilled in "python," "cloud," "c++," and "c #."
Engineers make a very good living in the automotive industry with an average annual salary of $97,672. On the other hand, senior information security engineers are paid the highest salary in the hospitality industry, with average annual pay of $120,119.When it comes to education, engineers tend to earn lower degree levels compared to senior information security engineers. In fact, they're 7.8% less likely to earn a Master's Degree, and 0.8% less likely to graduate with a Doctoral Degree.Senior information security engineer vs. Security administrator
A security administrator is in charge of establishing and enforcing security measures over a company's information systems and networks. Their duties typically revolve around installing and maintaining security networks, analyzing existing systems to identify areas needing improvement, conducting regular maintenance checks and upgrades to optimize services and functions, and monitoring overall systems for any suspicious activities or breaches. Furthermore, as a security administrator, it is essential to develop information technology solutions in adherence to the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.
Types of senior information security engineer
Updated January 8, 2025
