How to hire a senior systems security engineer

How to hire a senior systems security engineer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step senior systems 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 senior systems security engineer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new senior systems security engineer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a senior systems security engineer do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your senior systems security engineer job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a senior systems security engineer for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A senior systems security engineer's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, senior systems 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 presents senior systems security engineer salaries for various positions.

   Type of Senior Systems Security Engineer	Description	Hourly rate
   Senior Systems 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.	$39-72
   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
   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

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • DOD
   • Security Engineering
   • RMF
   • NIST
   • Windows
   • Linux
   • Cryptography
   • Network Security
   • ACAS
   • National Security
   • Servers
   • IDS
   • Java
   • VMware

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage logistics of moving necessary equipment for test across country to newly designed/built NSA certify test facility.
   • Conduct security engineering activities and apply appropriate safeguards on system components as outlined in applicable DoD security policies and guidelines.
   • Utilize existing IP filtering code in the Linux kernel and build a firewall with tracking and strike back capabilities.
   • Author operational reports to prove an operational ACAS security overview for ARCYBER G36.
   • Create custom network attach storage (NAS) systems using Linux network block devices (NBD).
   • Identify continuous monitoring security controls to test using NIST SP 800-53/53A and produce associate documentation.

   More senior systems security engineer duties

3. Make a budget

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

   • Location. For example, senior systems security engineers' average salary in tennessee is 35% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level senior systems security engineers earn 45% less than senior-level senior systems security engineers.
   • Certifications. A senior systems 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 senior systems security engineer's salary.

   Average senior systems security engineer salary

   $112,486yearly

   $54.08 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level senior systems security engineer salary

   $83,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average senior systems security engineer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$139,475	$67
   2	Washington	$125,982	$61
   3	Virginia	$111,513	$54
   4	Arizona	$109,900	$53
   5	Massachusetts	$109,804	$53
   6	Illinois	$108,477	$52
   7	Pennsylvania	$107,539	$52
   8	Minnesota	$105,375	$51
   9	Maryland	$102,932	$49
   10	Delaware	$101,144	$49
   11	Florida	$99,256	$48
   12	Colorado	$97,526	$47
   13	Texas	$96,990	$47
   14	Missouri	$96,754	$47
   15	Alabama	$94,854	$46
   16	Indiana	$94,274	$45
   17	Oklahoma	$93,841	$45
   18	Georgia	$85,218	$41

   Average senior systems security engineer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Credit Karma	$167,274	$80.42
   2	Apple	$147,333	$70.83	161
   3	NVIDIA	$134,883	$64.85	106
   4	VMware	$130,226	$62.61
   5	Visionary Integration Professionals	$129,318	$62.17
   6	Parsons	$128,643	$61.85	62
   7	Backblaze	$127,272	$61.19
   8	Sony Pictures	$127,162	$61.14	11
   9	RH	$124,194	$59.71
   10	Amazon	$123,627	$59.44	353
   11	Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	$123,293	$59.28	11
   12	Salesforce	$122,465	$58.88	21
   13	Ukpeagvik IOoOupiat Corporation	$119,433	$57.42	17
   14	TracFone Wireless	$117,819	$56.64
   15	Experian Data Quality	$117,641	$56.56
   16	Lucid Motors	$117,207	$56.35	38
   17	Bartell Hotels	$116,154	$55.84
   18	Vets Plus	$114,783	$55.18
   19	ASSURED INFORMATION SECURITY	$113,730	$54.68	1
   20	B T North America Inc	$113,730	$54.68

4. Writing a senior systems security engineer job description

   A good senior systems 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 senior systems security engineer job description:

   Senior systems security engineer job description example

   Provide overall technical direction and guidance to the project lead(s). Responsible for leading the engineering of improved and new solutions. Serve as Subject Matter Expert (SME) on capabilities and attend agency and community wide meetings in support of SME role. Interface and collaborate with technical personnel across the community in the implementation of increased collaboration capabilities. Analyzes user's requirements, concept of operations documents, and high level system architectures to develop system requirements specifications. Guides users in formulating requirements, advises alternative approaches, and conducts feasibility studies.
   Responsibilities
   
   * Provide technical direction for the development, engineering, interfacing, integration, and testing of all components of complex hardware/software systems to include requirements elicitation, analysis and functional allocation, conducting systems requirements reviews, developing concepts of operation and interface standards, developing system architectures, and performing technical/nontechnical assessment and management as well as end-to-end flow analysis
   * Develop comprehensive SOA solutions
   * Develop operational view, technical standards view, and system and services view for architectures using applicable DoDAF standards
   * Conduct and/or approve end-to-end system trade analyses to optimize system operations over its life-cycle through the proper balance of non-functional system performance areas
   * Improve standard integration strategies based upon rationale for previous decisions that resulted in improved integration performance
   * Fully define interfaces in terms of origination, destination, stimulus, and data characteristics for software; and electrical and mechanical characteristics for hardware
   * Use validated models, simulations, and prototyping to mitigate risk and reduce cost of system development
   
   Required Experience/Qualifications
   
   * Three (3) years of experience as a SE in programs and contracts of similar scope, type and complexity is required.
   * Bachelor's degree in System Engineering, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering Science, Engineering Management, or related discipline from an accredited college or university is required.
   * Experience working with the ODNI to ensure successful execution of all program requirements.
   * Possess the necessary technical qualifications to deliver all requirements for ACSS to include a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
   * Demonstrated experience defining a long-term technology vision, standards, and multi-year technology vision, standards and multi-year technology road map and partnering cross functionality on the delivery of architecturally aligned products, services, and platforms.
   * A demonstrated working knowledge of public key infrastructure and encryption systems. Familiarization with NIST Special Publication 800-37 Revision 1, Guide for Applying the Risk Management Framework to Federal Information Systems", Committee on National Security Systems Instructions (CNSSI) 1253, and NIST SP 800-53 Revisions 3 and 4, SP 800-39, SP 800-30.
   
   Special Requirements/Security Clearance
   
   * Active TS/SCI w/ CI poly
   * By Light does not require COVID-19 vaccinations or boosters; vaccination requirements and testing are subject to the status of the federal contractor mandate and customer site requirements; testing is at the cost of the employee.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right senior systems 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 senior systems security engineers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit senior systems 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 senior systems security engineer job on Zippia to find and attract quality senior systems 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

   Your first interview with senior systems security engineer candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   While interviews are great, you will only sometimes learn enough from a conversation with a senior systems 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 senior systems security engineer

   Once you have selected a candidate for the senior systems security engineer position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is 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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