Security Architect

Applause IT Recruitment; United Kingdom; Remote; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote-first working

25 days holiday + bank holidays

Private medical insurance

Group income protection

Life assurance at 2x salary

Collaborative team culture

Job summary

Applause IT Recruitment is seeking a Security Architect for a remote-first role focused on Secure by Design across defence programmes. You will shape architecture from research to operational delivery while engaging defence primes, assurance authorities and customer security stakeholders.

The position involves working on complex defence systems, embedding security from MVP to production, and requires SC clearance or eligibility.

Qualifications

• Security architecture experience within defence environments
• Deep understanding of Secure by Design principles
• Knowledge of Zero Trust, IAM/PAM, network security, encryption and key management
• Familiarity with NCSC guidance, ISO 27001 and Def Stan 05-138
• Collaborative, low-ego approach and ability to engage stakeholders
• SC clearance, or eligibility for UK security vetting

Responsibilities

• Design security architectures and control strategies across defence engagements
• Embed Secure by Design from research to operational delivery
• Translate threat information and constraints into practical security requirements
• Review designs for weaknesses and control gaps; provide assurance
• Explain design decisions to primes, assurance authorities, and stakeholders
• Support bids and pre-sales with security input

Skills

Defence security architecture

Secure by Design

Zero Trust

IAM/PAM

Network security

Encryption & key management

NCSC guidance

ISO 27001

Def Stan 05-138

Collaborative mindset

SC clearance

Job description

Security Architect – Remote – Secure by Design, Defence

Location: Remote-first (South Coast, UK), with travel to customer sites and occasional head office visits

Job type: Permanent, Full-time

An established UK cyber security specialist is hiring a Security Architect to lead Secure by Design work across defence programmes. The business builds technology that lets sensitive data move safely between networks with different security levels, for defence, government and CNI customers. If you understand why Secure by Design works, not just how to apply a control set, this is worth a look.

About the role

You'll start on one core project: a prime-led defence programme moving from research into operational capability. From there, your work will extend across the wider services team and other customer engagements.

You'll join an established delivery team with a programme lead already in place, working alongside other Secure by Design and Solution Architects. Day to day, you'll work with defence primes, assurance authorities and customer security stakeholders.

This isn't a compliance-checking role. Building security into defence systems as they move from MVP to production is complex, and the team needs someone who can shape the approach rather than simply translate requirements into controls.

What you'll be doing

• Designing security architectures and control strategies across defence engagements
• Embedding Secure by Design from early research and MVP stages through to operational delivery
• Translating threat information, risk and technical constraints into practical security requirements
• Reviewing solution designs for weaknesses and control gaps, and providing technical assurance
• Working with primes, assurance authorities and SbD stakeholders, and explaining design decisions clearly
• Supporting bids and pre-sales with security architecture input

What you'll bring

• Security architecture experience within defence, designing controls into complex technical systems
• A deep understanding of Secure by Design principles, and of how security changes as defence capability moves from research to operational use
• Broad technical knowledge across Zero Trust, IAM/PAM, network security, encryption and key management
• Working knowledge of NCSC guidance, ISO 27001 and Def Stan 05-138
• A collaborative, low-ego approach: you support others to succeed and bring colleagues into design discussions, whatever their role or experience
• SC clearance, or eligibility and willingness to undergo UK security vetting

Nice to have

• Current SC clearance
• Secure information exchange or cross-domain experience
• CISSP, SABSA, NCSC Certified Professional, TOGAF or CCSP

What's on offer

• Remote-first working, with flexible hours around core hours of 10am to 4.30pm
• 25 days' holiday plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days a year
• Private medical insurance, group income protection and life assurance at 2x salary
• A team where culture and collaboration matter as much as technical skill
• Nationally important work on defence capability

If you're a defence security architect who wants to shape how Secure by Design is delivered, in a supportive and collaborative team, we'd welcome a confidential conversation.

Applause IT Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.