Chief Cyber Defense & Incident Response (Hybrid, Dallas)

AECOM Corporation; Dallas (TX); Hybrid; USD 200,000 - 275,000; Full time

Job summary

AECOM seeks a Sr Director, Cyber Defense & Response to lead the global security operations program and incident response initiatives from Dallas, TX. The role oversees 24x7 SOC operations, MxDR vendor management, and AI-enabled security capabilities with strong governance.

Hybrid schedule with in-office presence in Dallas aligns with corporate security strategy. Qualified candidates bring 14+ years in cybersecurity with leadership experience, expertise in SIEM/SOAR/EDR, AI in security, and

Qualifications

• BA/BS plus at least 14 years of relevant experience, or demonstrated equivalency of experience and/or education, plus at least 6 years of leadership experience.
• In-depth experience leading security incident response in cloud, virtualized and on-premises environments.
• Experience with SIEM, SOAR and EDR platforms, and with detection engineering practices.
• Working knowledge of AI and machine learning applied to security operations, including risks.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mature the 24x7 global security operations center, including staff and providers.
• Own the MxDR operating model: define requirements, vendor selection, transitions and renewals.
• Direct detection engineering across SIEM, SOAR and EDR with MITRE ATT&CK coverage.
• Define strategy for incorporating AI into the SOC with governance and oversight.
• Evaluate AI capabilities from tech and MSSP providers and ensure improvements.
• Lead threat-intelligence-led ops, proactive threat hunting, and digital risk monitoring.
• Develop and direct the Enterprise Incident Response Program and its maturity.
• Collaborate with Crisis Management and Business Continuity on initiatives and resilience tests.
• Define dashboards/metrics and report performance to leadership.
• Manage operating budget and vendor spend; build business cases for changes.
• Provide cyber security briefings to technical and executive leadership.
• Conduct tabletop simulations and educational sessions; lead incident response investigations.

Skills

SIEM SOAR EDR

AI in security ops

SOC leadership

Threat intel

Education

BA/BS degree

Job description

AECOM seeks a Sr Director, Cyber Defense & Response to lead the global security operations program and incident response initiatives from Dallas, TX. The role oversees 24x7 SOC operations, MxDR vendor management, and AI-enabled security capabilities with strong governance.

Hybrid schedule with in-office presence in Dallas aligns with corporate security strategy. Qualified candidates bring 14+ years in cybersecurity with leadership experience, expertise in SIEM/SOAR/EDR, AI in security, and