Cyber Defense Operations Lead

3M; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 287,000 - 351,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation Assistance

Job summary

3M in Austin, TX seeks a Cyber Defense Operations Lead to advance the cyber defense program, directing strategy, monitoring, incident response, and automation-enabled improvements. You will shape the CDO roadmap and coordinate with IT, cloud, privacy, and enterprise security teams to deliver measurable security outcomes.

The role requires a Bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity or related field and 15 years of cyber security experience, with relocation assistance provided for the right candidate.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or technology field (completed and verified prior to start)
• Fifteen (15) years of experience in cyber security in a private, public, government or military environment
• Proven leadership experience in Security Operations, Cyber Defense, Detection Engineering, Incident Response, or related cyber operations functions.
• Demonstrated ability to mature and transform an operational cyber defense function.
• Strong understanding of SIEM/SecOps platforms, SOAR, alert management, detection lifecycle management, case management, and incident response workflows.
• Experience with cloud security telemetry across AWS, GCP, and/or Azure.
• Ability to define and improve cyber data quality, ingestion priorities, normalization, routing, retention, and cost management.
• Experience managing MSSPs, security vendors, and cross-functional delivery partners.
• Ability to build roadmaps, execution plans, milestones, metrics, risks, and decision-ready materials.
• Strong written and verbal executive communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead teams calmly under pressure, delegate effectively, document decisions, and build repeatable operating processes.
• Practical understanding of automation, AI-enabled security operations, and the foundational data and workflow requirements needed to support future agentic SOC capabilities

Responsibilities

• Lead the CDO function and establish clear roles, responsibilities, decision rights, escalation paths, service expectations, and operating rhythms.
• Oversee monitoring, incident response coordination, detection engineering, SecOps platform operations, and MSSP performance.
• Owns the CDO transformation roadmap from current-state operations to a data-driven, automation-enabled, agentic-ready capabilities.
• Represent CDO requirements in SecOps roadmap decisions, including telemetry quality, case management, reporting, cost management, automation, AI enablement, and future agentic workflows.
• Partner with IT, cloud, identity, endpoint, legal, privacy, corporate security, enterprise risk, Attack Surface Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Digital Investigations, data, and architecture teams.
• Coach managers and team members while building a calm, professional, accountable, documented, and innovation-ready culture.

Skills

Cyber Defense

Security Operations

Incident Response

Automation

AI-enabled security

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity

Tools

SIEM/SecOps platforms

SOAR

MSSP management

Cloud telemetry (AWS/GCP/Azure)

Job description

Job Description

Cyber Defense Operations Lead

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a variety of people, global locations, technologies, and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

Leads, matures, and transforms the Cyber Defense Operations (CDO) function. Drives CDO strategy execution, security monitoring, incident response coordination, detection engineering, SecOps platform operations, MSSP oversight, operational reporting, leadership development, and the innovation roadmap for security monitoring and incident response. As a Cyber Defense Operations Lead, You Will Have The Opportunity To Tap Into Your Curiosity And Collaborate With Some Of The Most Innovative People Around The World. Here, You Will Make An Impact By

• Lead the CDO function and establish clear roles, responsibilities, decision rights, escalation paths, service expectations, and operating rhythms.
• Oversee monitoring, incident response coordination, detection engineering, SecOps platform operations, and MSSP performance.
• Owns the CDO transformation roadmap from current-state operations to a data-driven, automation-enabled, agentic-ready capabilities.
• Represent CDO requirements in SecOps roadmap decisions, including telemetry quality, case management, reporting, cost management, automation, AI enablement, and future agentic workflows.
• Partner with IT, cloud, identity, endpoint, legal, privacy, corporate security, enterprise risk, Attack Surface Management, Cyber Threat Intelligence, Digital Investigations, data, and architecture teams.
• Coach managers and team members while building a calm, professional, accountable, documented, and innovation-ready culture.

Your Skills And Expertise

To set you up for success in this role from day one, 3M requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, or technology field (completed and verified prior to start)
• Fifteen (15) years of experience in cyber security in a private, public, government or military environment

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Proven leadership experience in Security Operations, Cyber Defense, Detection Engineering, Incident Response, or related cyber operations functions.
• Demonstrated ability to mature and transform an operational cyber defense function.
• Strong understanding of SIEM/SecOps platforms, SOAR, alert management, detection lifecycle management, case management, and incident response workflows.
• Experience with cloud security telemetry across AWS, GCP, and/or Azure.
• Ability to define and improve cyber data quality, ingestion priorities, normalization, routing, retention, and cost management.
• Experience managing MSSPs, security vendors, and cross-functional delivery partners.
• Ability to build roadmaps, execution plans, milestones, metrics, risks, and decision-ready materials.
• Strong written and verbal executive communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead teams calmly under pressure, delegate effectively, document decisions, and build repeatable operating processes.
• Practical understanding of automation, AI-enabled security operations, and the foundational data and workflow requirements needed to support future agentic SOC capabilities

Work location: Austin, TX

Relocation Assistance: Yes

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Supporting Your Well-being

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope.

Applicable to US Applicants Only: The expected compensation range for this position is $287,281 - $351,122, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/.

Good Faith Posting Date Range 07/17/2026 To 08/16/2026 Or until filled

All US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.

Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.

Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.

Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.

Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/

3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.