Director, Cyber Defense

USA-Medtronic MiniMed, Inc 1017; Minnesota; On-site; USD 186,000 - 316,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan with company match

Job summary

MiniMed is seeking a Director of Cyber Defense to build and operate a modern security program spanning enterprise IT, cloud, identity, and manufacturing environments. You’ll lead 24x7 security operations, incident response, and the enterprise offensive security program, while modernizing services with AI-native, automation-first approaches.

The role requires 15+ years of cybersecurity experience with 7+ years in leadership, plus strong vendor governance and certifications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 15+ years in cybersecurity with 7+ years of managerial experience
• Experience leading 24x7 security operations and incident command for high-severity events
• Experience with MSSP/MDR and security service providers; build‑versus‑buy decisions

Responsibilities

• Define and execute Cyber Defense strategy, roadmap, and operating model across enterprise IT, cloud, identity, and OT
• Own 24x7 Security Operations, including monitoring, detection, threat intel, hunting, incident response, forensics, and MSSP/MDR performance
• Serve as senior incident commander for high-severity events and manage evidence, escalation and reporting for executives and regulators
• Lead enterprise Offensive Security program including pentesting, red teaming, adversary emulation, and attack-path analysis
• Design AI-native Security Operations: automation-first, API-first, detection-as-code, runbook-as-code, and governed AI agents
• Build and lead a technically strong team; govern architecture, risk decisions, and transitions to standalone operating model
• Own build-versus-buy roadmap and vendor/service governance to optimize speed, quality, and cost

Skills

Penetration testing

Red teaming

Threat intel

Threat hunting

Incident commander

Security ops

Automation-first

APIs

AI/ML workflows

Cloud platforms

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SIEM

SOAR

EDR/XDR

Job description

We anticipate the application window for this opening will close on - 29 Oct 2026. At MiniMed, you can begin a lifelong career of exploration and innovation, while helping make a difference in the lives of people living with diabetes around the globe. You'll lead with purpose, breaking down barriers to innovation for a more connected, compassionate world.

About the Role

The Director, Cyber Defense — Security Operations & Offensive Security is accountable for building and operating MiniMed’s modern cyber defense capability. This leader owns the strategy, people, services, technology, and operating model that enable MiniMed to detect, investigate, respond to, test, and continuously improve its defenses across enterprise IT, cloud, identity, manufacturing and operational technology, applications, data, and connected-product ecosystems. The successful candidate will bring an AI-native mentality to the way security services are designed and delivered. This means redesigning work around automation, APIs, telemetry, detection-as-code, and carefully governed AI agents.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute MiniMed’s Cyber Defense strategy, roadmap, and operating model across enterprise IT, cloud, identity, applications, data, manufacturing and OT, and connected-product supporting services.
• Own 24x7x365 Security Operations, including monitoring, detection engineering, threat intelligence, threat hunting, exposure-informed defense, incident response, digital forensics, crisis readiness, and MSSP/MDR performance.
• Serve as senior incident commander for high-severity events and maintain the evidence, escalation, recovery, and reporting mechanisms required for executive, legal, privacy, regulatory, and disclosure decisions.
• Lead the enterprise Offensive Security program, including penetration testing, red teaming, adversary emulation, purple teaming, attack-path analysis, social engineering, breach-and-attack simulation, and control validation.
• Design Security Operations as AI-native services: automation-first, API-first, observable, measurable, and delivered through detection-as-code, runbook-as-code, governed AI agents, and reusable integrations.
• Build and lead a technically strong team, retain accountability for architecture, risk decisions, sensitive investigations, and incident command, and use managed services, platforms, and specialist providers selectively where they improve speed, quality, resilience, or cost.
• Own the build-versus-buy roadmap, vendor and service governance, tooling rationalization, capability sequencing, and transition to MiniMed’s standalone operating model.

Required Knowledge and Experience

• Requires a Bachelor's degree and minimum of 15 years of relevant cybersecurity experience with 7+ years of managerial experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience building or leading a global, distributed, follow-the-sun, or hybrid 24x7 security operations capability and serving as incident commander for high-severity, business-impacting incidents.
• Deep understanding of SIEM, SOAR, EDR/XDR, cloud and identity telemetry, threat intelligence, threat hunting, digital forensics, detection engineering, vulnerability and exposure management, and security data platforms.
• Experience designing or operating automation-first security services using APIs, infrastructure-as-code, detection-as-code, runbook-as-code, and AI/ML or agent-enabled workflows with appropriate human oversight.
• Strong technical understanding of a selection of cloud platforms, operating systems, networking, application and product security, IAM, privileged access, key management, encryption, DLP, endpoint security, OT, and manufacturing environments.
• Experience managing MSSP/MDR, penetration‑testing, threat‑intelligence, or other specialist security providers, including build‑versus‑buy decisions and service performance governance.
• Certifications such as CISSP, CCSP, CISM, GIAC, OSCP, OSCE, CREST, or equivalent practical expertise; familiarity with NIST CSF, MITRE ATT&CK, OWASP, CIS Controls, FDA cybersecurity expectations, EU regulatory requirements, and relevant privacy and resilience obligations.
• Technical and credible leadership style.
• Calm, decisive, and thoughtful under pressure.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to explain technical concepts and technologies to business leaders, and business concepts to the IT Security workforce.
• Experience in medical devices, healthcare, life sciences, manufacturing, critical infrastructure, or another highly regulated and high‑availability environment; experience with connected products, IoT, mobile applications, product‑cloud ecosystems, or software update channels is advantageous.
• Experience operating through a carve‑out, separation, major transformation, or transition‑services exit, and standing up security capabilities from the ground up.

Physical Job Requirements

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this position, but they are not an exhaustive list of all the required responsibilities and skills of this position. The physical demands described within the Responsibilities section of this job description are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. For Office Roles: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to be independently mobile. The employee is also required to interact with a computer and communicate with peers and co‑workers. Contact your manager or local HR to understand the Work Conditions and Physical requirements that may be specific to each role.

Benefits & Compensation

MiniMed offers a competitive salary and flexible benefits package. At MiniMed, we put people first. A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values: We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help create.

Salary ranges for U.S (excl. PR) locations (USD):$186,000.00 - $316,000.00. This position is eligible for an annual long‑term incentive plan.

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Healthcare Flexible Spending Account
• Life insurance
• Long‑term disability leave
• Dependent daycare spending account
• Incentive plans
• 401(k) plan with company match
• Short‑term disability coverage
• Paid time off and holidays
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Employee Assistance Program
• Non‑qualified Retirement Plan Supplement and Capital Accumulation Plan (subject to IRS minimum earnings requirements)

MiniMed Benefits Overview

At MiniMed, we put people first. A commitment to our employees lives at the core of our values: We recognize their contributions. They share in the success they help create. We offer a wide range of benefits, resources, and competitive compensation plans designed to support you at every stage of your career and life.

About MiniMed

MiniMed is a full‑stack insulin delivery company dedicated to supporting people living with diabetes through every step of their journey — when and how they need it. For more than 40 years, we’ve been committed to redefining what’s possible: intelligent dosing systems designed for real life, predictive insights that stay a step ahead, and always on support when it’s needed most. At the heart of everything we do is a simple Mission: to make every day a better day for people with diabetes. Learn more about our business, and our mission here.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is the policy of MiniMed to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, familial status, membership or activity in a local human rights commission, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law. In addition, MiniMed will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

It is the policy of MiniMed to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, MiniMed will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Compliance Statement

If you are applying to perform work for MiniMed in any position which will involve performing at least two (2) hours of work on average each week within the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, you can find here a list of all material job duties of the specific job position which MiniMed reasonably believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship potentially resulting in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. MiniMed will consider for employment qualified job applicants with arrest or conviction records in accordance with the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

Healthcare Field Requirements

For sales reps and other patient facing field employees, going into a healthcare setting is considered an essential function of the job and we expect our employees to comply with all credentialing requirements at the hospitals or clinics they support.

E‑Verify Program

This employer participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees.