Head of Security (f/m/d)

1komma5grad; United States; Remote; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

1komma5grad is seeking a hands-on security leadership role to protect a software-enabled energy platform that connects home devices into a unified, automated system. You will lead security strategy, risk management, and compliance for critical energy infrastructure in a fast-paced startup environment.

You will own cloud, application, and IoT security across the platform, drive secure development practices, and communicate risk to engineers and executives up to C-level.

Qualifications

• Several years of security engineering or security leadership, including mentoring engineers.
• Strong cloud security depth (prefer GCP) covering infra, CI/CD, identity and app security.
• Startup agility: build a security framework from scratch rather than inherit one.
• Familiarity with NIST CSF and ISO 27001; knowledge of NIS2/KRITIS is a plus.
• Strong communication and pragmatic, outcome-oriented work style.
• Excellent English; German is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow Team Trust; set direction, hiring, mentoring, and team health.
• Own cloud, application, and IoT security across platform and devices in customers' homes.
• Run risk and compliance; maintain cybersecurity frameworks and applicable regulations.
• Drive identity and access management and embed secure-development practices.
• Treat security as a product; build developer-facing capabilities by default.
• Translate security risk into concrete terms for engineers, product managers, and executives.

Skills

Security leadership

Cloud security (GCP)

IAM & access management

Security frameworks

DevSecOps / CI/CD security

Clear communication

Tools

Google Cloud Platform

Job description

Role overview

Lead security for a software organisation that operates a virtual power plant connecting home energy hardware (solar, batteries, heat pumps, e-mobility) into a unified, automated system. This is a hands-on leadership role protecting critical energy infrastructure, not a traditional corporate IT post: the systems you secure help drive the transition to renewable power for households.

Responsibilities

• Lead and grow Team Trust, setting direction, hiring, mentoring, and maintaining team health.


• Own cloud, application, and IoT security across the platform and the connected hardware deployed in customers' homes.


• Run risk and compliance, maintaining cybersecurity frameworks (e.g., NIST CSF, ISO 27001) and the regulations that apply to energy companies (e.g., NIS2, KRITIS).


• Drive identity and access management and embed secure-development practices that scale with the engineering organisation.


• Treat security as a product, building capabilities developers use by default.


• Translate security risk into concrete terms for engineers, product managers, and senior business stakeholders up to C-level.

Requirements

• Several years in security engineering or security leadership, including leading or mentoring engineers.


• Technical depth in cloud security (ideally Google Cloud Platform) covering infrastructure, CI/CD, identity, and application security.


• Startup agility: experience building a security framework from scratch rather than inheriting one.


• Familiarity with frameworks such as NIST CSF and ISO 27001, and ideally critical-infrastructure rules such as NIS2 and KRITIS.


• Strong communication skills and a pragmatic, outcome-oriented way of working.


• Excellent English; German is a plus.

Nice to have

• Hands-on coding experience.


• Background in AI-assisted engineering setups, including agentic workflows and their guardrails.


• Experience running or coordinating security incident response.


• Familiarity with security and IT controls in a company preparing for a public listing.


• Scale-up experience in organisations of roughly 100 to 1,000 employees.


• Genuine interest in climate tech and renewable energy.

Benefits and work setup

• Remote-first across Germany with a flexible remote policy and offices in Hamburg, Berlin, and Munich available when needed.


• Flat hierarchies and short decision paths so work reaches production quickly.


• Direct contact with core decision-makers.


• Access to a well-being programme ("EGYM Wellpass"), partner benefits and discounts platform, and a job-bike leasing scheme.