Information Security Principal Security Engineer

Ascensus; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascensus is seeking a Principal Security Engineer to shape security strategy and lead major initiatives. You will design and implement solutions, mentor engineers, and collaborate with SOC, threat intel, and IT teams to strengthen resilience across the enterprise.

The ideal candidate has 7+ years in security roles, deep expertise in NGFW/WAF/EDR/IDS-IPS/DLP, cloud security, and automation. Remote work options available with strong communication skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or master's degree in CS or InfoSec.
• 7+ years in security engineering, cybersecurity operations, or security architecture.
• Strong knowledge of NGFW, WAF, EDR, IDS/IPS, DLP, SSO/MFA, SIEM, CASB, SWG, SASE, PAM, IAM.
• Experience with cloud security (AWS/Azure/GCP) and Zero Trust.
• Automation and scripting in Python, PowerShell, Bash.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills.
• Certs preferred: CISSP, OSCP, CISM, CEH, GSEC.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize security solutions for enterprise assets, data, and systems.
• Provide guidance in evaluating and deploying security tools and frameworks.
• Develop security automation and integration across platforms using Python/PowerShell/Bash.
• Collaborate with SOC, threat intel, and IT teams to address risks.
• Ensure solutions meet regulatory requirements and governance standards.
• Lead major security initiatives with proper documentation and risk assessments.
• Mentor engineers and share knowledge through training and docs.
• Stay ahead of threats and evolving security technologies.

Skills

Security architecture

Threat modeling

Automation scripting

Incident response

Communication skills

Education

CS/InfoSec degree

Tools

NGFW

WAF

EDR

IDS/IPS

DLP

SSO

MFA

SIEM

CASB

SWG

SASE

PAM

IAM

Zero Trust

Job description

Ascensus is the leading independent technology and service platform powering savings plans across America, providing products and expertise that help nearly 16 million people save for a better today and tomorrow.

Section 1: Position Summary

As a Principal Security Engineer, you will be a key visionary within the security engineering team, responsible for designing, implementing, and enhancing security solutions across the enterprise.

You will play a crucial role in shaping security strategy, leading major security initiatives, and ensuring that security technologies and processes align with business objectives, industry standards, and compliance requirements.

This role requires deep technical expertise, strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to mentor junior engineers. You will collaborate with security teams (SOC, threat intelligence, architecture) and IT teams to drive security innovation and resilience across the organization.

Section 2: Job Functions, Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Security Architecture & Implementation: Design, implement, and optimize securitysolutions to protect enterprise assets, data, and systems.
• Technology Guidance: Provide technical guidance in evaluating, selecting, and deploying security tools and frameworks.
• Security Engineering & Automation: Develop and implement security automation and integration across security platforms using scripting languages (Python, PowerShell, Bash).
• Threat & Vulnerability Management: Work closely with the SOC and threat teams to identify, analyze, and remediate security risks.
• Compliance & Governance: Ensure security solutions align with regulatory requirements.
• Incident Response Support: Provide advanced security engineering support for security incidents and investigations, including root cause analysis and remediation strategies.
• Security Program Ownership: Lead and contribute to large-scale security projects and initiatives, ensuring proper documentation, risk assessments, and successful implementation.
• Research & Development: Stay ahead of emerging threats, security technologies, and industry trends to continuously enhance security posture.
• Mentorship & Training: Mentor security engineers and provide knowledge sharing through documentation, training sessions, and hands-on guidance.

Section 3: Experience, Skills, Knowledge Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related field.
• 7+ years of experience in security engineering, cybersecurity operations, or security architecture roles.
• Strong expertise in security technologies, including:

• Next Generation Firewalls (NGFW)
• Web Application Firewall (WAF)
• Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)
• Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS)
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
• Single Sign-On (SSO) & Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Security Information & Event Management (SIEM)
• Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), Secure Web Gateway (SWG), Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
• Privileged Access Management (PAM)
• Identity & Access Management (IAM)
• Network segmentation & Zero Trust architectures

• Deep knowledge of Networking, NGFW, WAF, macro segmentation, cloud security (AWS, Azure, GCP) and modern security frameworks (e.g., Zero Trust, MITRE ATT&CK, NIST CSF, ISO 27001).
• Proven experience with automation and scripting (Python, PowerShell, Bash) for security engineering and threat detection.
• Strong experience in security architecture and solution design for enterprise environments.
• Experience with performing risk assessments, threat modeling, and security controls validation.
• Advanced knowledge of compliance.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical thinking, and communication skills, with the ability to translate security concepts for non-technical stakeholders.
• Professional security certifications preferred: CISSP, OSCP, CISM, CEH, GSEC, or equivalent.

For virtual remote positions, we require an uninterrupted workspace during business hours and an internet work speed of 25 Mbps or better. If you are unsure of your internet speed before applying, please check with your service provider.