Information Security Principal Security Engineer

Ascensus; Pennsylvania; Remote; USD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascensus is looking for a Principal Security Engineer to design and implement security solutions enterprise-wide. You will drive security strategy, work with SOC and architecture teams, and mentor engineers to strengthen resilience.

You will lead automation using Python/PowerShell/Bash, perform risk assessments, and ensure compliance with regulatory standards while aligning with business goals. Remote-friendly role in the United States, PA-centric considerations apply.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or related field.
• 7+ years in security engineering, cybersecurity operations, or security architecture.
• Expertise in NGFW, WAF, EDR, IDS/IPS, DLP, SSO/MFA, SIEM, CASB/SWG/SASE, PAM, IAM.
• Strong scripting and automation skills; ability to mentor and guide teams.
• Experience with risk assessments, threat modeling, and compliance controls.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and optimize security solutions for enterprise assets.
• Provide technical guidance in evaluating security tools and frameworks.
• Develop security automation across platforms using Python/PowerShell/Bash.
• Collaborate with SOC, threat intel, architecture, and IT teams.
• Lead large security projects with documentation and risk assessments.
• Stay ahead of threats and industry trends to improve security posture.
• Mentor engineers and share knowledge through training and docs.
• Support incident response with root-cause analysis and remediation.

Skills

Security Architecture

Threat Modeling

Automation Scripting

Security Standards

Mentorship

Communication

Problem Solving

Risk Assessment

Regulatory Compliance

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in CS/Info Security

Tools

Python

PowerShell

Bash

NGFW

WAF

EDR

SIEM

CASB/SWG/SASE

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.