Information Security Professional IV

University of Central Florida; Orlando (FL); On-site; USD 105,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Education assistance

Paid time off

Retirement savings options

Employee discounts

Job summary

University of Central Florida seeks an Information Technology Security Professional IV to advance cybersecurity operations, threat detection, incident response, and security engineering across enterprise and CUI environments. You will lead incident response and collaborate with IT teams and researchers to strengthen security posture.

Ideal candidates will have strong SOC experience, familiarity with Microsoft Sentinel/Defender/Entra IDs, and relevant security certifications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with 5 years of relevant experience.
• Or high school diploma with 9 years of relevant work experience

Responsibilities

• Lead cybersecurity incident response activities (detection, analysis, containment, recovery, post-incident reviews).
• Support SOC functions: monitoring, threat hunting, investigation, response coordination.
• Design, implement, and maintain security technologies and secure infrastructure.
• Administer Microsoft security platforms: Sentinel, Defender, Entra CA policies.
• Provide cybersecurity guidance for initiatives and technology implementations.
• Conduct security assessments and support vulnerability management.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to promote secure operations.
• Develop security policies, playbooks, and documentation.

Skills

SOC experience

Microsoft 365 security

SIEM/EDR

Threat hunting

Digital forensics

Vulnerability management

CUI compliance

Security certifications

Education

Bachelor's degree

High School Diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Sentinel

Microsoft Defender

Entra Conditional Access

Job description

University Operations:

University Operations at UCF is committed to creating a supportive and welcoming environment for our faculty, staff, students, and the broader community. We take pride in delivering exceptional service, sharing our expertise, and upholding the highest standards to ensure a world-class campus experience.

Visit ourwebsiteor follow us onFacebookandInstagramto learn more.

The Opportunity:

The Information Technology department within University Operations is seeking to hire an Information Technology Security Professional IV. The Information Security Professional position will support and advance the institution's cybersecurity operations, threat detection, incident response, and security engineering programs. This position serves as a senior cybersecurity professional responsible for protecting university systems, research environments, and sensitive data across enterprise and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) environments. This position will collaborate with Information Technology teams, researchers, compliance personnel, and university stakeholders to strengthen the institution's cybersecurity posture, manage security incidents, and implement effective security controls.

Responsibilities:

• Lead and coordinate cybersecurity incident response activities, including incident detection, analysis, containment, recovery, and post-incident reviews.
• Support Security Operations Center (SOC) functions, including security monitoring, threat hunting, investigation of security events, and response coordination.
• Design, implement, and maintain security technologies and secure infrastructure solutions to protect university systems and data.
• Administer and support Microsoft security platforms, including Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender, and Microsoft Entra Conditional Access policies.
• Provide cybersecurity consultation and technical guidance for university initiatives, projects, and technology implementations.
• Conduct security assessments, support vulnerability management efforts, and recommend risk mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to promote secure operations and address cybersecurity concerns.
• Develop and enhance security policies, procedures, playbooks, and operational documentation to improve cybersecurity program effectiveness.

Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and 5 years of relevant experience; or High School Diploma (or equivalent) and 9 years of relevant work experience in lieu of degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting Security Operations Center (SOC) and incident response functions.
• Experience with Microsoft Sentinel, Microsoft Defender, Microsoft Entra ID, and Conditional Access policies.
• Knowledge of SIEM, EDR, threat intelligence, firewall, intrusion prevention (IPS), and VPN technologies.
• Experience with threat hunting, digital forensics, security monitoring, and vulnerability management.
• Experience supporting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) environments and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Professional certifications such as CISSP, GIAC, Security+, Microsoft Security certifications, or similar credentials are preferred.
• Experience working within higher education, research, or large enterprise environments is highly desirable.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

Work Schedule:UCF business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM with required availability for after-hours, weekend, holiday, and on-call incident response activities as needed.

The anticipated salary range for this position is $104,664 to $120,000.The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

If you are selected as the final candidate for an employment opportunity, both your position and salary will be significantly based upon the information that you have provided in your application for employment. We urge you to please take the time to complete the application in its entirety.

All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation,you'llplay an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country.You'llbe met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow,you'llwork alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills,andyou'llhave countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck.

Working at UCF has itsperks!UCF offers:

• Benefitpackages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program
• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays
• Retirement savings options
• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions
• Educationassistance
• And more...For more benefits information, view theUCF Employee Benefits Guide.

Dive intoourTotal Rewards Calculatorto discover the diverseselectionavailable to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF.

Unless explicitlystatedon the job posting, it is UCF's expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins.

Department

UCF IT Information Security Office

Work Schedule

UCF business hours are Monday-Friday, 8:0 AM to 5:00 PM with required availability for after-hours, weekend, holiday, and on-call incident response activities as needed.

Type of Appointment

Regular

Expected Salary

$104,664.00 to Negotiable

Job Posting End Date

09-24-2026-12-00-AM

The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law. The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer.

For general application or posting questions, please email [e-mail].

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please email [e-mail].