IT Security Engineer IV (Part Time) (Remote)

Kforce Inc; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Kforce Inc. in San Diego, CA is seeking an IT Security Engineer IV for a one-year contract to join the Security Operations Center. The role focuses on incident response, hands-on investigation, and rapid containment across host, network, and cloud environments.

The ideal candidate has strong incident response and digital forensics experience, is comfortable with automation and AI-assisted security platforms, and will mentor junior responders while contributing to ongoing program improvements.

Qualifications

• Strong incident response and digital forensics background.
• Experience with SIEM/EDR integrations and threat hunting.
• Familiarity with incident response playbooks and automation.

Responsibilities

• Respond to and lead critical security incidents with incident response plans.
• Perform host, network, and cloud forensic analysis to determine root cause and containment.
• Analyze signals across SIEM, EDR, and logs to triage threats.
• Develop and improve incident response playbooks and runbooks.
• Operate within ServiceNow SIR workflows and refine processes.
• Collaborate with Compliance, Legal, and Risk on regulatory requirements.

Skills

Incident response

Digital forensics

SIEM

EDR

ServiceNow SIR

Threat detection

Mentorship

Tools

SIEM

EDR

ServiceNow

Mate AI SOC

Job description

Responsibilities

A client with Kforce is seeking an IT Security Engineer IV to join their team in San Diego, CA. Summary: The client is seeking an experienced Security Engineer for a one-year contract to join the Security Operations Center (SOC) within Threat Operations, focused primarily on incident response. This is a hands-on investigator role: detecting, analyzing, and responding to security incidents from initial triage through containment and closure.

• Respond to and lead critical, escalated security incidents: coordinating communications, executing the Incident Response Plan, and delivering clear, timely status updates to stakeholders and senior leadership
• Perform comprehensive host, network, and cloud forensic analysis to determine root cause, scope, and impact, ensuring containment is validated against the client's control-testing standard before an incident is closed
• Analyze and correlate signals across SIEM, EDR, and other platform logs to triage and validate threats.
• Develop, maintain, and improve incident response playbooks and runbooks in partnership with the SOC's Analysis Champ and other capability owners
• Operate within existing automated workflows in ServiceNow SIR, following and refining established processes
• Flag detection gaps and false-positive patterns identified during live incidents to Detection Engineering for tuning and new detection development
• Use outputs from Mate AI SOC platform to inform triage and investigation decisions
• Collaborate with Compliance, Legal, and Risk to ensure response workflows meet business and regulatory requirements
• Assess vulnerabilities, propose remediation, and stay current on emerging threats and countermeasures
• Provide training and mentorship to other incident responders on best practices
• Contribute to post-incident reviews and help build metrics that drive continuous program improvement

Requirements

• To be considered for this position, candidates must have experience in a similar role, or they must possess significant knowledge, experience, and abilities to successfully perform the responsibilities listed
• Relevant education and/or training will be considered a plus

The ideal candidate has a strong incident response and digital forensics background, understands attacker methodology, and is comfortable operating within modern automation and AI-assisted security platforms.

The pay range is the lowest to highest compensation we reasonably in good faith believe we would pay at posting for this role. We may ultimately pay more or less than this range. Employee pay is based on factors like relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, seniority, location, performance, union contract and business needs. This range may be modified in the future.

We offer comprehensive benefits including medical/dental/vision insurance, HSA, FSA, 401(k), and life, disability & ADD insurance to eligible employees. Salaried personnel receive paid time off. Hourly employees are not eligible for paid time off unless required by law. Hourly employees on a Service Contract Act project are eligible for paid sick leave.

Note: Pay is not considered compensation until it is earned, vested and determinable. The amount and availability of any compensation remains in Kforce's sole discretion unless and until paid and may be modified in its discretion consistent with the law.

This job is not eligible for bonuses, incentives or commissions.

Kforce is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.