Lead GRC Analyst

IBM; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

IBM Research is seeking a Lead GRC Strategist to guide governance, risk, and compliance across the IBM Quantum program. You will partner with technical, legal, and business teams to embed controls in daily operations and ensure a robust compliance posture.

The role demands expert collaboration with auditors and executives, strong regulatory knowledge, and hands-on experience driving SOC 2 readiness and remediation. Master’s degree required.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC), Information Security, IT Audit, or Compliance Management.
• Demonstrable experience leading SOC 2 Type I and Type II audits including readiness assessments, control monitoring, evidence collection, and remediation tracking.
• Experience working directly with auditors, executive leadership, and cross-functional technical teams.
• Professional certifications such as CISA, CRISC, CISSP, CISM, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer/Auditor, or equivalent.
• Support additional compliance initiatives as needed, including FedRAMP, ITAR, ISO 27001, NIST CSF 2.0, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, AI governance, and other relevant frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead and maintain the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) efforts within the IBM Quantum program.
• Partner with technical, operational, legal, privacy, and business teams to ensure effective controls are designed, implemented, tested, and continuously improved.
• Translate regulatory and audit requirements into practical business controls to enable secure scalability and proactive risk management.

Skills

GRC

Information Security

Audit management

Regulatory compliance

Risk management

Cross-functional collaboration

Auditor liaison

Education

Master's Degree

Job description

Introduction

At IBM Research, we are the innovation engine of IBM. Exploring what’s next in computing and shaping the technologies the world will rely on tomorrow. From advancing AI and hybrid cloud to pioneering practical quantum computing, we anticipate challenges and unlock new opportunities for clients, partners, and society. Working in Research means joining a team that accelerates discovery at the intersection of high-performance computing, AI, quantum, and cloud. You’ll collaborate with leading scientists, engineers, and visionaries to push boundaries and turn ideas into reality. With a culture built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, IBM Research offers the opportunity to grow your career while contributing to breakthroughs that transform industries and change the world.

Introduction

At IBM Research, we are the innovation engine of IBM. Exploring what’s next in computing and shaping the technologies the world will rely on tomorrow. From advancing AI and hybrid cloud to pioneering practical quantum computing, we anticipate challenges and unlock new opportunities for clients, partners, and society. Working in Research means joining a team that accelerates discovery at the intersection of high-performance computing, AI, quantum, and cloud. You’ll collaborate with leading scientists, engineers, and visionaries to push boundaries and turn ideas into reality. With a culture built on curiosity, creativity, and collaboration, IBM Research offers the opportunity to grow your career while contributing to breakthroughs that transform industries and change the world.

Your Role And Responsibilities

We are seeking an experienced Lead GRC Strategist responsible for leading and maintaining the Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) efforts within the IBM Quantum program.

In this role, you will partner with technical, operational, legal, privacy, and business teams to ensure effective controls are designed, implemented, tested, and continuously improved to support customer trust, regulatory obligations, and business objectives.

This role is instrumental in building and maintaining customer trust by ensuring compliance requirements are embedded into how the organization operates. The Lead GRC Strategist helps translate regulatory and audit requirements into practical business controls, enabling the organization to scale securely while proactively managing risk and maintaining a strong compliance posture.

Preferred Education

Master's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

• 7+ years of experience in Governance, Risk, Compliance (GRC), Information Security, IT Audit, or Compliance Management.
• Demonstrable experience leading SOC 2 Type I and Type II audits including readiness assessments, control monitoring, evidence collection, and remediation tracking.
• Experience working directly with auditors, executive leadership, and cross-functional technical teams.
• Professional certifications such as CISA, CRISC, CISSP, CISM, ISO 27001 Lead Implementer/Auditor, or equivalent.
• Support additional compliance initiatives as needed, including FedRAMP, ITAR, ISO 27001, NIST CSF 2.0, PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, AI governance, and other relevant frameworks.

Preferred Technical And Professional Experience

• Experience or familiarity with the security and compliance needs of quantum computing environments, especially given the sensitivity and complexity of quantum software and infrastructure.
• Experience developing automation solutions using scripting or programming languages.
• Experience working in highly regulated, research-focused, or advanced technology environments.