Lead Security Analyst, Research Computing

Jobtailor; Knoxville (TN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is seeking a senior leader to oversee the Research Computing Security team in Knoxville, TN. You will guide planning, risk assessments, and the maturation of security controls across research computing environments, acting as a trusted advisor to researchers and central IT.

The role requires strong knowledge of regulatory requirements and experience with audits, artifacts, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology Management, IT Security, or a related field.
• Seven (7) years of relevant information security experience.
• Extensive knowledge of cybersecurity governance, control frameworks, and risk assessment for research environments.
• Extensive knowledge of NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, CMMC, HIPAA, FERPA, and sponsor requirements for research computing.
• Skill in developing and maintaining control documentation and audit-ready artifacts.
• Skill in analyzing controls, identifying gaps, and documenting risk mitigation plans.
• Strong communication to explain security requirements to researchers, technical staff, and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven ability to lead work, coordinate priorities, and contribute to security operations in collaborative environments.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without sponsorship.
• Preferred: ten or more years of relevant experience.
• Preferred: at least three years in a research computing environment.
• Preferred: experience leading security/compliance in higher education or regulated environments.
• Preferred: knowledge of export control and controlled unclassified information.
• Preferred: knowledge of cloud and hybrid research computing architectures.
• Preferred: experience with governance, risk, and compliance tools and POA&Ms.
• Preferred: ability to interpret contract clauses and translate sponsor or regulatory requirements into operational security controls.
• Preferred: relevant certifications such as Security+, CISSP, CISM, CISA, CGRC, or CAP

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for the Research Computing Security team, including planning, direction, and performance management.
• Lead projects to design, implement, and mature security controls across research computing environments.
• Mentor team members on regulatory awareness, evidence quality, and security operations best practices.
• Serve as trusted advisor to researchers, PIs, and central IT.
• Oversee compliance activities for NIST 800-171/800-53, CMMC, HIPAA, FERPA, and export controls.
• Prepare and maintain artifacts for assessments, audits, attestations, and reviews.
• Coordinate risk assessments, gap analyses, and periodic control reviews.
• Document findings, rate risk, and support mitigation and risk acceptance workflows.
• Review contracts for export controls and sponsor requirements; provide guidance on obligations.
• Communicate requirements and assist with training, escalation, and reporting.
• Coordinate and validate security controls for environments handling sensitive data.
• Track remediation, deviations, and evidence; maintain audit-ready documentation.
• Monitor security alerts and oversee escalation for regulated research customers.
• Support incident response activities within research computing; assist other units as needed.
• Assist in tabletop exercises and penetration testing activities.

Skills

Leadership

Project planning

Direction setting

Performance management

Mentoring

Regulatory awareness

Evidence quality

Security operations

Research security

Communication

Risk assessment

Governance

GRC tools

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/IT/Security

Certifications: Security+, CISSP, CISM, CISA, CGRC, CAP

Job description

• Provide leadership for the Research Computing Security team, including planning, direction, activity prioritization, performance management, and professional development


• Lead projects to design, implement, and mature security controls across research computing environments


• Mentor team members on regulatory awareness, evidence quality, customer-facing security operations, and research security best practices


• Serve as a subject matter expert and trusted advisor to researchers, principal investigators, research computing staff, compliance partners, and central IT


• Oversee compliance activities for NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, CMMC, HIPAA, FERPA, and export control requirements


• Prepare and maintain artifacts for assessments, audits, attestations, and ongoing compliance reviews


• Direct and coordinate risk assessments, gap analyses, and periodic control reviews


• Document findings, rate risk, recommend mitigation strategies, and support continuous monitoring and risk acceptance workflows


• Review contracts and agreements and provide guidance on export controls, sanctions, and research security compliance obligations


• Communicate requirements and assist with training, awareness, issue escalation, and reporting


• Coordinate and validate administrative, technical, and physical security controls for environments handling controlled, restricted, or sensitive data


• Track remediation activities, exceptions, inherited controls, and supporting evidence


• Maintain audit-ready security documentation, including system security plans, control narratives, procedures, implementation statements, inventories, diagrams, and plans of action and milestones


• Monitor, triage, and investigate security alerts affecting research computing systems and services


• Oversee escalation handling for security events affecting regulated research customers


• Serve as the subject matter expert for cybersecurity incident response activities within research computing environments


• Support incident response activities for other university departments, units, and colleges as needed


• Assist in developing and participating in tabletop exercises and penetration testing activities

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology Management, IT Security, or a related field


• Seven (7) years of relevant experience providing information security services for an organization of similar function and size


• Extensive knowledge of cybersecurity governance, control frameworks, and risk assessment methodologies relevant to research environments


• Extensive knowledge of NIST 800-171, NIST 800-53, CMMC, HIPAA, FERPA, and common regulatory or sponsor requirements affecting research computing


• Skill in developing and maintaining control documentation, evidence repositories, diagrams, and audit-ready compliance artifacts


• Skill in analyzing technical and procedural controls, identifying gaps, and documenting practical risk mitigation plans


• Strong communication skills with the ability to explain security requirements to researchers, technical staff, and non-technical stakeholders while managing multiple compliance efforts


• Demonstrated ability to lead work, coordinate priorities, and contribute to security operations in complex, highly collaborative environments


• Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment-based visa status


• Preferred: ten (10) or more years of relevant experience


• Preferred: at least three (3) years of experience in a research computing environment


• Preferred: experience leading security or compliance efforts in higher education, research administration, or other regulated environments


• Preferred: knowledge of higher education research administration, export control, and controlled unclassified information requirements


• Preferred: knowledge of cloud and hybrid research computing architectures, data classification, and secure enclave design


• Preferred: experience using governance, risk, and compliance tools, spreadsheets, and workflow systems to manage control status and POA&Ms


• Preferred: ability to interpret contract clauses and translate sponsor or regulatory requirements into operational security controls


• Preferred: relevant certifications such as Security+, CISSP, CISM, CISA, CGRC, or CAP


• Required application attachments: resume and cover letter

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in cybersecurity governance, risk assessment methodologies, and compliance with NIST standards, HIPAA, and FERPA. Proven ability to lead security operations, mentor teams, and communicate complex security requirements effectively to diverse stakeholders.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Cybersecurity Governance


• NIST 800-171 Compliance


• Risk Assessment Methodologies


• Security Documentation Development


• Incident Response Management

ATS Optimization Keywords

Hard Skills

• Information Security Services


• Control Frameworks


• Risk Mitigation Planning


• Compliance Artifact Maintenance


• Security Control Analysis

Soft Skills

• Strong Communication Skills


• Leadership


• Collaboration


• Mentoring

Certifications & Qualifications

• Security+


• CISSP


• CISM


• CISA


• CGRC


• CAP

Industry Keywords

• Research Computing


• Higher Education


• Export Control


• Controlled Unclassified Information


• Cybersecurity Incident Response

Tools & Technologies

• Governance, Risk, and Compliance Tools


• Workflow Systems


• Spreadsheets