Security Administrator – Contract-to-Hire

Fusion92; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 95,000 - 135,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor is looking for a security operations specialist in Chicago to monitor threats, triage alerts, and manage endpoint security tooling. You will collaborate with cross-functional teams to embed security into AI and data‑driven projects from the start.

You will handle end-to-end incident response, policy reviews, and compliance with SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001, and CIS controls in a high‑alert environment. Strong communication is essential.

Qualifications

• 3+ years hands-on IT security ops or security administration.
• Experience with Entra ID/Azure AD including CA, PIM, sign-in analysis, identity protection.
• Hands-on with endpoint security platforms (EDR/EPP) like SentinelOne/CrowdStrike.
• Experience with SIEM and vulnerability scanning technologies.
• Familiarity with Linux command line and security tasks.
• Knowledge of network, OS and cloud security concepts.
• Familiarity with SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001 or CIS Controls for gap analysis.
• Strong communication to translate findings to IT and leadership.
• Self-directed with ability to manage competing priorities in a high-alert environment.

Responsibilities

• Triage and respond to security alerts and investigations.
• Manage and optimize endpoint security tooling across devices.
• Assess governance of AI tool adoption and data access controls.
• Collaborate with Platform, Product & Innovation teams to embed security early.
• Investigate incidents end-to-end and document for stakeholders.
• Audit configurations against policies and surface remediation steps.
• Review Entra ID policies, MFA, and identity hygiene.
• Perform vulnerability assessments and coordinate remediation.
• Audit user access, privileged accounts, and SaaS integrations.
• Support regulatory readiness with SOC 2, NIST, CIS/CIS Controls.
• Evaluate tools and processes for security posture improvements.
• Mentor junior staff on incident response and escalation process.
• Stay updated on evolving threat landscape and AI-specific risks.

Skills

IT security ops

Threat analysis

Incident response

Policy & compliance

Cloud security

Communication

Tools

SentinelOne

CrowdStrike

SIEM

Vulnerability scanning

Linux

Job description

Responsibilities

• Triage and respond to security alerts across Huntress, Blumira, and Microsoft Entra ID, investigating risky sign‑ins, anomalous behavior, and policy violations.
• Manage and optimize endpoint security tooling, including SentinelOne and other EDR/EPP platforms, ensuring coverage, policy enforcement, and timely response across the device fleet.
• Assess and help govern the security implications of AI tool adoption across the organization, evaluating data access, integration permissions, and acceptable use boundaries as new AI initiatives are introduced.
• Collaborate with the Platform, Product & Innovation team to ensure security controls and governance frameworks are built into AI and data‑driven projects from the outset, rather than retrofitted after deployment.
• Investigate security incidents end‑to‑end and produce clear documentation for technical and leadership audiences.
• Audit security configurations against established policies, identify implementation gaps, and surface findings with recommended remediation paths.
• Review and validate Conditional Access policies, MFA configurations, and identity hygiene across Microsoft Entra ID.
• Conduct vulnerability assessments and coordinate remediation with relevant IT and infrastructure owners.
• Perform routine audits of user access, privileged accounts, application permissions, and SaaS integrations.
• Support compliance gap analysis against SOC 2, NIST, and CIS Controls frameworks and contribute to the organization’s regulatory readiness roadmap.
• Evaluate security tools and processes and provide input on improvements that would meaningfully strengthen our posture.
• Assist in training junior IT staff on incident identification and response, progressively delegating routine work as their skills develop.
• Stay current with the evolving threat landscape, including AI‑specific risks, and bring relevant insights back to the team.

Requirements

• 3+ years of hands‑on experience in IT security operations or security administration.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD), including Conditional Access, PIM, sign‑in log analysis, and identity protection.
• Hands‑on experience with endpoint security platforms such as SentinelOne, CrowdStrike, or equivalent EDR/EPP tools.
• Experience with SIEM platforms and vulnerability scanning technologies.
• Working knowledge of Linux systems, including command‑line proficiency and familiarity with common security and administrative tasks in Linux environments.
• Working knowledge of network security concepts, operating system security, and cloud security principles.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks such as SOC 2, NIST, ISO 27001, or CIS Controls for gap analysis purposes.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate technical findings for both IT peers and non‑technical stakeholders.
• Self‑directed and accountable, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a high‑alert‑volume environment.