Security Operations Engineer - IT Security - Senior/Specialist - Permanent

Washington Department of Natural Resources

Washington

Hybrid

USD 90,000 - 130,000

Full time

14 days+

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Job summary

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking a Security Operations Engineer to design, implement, and monitor application security across on‑premises and cloud environments in a hybrid work model. The role collaborates with incident response, architecture, and IT leadership to strengthen security configurations and address risk.

The position reports to the ITS Cybersecurity Unit and involves weekly reporting at the Olympia duty station, with opportunities for telework as appropriate.

Qualifications

Seven or more years of professional experience in infrastructure systems and cybersecurity risk assessment.
Seven or more years of hands-on infrastructure administration including server configuration, virtualization, and cloud services.
Must pass fingerprint and background check due to working with law enforcement and sensitive data.
Certifications: CISSP, CompTIA Security+, Microsoft certifications.

Responsibilities

Design, implement, and monitor application security solutions for on‑premises and cloud environments.
Lead security reviews and risk assessments of agency systems and applications.
Provide senior guidance on risk management, vulnerability management, and configuration management.
Collaborate with Incident Response and Architecture teams to address security risks.

Education

CS degree

Tools

Windows Server

GPO

Scripting

Cloud services

Job description

Description

Title- Security Operations Engineer

Classification- IT Security – Senior/Specialist

Job Status- Full-Time / Permanent

WDFW Program- Directors Office – Information Technology Services Division (ITS) – Cybersecurity Unit (CSU)

Duty Station- Olympia, Washington – Thurston County

Hybrid/Telework- While this position may offer a telework option, the successful candidate must be available to report to the duty station on a weekly basis.

Learn more about being a member of Team WDFW!

Cougar in tree – Photo Credit: WDFW

As the WDFW Enterprise Security Operations Engineer, you will play a key role in protecting the agency’s technology environment by designing, implementing, and monitoring application security solutions across both on-premises and cloud-based systems.

In this role, you will serve as a trusted resource for IT teams, providing technical guidance and support related to application security and security operations. You will collaborate with other security and technology leaders, including the Incident Response Engineer, SEAL Team Supervisor, Data Center Architect, and Application Development Architect, to help address security risks, strengthen configurations, and support the agency’s overall cybersecurity mission.

What to Expect

Among the varied range of responsibilities held within this role, the Security Operations Engineer will,

Solutions Development

Independently design, implement, and support WDFW Enterprise application security solutions for both on-premises and cloud-hosted environments, utilizing expertise in Windows Group Policy (GPO) configuration, system baseline configuration, registry edits, and scripting languages.
Identify gaps in the agency’s security capabilities in comparison to industry standard threat research and best business practices such as the Center for Internet Security (CIS) Critical Security Controls (CSC).
Conduct capability and integration assessments of commercial and custom solutions to ensure deployment and integration compliance.
Coordinate with the Incident Response Engineer to ensure reviewed applications and services are integrated into the agency’s centralized monitoring and logging platform.
Participate in “Tiger Team” architectural efforts to provide technical solutions to address agency problem sets.

Security Review

Lead and mentor team of Analysts in conducting internal security reviews for new and existing software and hardware requests, including agency systems such as the WILD licensing system, which issues commercial and recreational hunting and fishing licenses, and the Enforcement Records Management System (RMS) utilized for the processing and storing of Criminal Justice Information (CJI).
Conduct project-specific risk assessments of WDFW applications and systems, developing and implementing remediation actions as needed.
Review system architecture, configurations, and processes to identify potential security risks, recommend corrective actions, and develop custom configurations through scripting to support business units.
Maintain Plans of Action and Milestones (POAM).
Analyze WDFW vulnerability assessment reports to evaluate agency risk and develop remediation actions.
Conduct Washington State Office of Cybersecurity (OCS) Design reviews for infrastructure and functional areas supported by this position.

Security Operations (Risk Assessment, Vulnerability Management, and Configuration Management)

Provide senior-level guidance to the staff responsible for risk assessment, vulnerability management, and configuration management activities.
Mentor team members and contribute to the continuous improvement of security operations processes and practices.
Ensure staff maintain accurate documentation and performance metrics that clearly reflect completed work and the agency's risk and vulnerability posture to support informed management decisions.
Collaborate with peer engineers and architects to resolve prioritization conflicts related to security operations initiatives.

Policy Administration

Review and provide feedback for security-related policy while documenting processes, procedures, and techniques that support the security policy.
Produce and maintain accurate security documentation, including processes, procedures, and techniques for both on-premises and cloud solutions.

Surge Support

Provide operational support to the CSU Incident Response Engineer during periods of increased workload caused by scheduled or unscheduled staff absences, year-end budget activities, or other operational demands. Support may include threat detection, incident response, and mentoring staff as needed.

Working Conditions

Work Setting, including hazards

Work in an office setting which may also include data closets and datacenter. May be required to work in tight spaces.

Schedule

Typically, Monday – Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm.

Travel Requirements

Some travel may be required to regional and other remote offices.

Tools and Equipment

Hand tools and networking equipment.

Customer Interactions

Interact with WDFW staff and WaTech vendors.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

Closely related qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-by-year basis.

Option 1 – All of the following

Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in computer science or a closely related field.
Seven (7) or more years of recent professional experience (within the last 10 years) working with infrastructure systems and cybersecurity risk assessment methodologies.

Option 2 – All of the following (experience may be gained concurrently)

Seven (7) or more years of recent professional experience (within the last 10 years) working with infrastructure systems and cybersecurity risk assessment methodologies.
Four (4) or more years of recent professional, hands-on infrastructure administration experience (within the last 5 years), including experience with server configuration, virtualization platforms, and cloud services.

Special Requirements/Conditions of Employment

Must pass fingerprint and background check due to working with law enforcement and sensitive data.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience

Experience working in cloud-based environments, such as AWS and Azure.
Experience managing a monitoring solution that includes the centralized collection of log file data.

Certifications

Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification.
CompTIA Security+ certification.
Microsoft certification(s).

Your application should include the following

A completed online application showcasing how your qualifications align with the job requirements.
An up-to-date resume.
A cover letter detailing your interest in the position, your relevant skills and experience, and why you are the ideal candidate.
At least three (3) professional references with current contact information.

Supplemental Information

In addition to pay and other special employee programs, there are other benefits that WDFW employees may be eligible for.

Important Note

All new employees must complete an Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) on their first day of work. If hired for this or any position at WDFW, you will be required to provide documentation proving you are eligible to work in the United States. For a list of acceptable documents, please use the following link: https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents

Union - WFSE

This position is covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the State of Washington, Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Washington Federation of State Employees (WFSE). This recruitment may be used to fill positions in addition to those listed.

Veteran and Military Spouse Preference Notice

Per RCW 73.16.010 Veterans and qualifying spouses who meet the minimum qualifications of a position are eligible for preference during the initial application review stage. To receive this benefit, please do the following:

Notify us of your veteran or military spouse status by email at Ashley.Lee@dfw.wa.gov.
Veterans only – Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 copy), NGB 22 or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
- Please redact any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers.
Subject line must include recruitment number, position, and spouse/veteran (example: 2026-1234 – Biologist 1 – Veteran)
Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

As part of WDFW’s efforts to advance respectful and inclusive work environments, the Agency expects inclusivity as part of our professional interactions and communications. Therefore, we want to ensure that all individuals feel welcome, are treated fairly and respectfully. All staff are empowered to fully contribute to serving their work unit, Agency, and the citizens of Washington.

The Department of Fish and Wildlife is an equal opportunity employer. We strive to create a working environment that includes and respects cultural, racial, ethnic, sexual orientation and gender identity diversity. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, persons of disability, persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are encouraged to apply.

Request an accommodation

Persons needing accommodation in the application process or this announcement in an alternative format please contact Jayme Chase by phone 360-902-2278 or email Jayme.Chase@dfw.wa.gov, or the Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) at 800-833-6388.

Technical Difficulties

If you are having technical difficulties creating, accessing, or completing your application, please call NEOGOV toll-free at (855) 524-5627 or support@neogov.com.