Senior IT / Security Engineer

Kodiak Sciences; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Kodiak Sciences is seeking a highly technical Senior IT / Security Engineer to execute IT and Security projects end-to-end, coordinating stakeholders and vendors, implementing controls, and handing off to steady-state operations.

You will manage multiple initiatives, maintain Jira/Confluence artifacts, and collaborate with Quality, R&D, Finance, and HR to turn technical outcomes into business value.

Qualifications

• 7+ years hands-on IT infra and/or information security engineering experience.
• Experience with identity and access controls (SSO/MFA, SCIM, conditional access).
• Scripting ability (PowerShell, Python) for automation.
• Strong project management fundamentals and structured status reporting.

Responsibilities

• Run multiple concurrent IT and security projects end-to-end with defined scope and success criteria.
• Maintain Jira/Confluence portfolio with owners, dates and status; publish weekly updates and elevate blockers.
• Coordinate vendors and MSP/MSSP partners; track deliverables against statements of work.
• Implement and configure identity and access controls on AWS/Microsoft Entra ID; manage EDR and patching.
• Support network and site infrastructure projects (LAN/WLAN, firewalls, VPN/ZTNA) as needed.
• Present status and results to leadership including executives.

Skills

IT infrastructure

Information security engineering

Project management

Scripting (PowerShell, Python)

English communication

Detail-oriented

Education

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or Information Systems

Tools

Okta/Entra ID

Microsoft 365/Azure or AWS administration

Jira

Confluence

Job description

Kodiak Sciences is seeking a highly technical Senior IT / Security Engineer to execute IT and Security projects. Reporting to the Associate Director, IT, you will take prioritized initiatives from the business and IT & Security roadmap(s) and deliver them end-to-end: planning, coordinating stakeholders and vendors, implementing, validating, documenting, and handing off to steady-state operations. This is a high-capacity, high-output role. Your job is to turn business decisions and objectives into shipped, well-documented outcomes, often several at a time. Project management and communication skills are weighed equally with technical skills.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management & Delivery

• Run multiple concurrent IT and security projects end-to-end: define scope and success criteria with the Associate Director, build the plan, track dependencies and risks, and drive to completion on schedule.
• Maintain a transparent project portfolio in Jira/Confluence with clear owners, dates, and status; publish concise weekly status updates and elevate blockers early with recommended options.
• Coordinate vendors, MSP/MSSP partners, and consultants on assigned projects; track deliverables against statements of work and hold partners accountable.
• Produce clean, reusable project artifacts: requirements, designs, test evidence, runbooks, and handoff documentation.

Technical Implementation

• Implement and configure identity and access controls on AWS, Microsoft Entra ID, and other technical systems: SSO/MFA rollouts, SCIM provisioning, conditional access policies, and access-review cycles.
• Deploy and maintain endpoint management and security for macOS, Linux, and Windows: MDM enrollment, EDR (e.g. Microsoft Defender Suite, OSQuery, etc.), hardening baselines, and patch/vulnerability remediation.
• Execute cloud and SaaS workstreams in Microsoft 365, Azure/AWS, and Google Workspace: security configuration, DLP/information protection, backup, and integrations.
• Support network and site infrastructure projects (LAN/WLAN, firewalls, VPN/ZTNA) for the Palo Alto, Switzerland, and future campuses.
• Automate repetitive work with scripting (PowerShell, Python), AI workflows, and APIs; document what you build.

Security Operations Support

• Triage and investigate security alerts from the SIEM/EDR; execute incident response procedures and document findings; coordinate with the MSSP as directed.
• Develop an automated triaging and escalation system around current and future security tools.
• Run the vulnerability remediation cycle: track findings, drive owners to closure, and report progress.
• Complete vendor security assessments and customer/partner security questionnaires.
• Communicate clearly and proactively with stakeholders across the business including Quality, Digital Health, R&D, Clinical, Finance, and HR; translate technical details into plain language for non-technical audiences.
• Present project status and results to leadership when required, including executive and C-level audiences.
• Provide escalated (Tier 3) support and mentor IT support staff and contractors.

Education / Qualifications

• 7+ years of hands-on IT infrastructure and/or information security engineering experience, with a demonstrated record of delivering multiple projects concurrently and on time.
• Hands-on experience in at least two of: identity (Okta/Entra ID), endpoint management/EDR, Microsoft 365/Azure or AWS administration and security, network security, SIEM/alert triage.
• Working knowledge of IAM concepts (SSO, MFA, SAML/OIDC, SCIM, conditional access).
• Scripting ability (PowerShell, Python, or similar) for automation and integration tasks.
• Strong project management fundamentals: planning, task tracking, vendor coordination, risk/issue management, and structured status reporting (Jira/Confluence or equivalent).
• Exceptional written and verbal English communication skills; comfortable presenting to executive and C-level leadership.
• Organized, detail-oriented, and comfortable with ambiguity; strong bias for action and follow-through.
• Ability to work on-site in Palo Alto, CA, 40 hours per week, with occasional after-hours availability for maintenance windows and incidents.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, or a related field.
• Experience at a clinical-stage or emerging biotech with a lean IT team.
• Computerized System Validation experience in a GxP-regulated biotech, pharmaceutical, or medical device environment (21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, GAMP 5).
• Certifications such as CompTIA Security+, CISSP, Microsoft SC-300/AZ-104, PMP/CAPM, AWS Technical certifications, ISPE GAMP training or other relevant certifications.
• Familiarity with security frameworks (NIST CSF, SOC 2, CIS Controls) and with SASE/ZTNA platforms (Zscaler, Cloudflare).
• Experience with DocuSign, Veeva, or other common GxP SaaS platforms and with e-signature/Part 11 configurations.