Lead Cloud and Application Security Engineer

$152,000 - $190,000/Yr

Ryan Specialty Group - Chicago, IL

Full-time - Senior

Chicago, IL

Insurance Carriers and Related Activities

About the position

The Lead Cloud and Application Security Engineer will integrate security measures into every phase of the cloud and application development lifecycle. This role champions security best practices and fosters a culture of security awareness within the organization, focusing on developing automated security solutions, managing security protocols for cloud infrastructure, and enforcing security guidelines for Infrastructure as Code (IaC). The position requires collaboration with various teams to secure containerized environments and lead security initiatives alongside the Senior Application Security Engineer.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with IT, development, and operations teams to embed security into every aspect of the cloud and application security lifecycle.
• Advocate for security best practices, raising awareness and driving a security-first culture across the organization.
• Develop and implement automated security solutions to streamline security processes, improve efficiency, and enhance response capabilities.
• Collaborate with architecture and IT to design, implement, and manage security measures for our cloud environments.
• Develop and enforce security best practices for Infrastructure as Code (IaC) to ensure secure deployment and configuration management.
• Secure containerized environments, including Docker and Kubernetes, and ensure compliance with security benchmarks.
• Partner with DevOps teams to integrate security into the CI/CD pipeline for container deployment and management.
• Lead application security initiatives, including secure code reviews, vulnerability assessments, and web application penetration testing.
• Develop and maintain application security standards and guidelines, ensuring they are integrated into the software development lifecycle.
• Stay abreast of the latest security threats, trends, and technologies, especially in cloud, IaC, and container environments.
• Proactively identify and investigate security threats by analyzing security logs, conducting threat hunting exercises, and implementing advanced detection mechanisms.
• Continuously evaluate and improve security tools and processes to address evolving security.
• Demonstrate high energy and an action-oriented approach to challenging work tasks, with a willingness to act swiftly and with minimal planning when opportunities arise.
• Build strong peer relationships by finding common ground and fostering problem-solving for mutual benefit.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in computer science/engineering/information security preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years' experience in Information Security within cloud-native or SaaS technology environments.
• Proficiency in cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, container orchestration tools (Kubernetes, Docker), and Infrastructure as Code (Terraform, Ansible).
• Experience in application security practices and tools, including static/dynamic analysis and familiarity with OWASP standards.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic environment.
• 3-5 years of hands-on experience securing Infrastructure as Code, Application Security, and Policy as Code (PaC) using coding languages such as Python, Go, JavaScript, or YAML.
• Minimum two years of experience automating and scaling CIS benchmarks or equivalent standards.
• Extensive experience writing technical and business-friendly security documentation.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.

Nice-to-haves

• Professional certifications such as Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) or Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) are highly desirable.

Benefits

• Paid time off for company holidays, vacation, sick and personal days.
• Paid parental leave.
• Mental health services.