Lead AI Security Operations Engineer

Job Title: Lead AI Security Operations Engineer

Location: California City, CA, USA

Duration: 6 Months + Extension

Bill Rate: $180,000

Job Type: W-2 Contract

Client: To Be Discussed Later

Work Authorization: US-Citizen, H-1B, OPT-EAD, GC-EAD
Job Summary:

Principal Essential Duties & Responsibilities

• Design, build, and operate an AI-enabled Security Operations Center for Information Technology, Operational Technology, and agentic AI systems.
• Deploy AI-driven detection, triage, and response capabilities to augment and automate traditional Security Operations Center workflows.
• Integrate and optimize Security Information and Event Management, Security Orchestration, Automation and Response, and AI analytics platforms for intelligent detection and response.
• Conduct threat hunting focused on AI misuse, adversarial attacks, Operational Technology and Industrial Control Systems threats, and behavioral anomalies.
• Build detection mechanisms for anomalous or unsafe agent behavior.
• Monitor agent actions, decisions, and tool usage.
• Ensure Security Operations Center operations meet regulatory logging, monitoring, and incident response requirements.
• Assist with vulnerability management programs, including continuous scanning, risk-based prioritization, and remediation tracking.
• Integrate vulnerability intelligence into detection and response workflows.
• Partner with engineering teams to ensure timely remediation of critical vulnerabilities.
• Manage enterprise certificate lifecycle management, including issuance, renewal, rotation, and revocation.
• Maintain and secure Public Key Infrastructure and trust chains.
• Implement key management and encryption standards.
• Lead and support incident response activities, including investigation, containment, and remediation.
• Perform root cause analysis and implement preventive controls.
• Develop and maintain security playbooks, including AI-assisted response workflows.
• Continuously improve detection and response capabilities through automation and AI integration.

Minimum Education and Experience

• 7 years' experience in Information Security, including securing AI and machine learning systems or automation platforms.
• Experience operating advanced Security Operations Centers or AI-driven security environments.
• Experience in Information Technology and Operational Technology environments, including Industrial Control Systems and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems.
• Strong expertise in threat detection, incident response, threat hunting, cloud security, identity and access management, and network security.
• Hands-on experience with Security Information and Event Management, Security Orchestration, Automation and Response, Endpoint Detection and Response, Network Detection and Response technologies, and enterprise log analysis.
• Proven experience with AI red teaming, adversarial testing, or implementing security guardrails.
• Experience in vulnerability management and certificate/Public Key Infrastructure management.
• Knowledge of security frameworks, including NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27000, and Center for Internet Security frameworks.
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Deep understanding of AI security risks and mitigation strategies.
• Familiarity with large language models, prompt engineering, and agent architecture.
• Experience with Zero Trust Architecture.
• Relevant certifications, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional, GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst, GIAC Global Industrial Cyber Security Professional, cloud security certifications, or equivalent experience.

Physical Requirements and Environmental Factors

• Position is mostly sedentary but may require occasional movement to other offices or buildings.
• May need to move light equipment or supplies from one place to another.
• May need to access files, supplies, and equipment.
• Work activity is performed in an office, open-partitioned, cubicle environment.
  

  Equal Opportunity Employer: We are an equal opportunity employer. All aspects of employment including the decision to hire, promote, discipline, or discharge, will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, citizenship/ immigration status, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law.