Security Operations Engineer

Umbra is an American space technology company delivering advanced systems, from sensors to spacecraft, that empower customers worldwide with unmatched access to critical information from space. Our mission is simple and ambitious: redefine space—for people, systems, and missions in every domain. Umbra’s ecosystem operates through three business units: Remote Sensing (the data), Space Systems (the components), and Mission Solutions (the platforms). Together, our teams develop capabilities that deliver persistent access, resilient performance, and mission-ready solutions, advancing U.S. space leadership while keeping the world safe and informed.

About the Team

Umbra’s Information Technology organization operates as a shared service and strategic capability, embedding security, automation, and operational rigor directly into the platforms the business depends on. Security is not an overlay, it is designed, implemented, and evidenced through IT platforms.

About the Role

The Security Operations Engineer is a hands-on technical role responsible for implementing, operating, and continuously improving security controls across Umbra’s corporate technology platforms. This position serves as the primary conduit between Information Security (InfoSec) and IT execution, ensuring security policy is translated into durable, auditable technical controls.

Sitting within Core Infrastructure, this role owns the security configuration control plane for corporate IT, identity, access, network security, endpoint posture, logging, and detection, while partnering closely with InfoSec on risk management, POA&M execution, and audit readiness.

This is an engineering-first role focused on building secure-by-default platforms, not a SOC-only or alert-triage position. The mission is to embed security into Umbra’s core technology platforms by implementing scalable, automated, and auditable security controls that protect the enterprise while enabling speed, reliability, and compliance.

Our aim is to hire this position to work in either our Santa Barbara/Goleta, CA office, Arlington, VA office, or Reston, VA office (coming soon).

Key Responsibilities

Security Control Implementation & Operations

• Implement and operate technical security controls across identity, endpoint, network, and cloud platforms.
• Translate InfoSec policies, standards, and POA&Ms into enforceable configurations and guardrails.
• Own security configuration hygiene for corporate platforms, ensuring controls are consistently applied and monitored.

Identity & Access Security

• Operate and secure Umbra’s Identity & Access Management (IAM) stack, including IdP, SSO, MFA, SCIM/JIT, and PAM.
• Partner with Core Infrastructure and Digital Workplace to ensure access is least-privilege, time-bound, and auditable.
• Support quarterly access reviews and remediation activities in partnership with InfoSec.

Endpoint & Platform Security

• Partner with Digital Workplace to enforce endpoint security baselines across Windows and macOS.
• Ensure endpoint controls align with InfoSec standards (encryption, patching, device trust).
• Operate platform-level security tooling for endpoint posture, monitoring, and compliance.

Network & Cloud Security

• Support security operations across network and cloud environments, including:
• Firewalls, segmentation, ZTNA/VPN
• Cloud guardrails and security configurations
• Partner with Core Infrastructure engineers to ensure secure-by-design network and cloud architectures

Detection, Logging & Incident Support

• Operate and tune logging, monitoring, and detection capabilities across IT platforms.
• Support investigation and response for security incidents in coordination with InfoSec.
• Provide technical context, evidence, and remediation support during incident response activities.

Audit, Evidence & Compliance Enablement

• Act as a primary technical contributor to audit evidence generation for IT-owned controls.
• Maintain documentation, configuration artifacts, and system evidence required for SOC 2, NIST, CMMC, FedRAMP, and related frameworks.
• Partner with InfoSec to ensure evidence is accurate, timely, and repeatable.

Continuous Improvement & Automation

• Identify opportunities to automate security controls, evidence collection, and compliance reporting.
• Reduce manual security toil through policy-driven automation and infrastructure-as-code patterns.
• Contribute security improvements to the IT automation backlog via the SMO.

Cross-Team Collaboration & Governance

• Collaborate closely with:
• InfoSec for policy, risk, and assurance
• Core Infrastructure for platform guardrails
• Digital Workplace for endpoint and employee-facing security controls
• Enterprise Applications for app-level security configuration and evidence
• Participate in SMO forums, CABs, and security-related change reviews

Requirements

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in security engineering, security operations, or infrastructure security roles.
• Strong hands-on experience implementing security controls across:
• Identity & Access Management
• Endpoint management (Windows/macOS)
• Network and cloud platforms
• Demonstrated ability to translate security policy into technical implementation.
• Experience supporting & automating audit and compliance evidence collection.
• Strong troubleshooting and incident response skills.

Desired Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in security engineering, security operations, or infrastructure security roles.
• Experience with Okta (IdP, SSO, MFA, SCIM, workflows).
• Experience with FortiGate & Cisco Network Technologies.
• Strong Understanding of TCP/IP, DNS, VPNs, SD-WAN, routing/switching.
• Proficiency with security tools like firewalls, IDS/IPS, and SIEM platforms.
• Familiarity with regulated environments (NIST, ISO 27001, CMMC, FedRAMP).
• Experience automating security controls or evidence collection.
• Exposure to cloud security tooling and observability platforms.
• Proficiency in Python, Bash, or PowerShell to automate routine tasks, security checks, and incident response workflows.

Benefits

• Flexible Time Off, Sick, Family & Medical Leave
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, LTD, STD (employer funded)
• Vol Life, Critical Illness, Accidental, Hospital Indemnity, Pet Insurance (employee funded)
• 401k with 3% non-elective company contribution
• Stock Options
• Free Parking
• Free lunch daily in office

Umbra is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

Employment Eligibility Verification

In compliance with federal laws, all hired persons will be required to verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States by completing the required Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9 Form) upon hire.

ITAR/EAR Requirements

This position may include access to technology and/or data that is subject to U.S. export controls pursuant to ITAR and EAR. To comply with federal export controls, all persons hired must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, U.S. lawful permanent resident, refugee or asylee as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3), or must otherwise be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State and/or U.S. Department of Commerce as applicable.

Pay Transparency

This job posting may cover multiple career levels. To ensure greater transparency, we provide base salary ranges for all roles, regardless of location. Our standard pay ranges are based on the role’s function and level, benchmarked against similar growth-stage companies. Compensation may vary based on geographical location, as certain regions may have different cost-of-living factors. The final offer will also be influenced by the candidate's skills, responsibilities, and relevant experience.

Compensation Range

The Compensation Range for this role is $125,000 - $150,000 DOE.