System Security Engineer Job Description, Skills, and Salary
Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a system security engineer. Feel free to use our job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a system security engineer.
Who is a System Security Engineer?
A System Security Engineer (SSE) is a professional who is in charge of making sure an acquisition programme complies with system security standards. This engineer is designated by the Program Manager (PM) through System Security Engineering. They make ensuring that system security needs are recognized, incorporated into all programme papers, and followed throughout the systems engineering process. Additionally, they create, assess, and test security for systems to guarantee data and system integrity for an organization or system. They frequently work with a wide range of technologies, including operating systems, databases, networking hardware, etc.
System security engineers may also be entrusted with coming up with new strategies for enhancing the security of already-existing systems or designing new systems to take the place of outdated ones that are no longer functional. They frequently collaborate closely with other IT experts to make sure their projects are finished on schedule. It is possible to identify and incorporate security design and process requirements through System Security Engineering (SSE) activities into risk identification and management in the requirements trade space. System engineering (SE) includes a component called security-sensitive engineering (SSE), which applies engineering and scientific principles to find security flaws and reduce or eliminate hazards related to them. For weapon system operation in today’s cyber-contested contexts, SSE provides systems that satisfy stakeholder security needs.
The responsibility for securing a company’s computer systems and networks falls on the System Security Engineer. The engineer, who is also referred to as an information security analyst, installs security solutions that effectively shield crucial data in the event of a cyber-attack. The job requires frequent communication with the IT team members and is very collaborative. The System Security Engineer should be able to provide direct reporting to upper management. To help with security tools and technologies like firewalls, proxy servers, remote access, etc., the system security engineer should work with the information security team. The settings and network designs must be documented by the expert to help with implementation. Log analysis and other network forensic investigations are done by the system security engineer. When conducting cyber investigations, they work in well-organized teams.
It can be gratifying and tough to pursue a career as a system security engineer. By becoming familiar with the fundamentals of programming, networking, and information security, you may get off to a good start. Additionally, you want to hone your reverse engineering, cryptography, and penetration testing abilities. After establishing a solid foundation in these areas, you can focus on various branches of system security engineering. Network security, application security, or cloud security, for instance, could be your main priorities. Alternatively, you can decide to focus on a certain sector, like manufacturing, finance, or the medical field.
Whatever path you choose, it’s critical to stay current on information security advancements; do this by reading blogs and articles, attending conferences and workshops, and taking part in online forums and discussion groups. To become a system security engineer, you need years of training and education. A solid understanding of computer networks is an essential need. It takes a significant investment to complete the education, certifications, and training needed to become a system security engineer. Make sure this profession option is a good fit for you before preparing for it. The discipline of technology offers a wide range of job options.
You might discover that a position requiring less experience, like risk manager, is more appealing to you. In contrast, your investigation can lead you to something you’d like even more. Make a thoughtful conclusion after giving it some thought. Staff members will be educated and trained on security best practices by system security engineers. A bachelor’s degree in a field linked to computers is typically required to become a security engineer. The Network Engineer, who assures the dependability and accessibility of a network, is one of the engineers they collaborate with within the IT department. Problem solvers make the finest system security engineers. They have an in-depth understanding of security protocols, and concepts and the critical thinking abilities to resolve complicated issues that develop with clients or employers during their job.
System Security Engineer Job Description
Below are the system security engineer job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a system security engineer job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.
- Examine security rules to make sure they’re practical and up to industry requirements.
- Look into possible security violations, such as computer infections or network intrusions.
- Create security policies and procedures for business applications, systems, networks, and databases.
- Carry out basic troubleshooting for security-related hardware and software issues.
- Attend staff training sessions on security practices, policies, and procedures.
- Install firewalls and other security measures to prevent unwanted access to computer networks.
- Provide cost-effective security recommendations that also satiate corporate requirements.
- Install and maintain security measures like CCTV or computerized access controls like card readers and biometric scanners.
- Conduct risk assessments to find potential security risks and gaps in an organization’s defences.
- Help the manager by providing security and maintaining the integrity of the company’s information assets.
- Maintain systems and controls to prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, modification, and deletion of information through resources and computer networks.
- Consult a business technical consultant directly for advice on authentication, authorization, and encryption options.
- Interact with business units regarding various technological and business plans.
- Make sure that early in the project life cycle, information security concerns are addressed.
- Investigate known and alleged information security incidents and produce pertinent reports.
- Make modifications to the manager’s legal, technical, and regulatory policies that will affect IT and computer crime.
- Assist with company initiatives to assess new technologies for programme adherence by acting as a security technical advisor or analyst.
- Test solutions that successfully use industry-standard analysis criteria demand the submission of technical reports and formal papers on test results.
- Review the requirements for purchasing IT-related hardware, software, or services.
- Ascertain that you have acquired enough security needs that respect system sensitivity.
- Conduct hardware and software security alerts when needed, and respond to IT threats and vulnerabilities to resolve problems.
- Keep an eye on changes to software, hardware, facilities, telecommunications, and user requirements to prevent security from declining.
- Conduct routine security risk assessments, weighing company demands against potential conflicts, security gaps, and search-related threats.
Qualifications
- BSc in Computer Science or a closely related discipline is required.
- Expertise in a system security engineer or information security engineer position that can be verified is required.
- Knowledge of designing and operating security systems.
- Thorough technical expertise in the operating system and database security
- Possession of practical knowledge of security tools such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus software, authentication systems, log management, content filtering, etc.
- Knowledge of system, security, and network monitoring tools, as well as networking and network security technologies.
- Thorough knowledge of the most recent security concepts, procedures, and protocols.
- Knowledge of network/web-related protocols as well as web-related technologies (web applications, web services, and service-oriented architectures).
- Possession of the capacity to solve problems and perform under duress.
Essential Skills
- Technical skills: Your capacity to carry out your job responsibilities depend on your technical skills. The skills you need to utilise software, comprehend and interpret data, and develop software using programming languages are among them. To perform their duties, security engineers must possess a wide range of technical abilities, including the ability to operate operating systems, software to monitor and track data, software to establish firewalls, and programming languages.
- Skills for identifying and managing risks: System security engineers must pay close attention to every aspect to foresee issues and decide how to address them swiftly and effectively. So that they can be ready for unlikely events, they need to be properly informed.
- Communication skills: Security engineers frequently collaborate with other team members, such as other engineers, developers, and other experts. You can work with people and efficiently communicate knowledge if you have strong communication abilities. Communication abilities can help you explain technical information in a way that others can comprehend since you might also need to communicate with clients or consumers.
- Project management skills: System security engineers must have strong project management abilities. This is because they frequently create and deploy security systems in teams with other engineers and experts. The team’s productivity and the project’s achievement of its objectives can both be increased with effective project management.
- Problem-solving skills: For system security engineers, problem-solving abilities are crucial. These abilities help people recognise possible problems, create solutions, and put those answers into action. These abilities are also used to troubleshoot issues and come up with alternate solutions when the first one doesn’t work.
- Networking skills: These abilities are crucial for success in the field of system security engineering. You will probably come into contact with a lot of individuals who can assist you in achieving your goal of becoming a security engineer throughout your education and experience. These individuals can assist in locating entry-level work or alert you to any job openings they come across or are aware of. Maintaining communication with these links is crucial. If you decide to change careers or look into positions at a higher level, these might be helpful.
- Analytical skills: The capacity to analyze data and derive conclusions from it is known as analytical ability. This is a crucial ability for a security engineer since it enables them to identify weaknesses in a system and create fixes for them. To identify the cause of a security breach and choose the most effective course of action for repair, security engineers also apply analytical abilities.
How to Become a System Security Engineer
Step 1. Earn a bachelor’s degree
A bachelor’s degree in a computer-related field, such as cybersecurity, computer science, software engineering, systems engineering, information systems, or computer programming, is required by employers for system security engineers. Since a background in programming is advantageous for security engineers, think about participating in student clubs that focus on it or learning a programming language independently. Some institutions might also have jobs available in their IT division, giving students the chance to obtain experience related to their specialties. Computer science, software engineering, mathematics, computer programming, systems engineering, cybersecurity, information systems, and information management are some of the pertinent courses that will be offered in the degree programme.
Step 2. Work in the field of IT
System security engineers typically work in an entry-level IT position for one to five years, such as a network engineer, systems administrator, database administrator, web developer, IT technician, or IT support agent. These jobs provide you with the chance to develop your networking skills and learn how to fix common computer and networking problems. Additionally, you can network with peers and mentors who can point you in the direction of potential employment opportunities.
Step 3. Earn certifications
System security engineers can use certifications to demonstrate their abilities, show their commitment to the profession, and increase their earning potential even though they may not be required. The ability to specialise in various facets of data system security is facilitated by certifications, which may also increase your employment prospects. The National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying offers professional engineer licences to some system security engineers. Security engineers can work on projects with public funding if they hold a professional engineer licence. A professional engineer licence in computer engineering or control systems engineering may be useful for system security engineers. Among some useful certifications are:
- Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
- Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC) Security Essentials Certification (GSEC)
- GIAC Certified Enterprise Defender (GCED)
- GIAC Certified Forensics Analyst (GCFA)
- GIAC Certified Intrusion Analyst (GCIA)
- Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLP)
- Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert Security (CCIE Security)
- Cisco Certified Network Professional Security (CCNP Security)
- Certification in Healthcare Privacy and Security (CHPS)
- CompTIA Security
Step 4. Earn a master’s degree and advance in your career
Graduate degrees are rarely required by employers, but if you keep your education going, you can have additional job opportunities. A master’s degree boosts your knowledge in the desired subject, gives you professional confidence, and equips you with desirable skills. It also enables you to specialize in fields like system security engineering or information security. These programmes frequently provide you with the chance to complete an internship, which can give you more time to hone your abilities and gain knowledge from more seasoned experts in your field. To grow in their professions, system security engineers frequently take on additional responsibility and work their way up to management roles. They might advance into jobs like security analyst, manager, or information security officer as they gain experience. In these roles, they will be in charge of monitoring the information system security of a business and making sure that it complies with all security standards.
Where to Work as a System Security Engineer
System security engineers can be found working in a range of places, such as corporations, governmental organizations, and educational institutions. They normally work full-time during regular business hours, though they sometimes have to work late into the night or on the weekend to fulfill deadlines or handle crises with the system. System security engineers frequently collaborate with other team members and must be able to communicate clearly with both them and the users of the systems they are tasked with securing. They must be capable of handling several jobs at once and working well under pressure. As businesses attempt to strengthen their cybersecurity and integrate new kinds of security solutions, like cloud computing and big data analytics, the demand for this personnel is anticipated to rise. Organizations must guarantee the security of these new systems.
System Security Engineer Salary
In Nigeria, the average monthly salary for a system security engineer is roughly 324,000 NGN. From 175,000 to 490,000 NGN is the salary range. A system security engineer in the US can anticipate earning an annual income of $106,515. Some people may make more or less money than others based on their level of experience. The job’s duties, the company, and the local economy all have an impact on pay.