IT Security Engineer - Top Secret Clearance

SpaceX
Hawthorne, CA
On-site

Who this role is best for

Strong fit for IT security professionals with hands-on experience in classified environments who can design and operate security solutions. Must have active Top Secret clearance and work closely with engineering teams in a high-performance setting.

Best fit for

  • Candidates with experience in securing classified IT environments and deploying security controls
    — “Design, deploy, and operate security controls for classified corporate-style IT networks”
  • Individuals who can lead incident response and drive automation for security tasks
    — “Lead or support detection, triage, and incident response for the classified IT environment”
  • Professionals with scripting/automation skills and a track record of applying standards to system design
    — “Drive scripting and automation to develop solutions to common problems and repeatable security tasks”

Things to consider

  • Active Top Secret clearance is mandatory, and not all candidates may possess it
    — “Active Top Secret / SCI (TS/SCI) clearance”
  • The role requires working in a closed environment with limited external interaction
    — “Ability to work independently in a closed environment”

How to stand out

  • Highlight experience with on-premises SIEM, EDR/AV, and vulnerability management platforms
    — “Experience administering or operating at least two of the following: on-premises SIEM, enterprise EDR/AV, enterprise vulnerability management platform”
  • Emphasize skills in hardening Windows and Linux servers and securing internal applications
    — “Hardening Windows and Linux servers; securing file shares, email gateways, and internal applications”
  • Showcase leadership in incident response and detection engineering within classified settings
    — “SOC or blue-team incident response experience on enterprise IT estates”
  • Demonstrate ability to define and follow standards for systems design and implementation
    — “Define, document, and follow standards and best practices for systems design, testing, and implementation”
  • Include examples of automation and scripting used to improve security operations
    — “Drive scripting and automation to develop solutions to common problems”
Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · Team

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

  • designs and deploys security controls for classified networks
  • secures traditional IT services
  • leads detection and incident response
Typical background
4+ years of professional experience in enterprise IT security engineeringactive Top Secret / SCI clearance

Skills & requirements

Required

Enterprise Security TechnologiesIdentity ManagementEndpoint ProtectionSIEMVulnerability Management

Preferred

Classified Network SecurityTop Secret Clearance

Stack & domain

Enterprise Security TechnologiesIdentityEndpoint ProtectionSIEMVulnerability ManagementAuthentication And Identity ServicesCertificate-based AuthenticationPrivileged AccessOn-premises SIEMEnterprise Edr/avEnterprise Vulnerability Management PlatformTraditional IT EnvironmentsEmail Or File ServicesAuthentication/authorizationLoggingPatchingLeast PrivilegeDetectionTriageIncident ResponseChange Control MethodologyScripting And AutomationSecurity ControlsClassified Corporate-style IT NetworksEngineeringTop Secret ClearanceProblem-solvingCollaborationCommunicationTeamworkInnovationStrategic ThinkingITSecurityClassified Networks

About the role

Original posting from SpaceX via Greenhouse

SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of enabling human life on Mars.

IT SECURITY ENGINEER - TOP SECRET CLEARANCE

SpaceX is looking for an IT Security Engineer with deep knowledge and broad experience across enterprise security technologies, in addition to broader experience with identity, endpoint protection, SIEM, and vulnerability management. This employee will be a member of the Information Technology team and will support SpaceX personnel and systems on classified networks. The ideal candidate will be flexible and flourish in a fast-paced and challenging environment. They should be a self-starter, self-motivator, and possess the ingenuity to excel at this position. 

 RESPONSIBILITIES

Work closely with other SpaceX IT administrators and engineers to gather requirements, research, evaluate, design, plan, deploy, and support security solutions and related technologies in a world-class environment that meets the needs of the demanding SpaceX engineering teams. Build highly resilient, high-performance, scalable, and flexible systems. 

Take lessons learned and technology standards from the SpaceX Enterprise and apply them in smaller classified environments. 

Exercise a high degree of responsibility for the processes, systems, and tools you create and manage; all supporting the goal of making humanity an interplanetary species. 

Design, deploy, and operate security controls for classified corporate-style IT networks, including authentication and identity services (hardware tokens, certificate-based authentication, privileged access), on-premises SIEM for logging and detection, endpoint/host protection, and vulnerability management. 

Harden and secure traditional IT services used by engineering staff (email, file servers/shares, directory services, collaboration tools, and internal applications); review and improve permissions, group membership, and access models to reduce standing privilege. 

Partner with systems, network, and application owners to securely design, deploy, and operate applications (authentication/authorization, logging, patching, least privilege). 

Lead or support detection, triage, and incident response for the classified IT environment.

Make recommendations, justify, and implement improvements using an accepted change control methodology.

Work within a diverse group to design and deliver creative solutions and resolve problems in a timely and proactive manner by interacting with internal business units. 

Define, document, and follow standards and best practices for systems design, testing, and implementation.

Drive scripting and automation to develop solutions to common problems and repeatable security tasks (baselines, evidence collection, health checks). 

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

Bachelor's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, or another STEM discipline; OR 4+ years of professional experience in enterprise IT security engineering in lieu of a degree. 

3+ years of hands-on experience securing traditional IT environments (identity/MFA, endpoint security, SIEM, vulnerability scanning, email or file services). 

Experience administering or operating at least two of the following: on-premises SIEM, enterprise EDR/AV, enterprise vulnerability management platform. 

Active Top Secret / SCI (TS/SCI) clearance. 

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

Experience securing IT for engineering or corporate users in classified or restricted networks. 

Strong practical experience with hardware-token / FIDO2 / smart-card MFA and directory-integrated identity. 

SIEM administration or detection engineering experience (on-premises).

Enterprise EDR/AV policy and operations experience.

Enterprise vulnerability management and remediation workflows. 

Hardening Windows and Linux servers; securing file shares, email gateways, and internal applications. 

Permissions/access reviews, least privilege, and privilege-escalation reduction. 

SOC or blue-team incident response experience on enterprise IT estates. 

Scripting/automation (Python, PowerShell, Bash, Ansible) for security operations. 

Familiarity with NIST 800-53 control families as implemented by IT security engineering.

Excellent communication skills with IT systems engineers and engineering end users. 

Ability to work independently in a closed environment and deliver durable security operations.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:

Pay Range:

Level 1: $130,000.00 - $160,000.00

Level 2: $150,000.00 - $195,000.00

Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience.

Base salary is just one part of your total rewards package at SpaceX. You may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of company stock or long-term cash awards, as well as potential discretionary bonuses and the ability to purchase additional stock at a discount through an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. You will also receive access to comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage, access to a 401(k) retirement plan, short and long-term disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, and various other discounts and perks. You may also accrue 3 weeks of paid vacation and will be eligible for 10 or more paid holidays per year. Employees accrue paid sick leave pursuant to Company policy which satisfies or exceeds the accrual, carryover, and use requirements of the law.

Those with an active clearance will receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once officially briefed into a classified program.

ITAR REQUIREMENTS:

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.  

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with SpaceX is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.

Applicants wishing to view a copy of SpaceX’s Affirmative Action Plan for veterans and individuals with disabilities, or applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application/interview process should reach out to EEOCompliance@spacex.com. 

Source: SpaceX careers (Greenhouse)

Similar roles

More roles at SpaceX