Remote Security Specialist jobs Jobs in West Des Moines, Iowa | Remote Work From Home

Job Title: Remote Security Specialist jobs Location: Remote — based in West Des Moines, Iowa --- ### About the Role We are seeking a proactive, hands‑on Security Specialist who will partner with our global engineering, product, and compliance teams to protect the digital assets of our rapidly scaling SaaS platform. In this role you will own the end‑to‑end lifecycle of vulnerability management, threat detection, and incident response while acting as the technical voice of security for our remote workforce.You will report directly to the Director of Cybersecurity, who sits on the senior leadership team and champions a “security‑by‑design” mindset across every line of code shipped from West Des Moines. Your impact will be measured by reduced mean‑time‑to‑detect (MTTD) and mean‑time‑to‑remediate (MTTR), as well as the confidence our customers in Iowa and beyond place in our compliance posture. --- ###Key Responsibilities - Threat hunting & detection: Conduct daily hunts using Splunk, AWS Security Hub, and Palo Alto Cortex XDR to identify anomalous behavior across our cloud and on‑prem environments.- Vulnerability management: Lead the full remediation cycle for findings from Qualys, Tenable.io, and GitHub Dependabot, ensuring a 90% closure rate within 30 days. - Incident response: Act as the primary responder for security incidents, coordinating triage, root‑cause analysis, and post‑mortem documentation in ServiceNow. - Security engineering: Design and implement security controls (IAM policies, network segmentation, encryption standards) using Terraform and AWS CloudFormation. - Compliance & audit: Prepare evidence and artifacts for SOC 2, ISO 27001, and PCI‑DSS audits, collaborating with the compliance lead in West Des Moines and the external audit firm.- Security awareness: Develop and deliver quarterly security‑awareness briefings to remote staff in Iowa and run phishing simulations with KnowBe4. - Tool integration: Automate security workflows by scripting in Python and PowerShell, integrating alerts into Jira for seamless ticketing. - Metrics & reporting: Produce monthly dashboards that track MTTD, MTTR, and risk scores, presenting findings to senior leadership and the board. - Collaboration: Partner with product owners, DevOps engineers, and data scientists across time zones to embed security reviews into bolthires/CD pipelines using GitHub Actions.- Research & innovation: Stay current on emerging threats, evaluate new security solutions, and pilot at least one proof‑of‑concept per quarter to keep our stack ahead of the curve. --- ### Required Qualifications - Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a closely related field or equivalent professional experience. - 3–5 years of hands‑on experience as a security analyst, security engineer, or cyber analyst in a fast‑moving SaaS environment. - Proven expertise with at least six of the following tools/technologies: Splunk, Palo Alto Networks (Cortex XDR, Prisma Cloud), AWS Security Hub, Qualys, Tenable.io, Terraform, Wireshark, ServiceNow, Jira, GitHub Actions.- Strong understanding of cloud security (AWS, Azure, GCP) and networking concepts (firewalls, VPN, IDS/IPS). - Ability to write clear, actionable incident reports and present findings to both technical and non‑technical audiences. - Must possess CompTIA Security+ or CISSP (or be on a path to certification within 12 months). --- ### Preferred Qualifications - Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH), GIAC Certified Incident Handler (GCIH), or AWS Certified Security – Specialty. - Experience with container security (Docker, Kubernetes) and runtime protection tools such as Aqua Security or Sysdig.- Prior involvement in building a security‑first culture for remote‑first teams, especially within the Iowa tech ecosystem. - Demonstrated leadership: mentoring junior analysts, leading tabletop exercises, or chairing cross‑functional security committees. - Familiarity with privacy regulations (CCPA, GDPR) and how they intersect with security controls. --- ###Compensation & Benefits -Salary range:$115,000 – $150,000 annually, commensurate with experience and certifications. - Performance bonus up to 15% of base salary, paid quarterly.-Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage for you and your dependents, with a $2,500 annual wellness stipend. -Remote work allowance of $150 / month for home‑office equipment, high‑speed internet, and ergonomic accessories in Iowa. - 401(k) with company match up to 5% of salary plus an additional $1,000 profit‑sharing contribution each year. - Unlimited paid time off (PTO) plus five paid holidays, plus a “Remote‑Work‑From‑Anywhere” week each quarter to work from any US location. -Professional development budget of $3,000 per year for certifications, conferences (e.g., Black Hat, RSA), and online courses.--- ### Work Setup - Time zones: Must be comfortable working within the Eastern – Central US time zones; core hours are 10 am – 4 pm West Des Moines time. - Meeting cadence: 85% of meetings are async (recorded Slack threads or Loom videos); the remaining 15% are live sync sessions held via Zoom. - Equipment: Reliable high‑speed internet (minimum 50 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload), a company‑provided laptop (MacBook Pro or Dell XPS) with VPN access, and a dual‑monitor setup is strongly encouraged. - Collaboration platforms:Slack, Zoom, bolthires Teams (for external partners), Jira, and Confluence for documentation.- Security compliance: Must enable MFA on all corporate accounts and adhere to our Zero‑Trust architecture. --- ### Growth -Career path: From Security Specialist you can progress toSenior Security Engineer → Security Architecture Lead → Director of Cybersecurity. - Mentoring: Pairing with a senior security leader for monthly 1:1 coaching, plus quarterly “Security Brown‑Bag” sessions led by cross‑functional peers. - Learning budget: $3,000 per calendar year for certifications, Udemy/Pluralsight subscriptions, or conference attendance.- Performance cycles: Formal reviews semi‑annually, with clear OKRs focused on threat reduction, automation, and cross‑team enablement. --- ### 1. Submit your resume, a concise cover letter (maximum 300 words) outlining why you are a perfect fit for a remote security role based in West Des Moines, Iowa, and a link to any relevant GitHub or Kaggle projects. 2. Applications are accepted until May 31, 2025; we will begin reviewing candidates on a rolling basis and aim to schedule first‑round interviews within 10 business days of receipt.3. Our interview process includes: - Screening call (30 min) with HR to confirm logistics and cultural fit. - Technical assessment (take‑home) focused on incident triage and vulnerability remediation. - Panel interview (90 min) with the Director of Cybersecurity, a senior engineer, and a compliance manager. - Final conversation (45 min) with the VP of Engineering to discuss growth and alignment. 4. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.We look forward to meeting the next member of our security family who will help safeguard our customers across Iowa and beyond. and become a key driver of resilience for a truly remote‑first organization. Apply tot his job