System Security Engineer Job Description and Role Profile

The System Security Engineer role is for experienced security professionals who design, implement and maintain technical controls to protect organisational systems. Candidates should have a strong grounding in systems and network security, practical experience of vulnerability management and incident response, and the ability to work with cross functional teams to reduce risk.

System Security Engineer Job Profile

The System Security Engineer is responsible for defining and implementing security measures that protect information systems across their lifecycle. This role focuses on risk identification, technical control design, vulnerability mitigation and support for security incident management.

The purpose of the role is to reduce technical exposure by embedding security requirements into system design, verifying the effectiveness of controls through testing and monitoring, and working with development, operations and architecture teams to ensure secure delivery of services.

System Security Engineer Job Description

The System Security Engineer assesses system architecture and operational processes to identify security gaps and implement appropriate safeguards. This includes producing security requirements, performing threat modelling and risk assessments, and validating system hardening and configuration baselines. The role works closely with engineers and stakeholders to translate business needs into secure technical solutions.

Day to day duties include reviewing designs, conducting vulnerability assessments and security reviews, analysing logs and alerts for suspicious activity, and participating in incident response. The role requires clear documentation of findings, remediation tracking and producing concise reports for technical and non technical audiences.

The position operates in a collaborative environment with expectations for proactive improvement of security posture, continuous learning to address emerging threats, and consistent adherence to regulatory and organisational security standards.

System Security Engineer: Duties and Responsibilities

• Design and recommend security controls for systems, applications and infrastructure throughout the development lifecycle.
• Conduct threat modelling and risk assessments to identify and prioritise vulnerabilities.
• Perform regular vulnerability scanning and analysis and coordinate remediation activities with owners.
• Review system and application designs for security weaknesses and provide mitigation guidance.
• Develop and maintain secure configuration baselines and hardening guidance for servers and network devices.
• Implement and validate access controls and authentication mechanisms to protect sensitive data.
• Monitor security logs and alerts, investigate anomalies and escalate incidents as required.
• Participate in security incident response, including containment, eradication and root cause analysis.
• Develop and execute security test plans, including penetration testing and configuration validation.
• Produce technical security reports, vulnerability summaries and remediation plans for stakeholders.
• Collaborate with development and operations teams to integrate security into CI CD pipelines and deployment processes.
• Support compliance activities by providing evidence, documentation and technical input to audits.
• Automate routine security tasks and checks to improve efficiency and repeatability.
• Stay informed of emerging threats and advise on updates to policies and operational procedures.

System Security Engineer: Requirements and Qualifications

• Degree in computer science, information security, engineering or equivalent practical experience.
• Minimum of three years practical experience in systems or infrastructure security.
• Solid understanding of network protocols, operating systems and application architectures.
• Experience performing vulnerability assessment, threat modelling and security testing.
• Knowledge of security controls, cryptography concepts and secure configuration practices.
• Familiarity with incident response processes and digital forensics fundamentals.
• Ability to write clear technical documentation and communicate findings to non technical stakeholders.
• Proficiency in scripting or automation to support security operations and repeatable checks.
• Experience working across development and operations teams to implement secure changes.
• Understanding of security frameworks and standards and how to apply them in practice.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail and a risk based approach to decision making.
• Willingness to maintain professional development and keep pace with evolving threats.