Cybersecurity Engineer II

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Job summary:

The Cybersecurity Engineer II will serve as a hands-on technical leader responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining advanced cybersecurity solutions within the Wisconsin Health Data Hub (WHDH). WHDH is a federally funded initiative developing a secure, cloud-native data platform to enable biomedical research, real-world data analytics, and AI-driven discovery.

This role bridges security strategy and engineering execution by translating modern cybersecurity practices—including cloud security, identity and access management, threat detection, vulnerability management, and data protection—into scalable, production-ready controls. The Cybersecurity Engineer will work closely with data engineers, solutions architects, and domain experts to secure infrastructure, applications, and sensitive multi-modal healthcare datasets across the WHDH environment.

The position emphasizes proactive risk reduction, continuous monitoring, iterative improvement, and deployment of resilient security solutions that function reliably within a secure, governed data environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Security Architecture & Engineering

• Design and implement security controls across WHDH cloud infrastructure, applications, data platforms, and network environments.
• Build secure-by-design architectures for data ingestion, storage, analytics, and AI workloads.
• Configure identity and access management controls including role-based access, least privilege, and privileged account protections.
• Implement encryption solutions for data at rest, in transit, and during controlled data exchange processes.
• Conduct architecture reviews to identify and remediate security weaknesses before deployment.

Monitoring, Detection & Incident Response

• Implement and maintain security monitoring tools, logging pipelines, and alerting capabilities across the WHDH environment.
• Develop automated detection rules for suspicious activity, unauthorized access, and anomalous system behavior.
• Investigate security alerts, triage incidents, and coordinate containment and remediation activities.
• Lead technical response efforts for cybersecurity incidents affecting infrastructure, applications, or data assets.
• Conduct post-incident reviews and implement preventive improvements.

Cloud & Platform Security Operations

• Secure cloud-native environments including compute, storage, networking, and containerized workloads.
• Implement vulnerability management processes including scanning, prioritization, patch coordination, and remediation tracking.
• Harden operating systems, databases, containers, and endpoints supporting the WHDH platform.
• Support secure CI/CD pipelines and DevSecOps practices for platform engineering teams.
• Maintain backup integrity, disaster recovery readiness, and resilience controls.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure platform operations align with institutional security policies, research data governance requirements, and healthcare privacy standards.
• Support compliance with HIPAA-aligned safeguards, NIST frameworks, and applicable contractual security obligations.
• Perform risk assessments, security reviews, and control documentation for new technologies and vendor integrations.
• Maintain technical evidence and documentation required for audits, grant reporting, and security assessments.
• Provide security guidance to project teams handling sensitive or regulated data.

Collaboration & Security Enablement

• Partner with data engineers, data scientists, and software engineers to implement secure solutions without impeding innovation.
• Deliver practical cybersecurity guidance for secure data sharing, external collaboration, and research computing workflows.
• Promote security awareness and best practices across WHDH technical teams.
• Evaluate emerging cybersecurity technologies and recommend improvements to platform defenses.

It is anticipated that this position will be remote and requires work be performed at an offsite, non-campus work location. The selected candidate must reside within the State of Wisconsin or plan to reside in the State within a reasonable time from the position start date.

Key job responsibilities:

• Leads the design, development, and implementation of cybersecurity services and infrastructure and ensures that best practices and standards are applied

• Determines necessary technical changes to improve security

• Leads the development of procedures and training for daily administrative tasks for cybersecurity services and infrastructure

• Oversees compliance and security governance activities by evaluating emerging threats, automating security processes, and producing metrics, dashboards, and reporting related to risk posture, control effectiveness, and regulatory readiness

• Ensures that change management processes are followed for cybersecurity services and infrastructure

• Leads cybersecurity operations including continuous monitoring, threat detection, incident response, vulnerability management, and remediation activities to protect systems, applications, and data assets

• Conducts security architecture reviews for new technologies, cloud platforms, vendor integrations, and application deployments while providing secure-by-design guidance to technical teams

• Designs and implements enterprise security controls including identity and access management, encryption, key management, secure backup, disaster recovery, and cyber resilience capabilities

Department:

School of Medicine and Public Health, Office of Informatics and Information Technology, Wisconsin Health Data Hub.

The Wisconsin Health Data Hub (WHDH) is a grant-funded initiative within the Information and Information Technology (IIT) Division at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. WHDH brings together a multidisciplinary team of technologists responsible for designing, implementing, and operating a secure data enclave that supports the responsible use of real-world health data for biomedical research.

The WHDH team develops and manages a scalable data platform that enables researchers to efficiently access, integrate, and analyze large-scale health datasets from participating health systems. By providing advanced data services, governance frameworks, and analytical capabilities, WHDH accelerates the research lifecycle—from project conception and data acquisition to analysis and discovery—while ensuring compliance with applicable regulatory, privacy, and security requirements.

Compensation:

The starting salary for the position is $111,000 annually; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Required qualifications:

• 5 years of professional experience implementing cybersecurity controls in enterprise or cloud environments (7 years preferred).
• Experience with identity and access management, network security, vulnerability management, and security monitoring.
• Experience securing cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud.
• Familiarity with scripting or automation using tools such as Python, PowerShell, Bash, or Terraform.
• Strong understanding of security principles including encryption, authentication, logging, and incident response.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience securing healthcare, research, or regulated data environments.
• Familiarity with frameworks such as NIST Cybersecurity Framework, NIST 800-53, CIS Controls, or HITRUST.
• Experience with SIEM, EDR, CSPM, or container security platforms.
• Knowledge of DevSecOps and secure software development lifecycle practices.
• Experience with Kubernetes, Docker, and cloud-native application security.
• Professional certifications such as CISSP, GIAC, Security+, CCSP, or equivalent.

Education:

Bachelor's degree preferred; Focus in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, Information Technology, Engineering, or a related technical field preferred

How to apply:

For the best experience completing your application, we recommend using Chrome or Firefox as your web browser.

To apply for this position, select either “I am a current employee” or “I am not a current employee” under Apply Now. You will then be prompted to upload your application materials.
Important: The application has only one attachment field. Upload the following documents in that field, either as a single combined file or as multiple files in the same upload area.

• Cover letter (required for application to be considered)
• Resume

Your cover letter should address how your training and experience aligns with the required and preferred qualifications listed above. Application reviewers will rely on these written materials to determine which applicants move forward in the process. References will be requested from final candidates. All applicants will be notified once the search concludes and a candidate is selected.

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment. This position is an ongoing position that will require continuous work eligibility. If you are selected for this position you must provide proof of work authorization and eligibility to work.

The department will not be able to support a request for a J-1 waiver. If you choose to pursue a waiver and apply for our position, neither the UW nor UWMF will reimburse you for your legal or waiver fees.

Contact information:

Cody Roekle, croekle@wisc.edu, 608-263-7676

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional statement on diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.