Lead Security Engineer

Overview

Lead Security Engineer (Consultant) at Kainos to drive security engineering and testing across platforms and services. You will set testing direction, engagement scope, outputs, and tool choices while developing junior engineers. Collaborate with agile teams to embed secure practices and educate customers and colleagues. You’ll coach a small team and provide leadership to solve complex security challenges. This role blends technical leadership with a growth-minded, people-first culture.

Responsibilities

• Lead security engineering and security testing across platforms and services
• Set direction for testing methodology, engagement scoping, outputs, and tools/technologies
• Develop and mentor junior security engineers
• Collaborate with agile delivery teams to embed secure development practices
• Share knowledge and educate customers and Kainos teams on security
• Manage and coach a small team, focusing on performance and career development
• Provide direction and leadership to tackle challenging security problems

Key requirements

• Expertise in securing Web Applications and Cloud Platforms (e.g. AWS/Azure)
• Experience in Defence Sector
• Current, Active Security Clearance
• Experience testing software and infrastructure security using manual or automated tools, including penetration testing
• Expertise in secure code assessment
• Experience with Continuous Security/CI/CD practices
• Knowledge of international security standards and regulations (NCSC, NIST, CIS, PCI, GDPR, OWASP ASVS, HIPAA, SOC2)
• Knowledge of common cyber attack vectors and ability to articulate threats via threat modelling
• Excellent communication skills across varied audiences
• Mentoring and coaching experience
• Programming or scripting experience across Windows/Linux/macOS
• Keeping up-to-date with evolving threats

• communication
• mentoring/coaching
• team collaboration
• Penetration testing tools (e.g. Burp Suite, OWASP-ZAP, NMAP, Nessus, Kali, Metasploit)
• Threat modelling
• Security testing of web apps and infrastructure

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