Principal Cyber Operations Engineer - NESO
National Energy System Operator (NESO) is seeking a Principal Cyber Operations Engineer to build and deploy innovative cyber technologies across the NESO estate, forming the foundation of NESO’s Cyber Security Operations (CSO) capability. The role includes mentoring members of the Cyber Operations Engineering team and centralising forensic telemetry from critical systems that balance the UK energy system. The successful candidate will guide the wider Cyber Operations Engineering function, identify new disruptive technologies, drive process improvements, and collaborate with stakeholders to create a cohesive function.
This role can be based from Wokingham or Warwick, with hybrid working from office and home. We are open to full-time and part-time applicants, as well as flexible working arrangements.
Key Accountabilities
* Build and deploy innovative technical solutions to advance the security capability of the Cyber Security Operations function.
* Manage and oversee the configuration of various security tools to enable key stakeholders, such as CSOC and Threat Hunting and Detection Engineering (THaDE).
* Collaborate with application administrators across the business to onboard data sources into the SIEM data lake.
* Optimise forensic telemetry collection mechanisms to ensure accurate and efficient parsing and ingestion to the SIEM.
* Build resilient forensic telemetry collection technologies to support 24/7/365 monitoring of NESO and its control systems by CSO.
* Spearhead process improvement and curate, update and develop an internal cyber engineering knowledgebase (bonus points if you’re already skilled in Mermaid or Markdown!).
* Provide mentorship and guidance to other members of the Engineering team. There are also opportunities for line management within this role.
* Weigh in on tough technical decisions where competing interests or solutions require consideration.
* Identify and highlight potential avenues for increasing efficiency of delivery and process within the Engineering team.
* Provide technical guidance and support to other team members as needed.
* Suggest and recommend updates to operational procedures and flows to optimise the onboarding of data sources and ensure the widest security visibility across NESO.
About You
* Has a proven ability to lead on technical implementation and decision making within an Engineering or Security context.
* Is passionate about security and building secure infrastructure and secure foundations.
* Is curious. We often deal with bespoke or less common data sources at NESO, and a willingness and enthusiasm to take on the challenge of making sense of these data sources is a must.
* Has strong analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to handle complex and dynamic situations.
* Has a keen awareness of current and emerging cyber threats, trends, and best practices.
* Has proven experience working with SIEM platforms and related tooling.
* Has a strong understanding of SIEM concepts and best practices.
* Is familiar with SIEM telemetry onboarding processes and techniques.
* Is experienced in treating cyber operations engineering with a Software Development Lifecycle mindset (Using tooling such as Git forges, CI/CD pipelines, Infrastructure as Code, Detection as Code, etc).
* Is knowledgeable about various data source formats and protocols (e.g., syslog, JSON, REST API).
* Is comfortable with scripting or programming languages (Python, Bash, PowerShell, etc).
* Has experience in troubleshooting and resolving data quality or ingestion issues.
* Has previously worked closely with security tooling such as EDR, Deception Tech, Malware Sandboxes, Vulnerability Management Tooling, etc.
* Is familiar with security incident response and investigation processes.
* Has excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
* Has strong communication and collaboration abilities.
* May have relevant certifications (e.g. GIAC), but this is not required.
What You’ll Get
A competitive salary between £70,000 - £78,000 per year, depending on experience and capability.
In addition to base salary, you will receive a bonus of up to 15% of your salary for stretch performance, 28 days annual leave as standard, and a contributory pension scheme where NESO will double-match your contribution up to 12%.
We also offer professional and personal growth opportunities and a focus on well-being, belonging, and inclusive culture.
Benefits Details
* Full support and career-development resources to expand your skills, enhance your expertise, and maximise your potential along your career journey.
* A diverse and inclusive community of belonging, where teammates are empowered to bring ideas to the table.
* Generous Total Rewards Plan – comprising health, finance and wealth, work/life balance, and career benefits.
About NESO
National Energy System Operator’s (NESO) mission is to facilitate the decarbonisation of Great Britain’s energy network and ensure the delivery of reliable, affordable, and clean electricity for consumers. We work with stakeholders across the energy industry to plan for future network needs, embracing technology and changes in consumer behaviour, and ensuring the right markets, networks, and frameworks are in place to transform how we operate tomorrow.
In Autumn 2024, the ESO transitioned to National Energy System Operator (NESO). NESO is the independent body responsible for planning Great Britain’s electricity and gas networks and operating the electricity system. NESO builds on the ESO’s capabilities to enable a broader, cross-vector view across electricity, natural gas and hydrogen, and to consider trade-offs between them. The organisation is a public corporation with its own Board of independent directors and operational independence from government and regulators, licensed and regulated by Ofgem.
Details
* Seniority level: Mid-Senior level
* Employment type: Full-time
* Job function: Engineering and Information Technology
* Industries: Utilities
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