Cloud Security Engineer Jobs in Virginia

Job Description

POSITION TITLE: Vice President, Cybersecurity Engineering – Email & Cloud Security

JOB FAMILY: Cybersecurity Engineering

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: Principal, Head of Cybersecurity Engineering
Direct Reports: None

POSITION SUMMARY STATEMENT

We are seeking a Vice President, Cybersecurity Engineer to serve as a senior technical leader across enterprise security platforms and controls. This role owns the technical direction, deployment, and operational integration of core security controls across identity, endpoint, email, cloud, and SaaS environments.

In this role, you will act as the connective tissue between security controls engineering, security operations, and platform engineering. You will lead design decisions, drive roadmap execution, and ensure that security platforms (such as Microsoft Defender, identity controls, CSPM, and autonomous response tooling) are implemented in a scalable, supportable, and risk‑informed way. You will partner closely with Cybersecurity Platform Engineering, Incident Response, Technology & Engineering, and business stakeholders to translate risk into durable engineering solutions. This is a hands‑on senior individual contributor role requiring deep technical judgment, strong communication skills, and the ability to influence outcomes across teams without formal authority.

We value diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences, and we are committed to building a team where everyone feels they belong. We especially encourage candidates from underrepresented communities in cybersecurity and technology to apply. Our interview process focuses on problem-solving ability, practical skills, and collaborative mindset.

DETAILED RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES

Enterprise Security Platforms & Controls

• Serve as technical owner and subject‑matter expert for core security platforms including endpoint, identity, email, SaaS, and cloud security tooling.
• Lead design, rollout, and tuning of security controls across Microsoft Defender, identity protection, CSPM, and threat detection platforms.
• Ensure controls are engineered for reliability, operational supportability, accessibility, and measurable risk reduction.

Autonomous Response & Detection Enablement

• Drive evaluation and implementation of autonomous and semi‑autonomous response capabilities across security platforms (e.g., account actions, email remediation, IOC blocking).
• Partner with Security Operations to balance response speed, safety, and 24x7 support considerations, with attention to reducing alert fatigue and cognitive load.

Identity, Endpoint & Email Security Leadership

• Lead technical direction for passwordless, identity protection, endpoint detection, and email security initiatives.
• Coordinate roadmap alignment and deep‑dive reviews with platform owners and vendors.

Cloud & SaaS Security Enablement

• Partner with cloud and platform engineering teams to integrate CSPM, workload protection, and SaaS security controls into production environments.
• Validate configurations against internal standards and external benchmarks (e.g., CIS), and document decisions for shared understanding.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration & Governance

• Act as a trusted technical advisor to Cybersecurity Engineering leadership, IT, and business stakeholders.
• Develop reference architectures for security and business enablement.
• Participate in change management, risk discussions, and control reviews to ensure security outcomes align with business priorities.
• Produce clear, accessible documentation, debriefs, and guidance to enable shared ownership across teams.

Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement

• Identify control gaps, operational pain points, and automation opportunities; drive improvements through engineering and process changes.
• Partner with Cybersecurity Platform Engineering to ensure telemetry, logging, and integrations meet detection and response needs.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

None. This role provides technical leadership, mentorship, and influence across multiple teams.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Technical & Professional Experience

• Significant experience in cybersecurity engineering (typically 8–10+ years), with hands‑on experience in security platforms, controls engineering, or security operations enablement.
• Demonstrated ownership of enterprise security tools such as EDR, identity protection, email security, CSPM, or SOAR platforms.
• Experience designing and operationalizing automated or autonomous security controls.
• Strong understanding of cloud security concepts (Azure preferred) and SaaS security models.

Collaboration & Influence

• Proven ability to lead cross‑team initiatives and influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Clear communicator who can translate technical risk into actionable engineering and operational decisions using a variety of communication styles.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with the Microsoft Defender ecosystem, identity protection, and email security platforms.
• Familiarity with CSPM tools (e.g., Wiz) and cloud security posture management approaches.
• Experience partnering closely with SOC, IR, and platform engineering teams.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree, relevant technical training, or equivalent hands‑on experience. We welcome candidates with nontraditional educational paths.
• Professional certifications (e.g., CISSP) are valued but not required.

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

• Strong sense of ownership, accountability, and operational rigor.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a complex, regulated environment.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver results in a dynamic environment while maintaining healthy work practices.
• Proven track record of developing and maintaining structured processes that support efficiency, scalability, and rapid business growth.
• Systems thinking is key: understanding end-to-end workflows and how decisions impact teams and users.
• Inclusive, collaborative working style that values diverse perspectives, accessibility, and clear communication.
• Commitment to continuous learning and improving security outcomes through engineering.

WHY JOIN US

You will step into a role with immediate impact—owning and advancing the security platforms and controls that protect the organization every day. You will influence enterprise‑wide security posture, shape how automation and response are safely deployed, and partner with deeply skilled engineering and security teams to build resilient, scalable defenses.

We are committed to equitable hiring. Candidates may qualify through a combination of education, training, lived experience, or self-directed learning. If you’re excited about the role but don’t meet every listed requirement, we encourage you to apply.

Compensation

The anticipated base salary range for this position is listed below. Total compensation may also include a discretionary performance-based bonus. Note, the range takes into account a broad spectrum of qualifications, including, but not limited to, years of relevant work experience, education, and other relevant qualifications specific to the role.

$200,000 - $250,000

The firm also offers robust Benefits offerings. Ares U.S. Core Benefits include Comprehensive Medical/Rx, Dental and Vision plans; 401(k) program with company match; Flexible Savings Accounts (FSA); Healthcare Savings Accounts (HSA) with company contribution; Basic and Voluntary Life Insurance; Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Short-Term Disability (STD) insurance; Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and Commuter Benefits plan for parking and transit.

Ares offers a number of additional benefits including access to a world-class medical advisory team, a mental health app that includes coaching, therapy and psychiatry, a mindfulness and wellbeing app, financial wellness benefit that includes access to a financial advisor, new parent leave, reproductive and adoption assistance, emergency backup care, matching gift program, education sponsorship program, and much more.

There is no set deadline to apply for this job opportunity. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the search is no longer active.