IT Security Engineer Jobs in California
IT Security Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, with strong demand from technology companies, defense contractors, financial institutions, and healthcare systems at levels from entry-level analyst to senior architect. San Jose, San Francisco, and Los Angeles anchor most of the hiring, with major employers including Lockheed Martin, Kaiser Permanente, and Wells Fargo maintaining large security teams across the state. The most sought-after specialties in California listings are cloud security, zero-trust architecture, and security operations center work. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Job Title: IT, Security & Compliance Manager
Location: Santa Monica, CA (On-site)
Employment Type: Full-time
Level: Mid–Senior
Company: favorited
About favorited
At favorited, we believe that digital communities should be more than just spaces to watch content. Our platform is a place to connect, engage, and play, and empowers creators by enhancing audience participation and fostering deeper connections.
Our work culture is intense and isn’t for everyone. But, if you’re a self-starter eager to shape the future of social interaction with a team that holds itself to the highest standards, this is the place for you. We value open, yet respectful communication and real-time feedback to help each other grow quickly. If you’re passionate about gaming and have a knack for gamifying everyday life, you’ll thrive in our fast-moving, collaborative environment.
About the Role
We’re looking for an IT, Security & Compliance Manager to own and build the systems, processes, and programs that keep favorited secure, compliant, and operationally efficient.
This is a highly hands-on role spanning IT operations, information security, compliance, risk management, and vendor management. You’ll work closely with executive leadership, engineering, operations, and external partners to establish the right technology controls and security practices as the company scales.
You’ll also play a key role in determining which security and compliance certifications favorited should pursue, building the roadmap to achieve them, and ensuring the company maintains the appropriate standards as our customer, creator, and business requirements evolve.
Responsibilities
Own day-to-day IT operations, including systems, applications, access management, devices, identity, and employee technology.
Develop and maintain favorited’s information security program, policies, standards, and controls.
Own security and compliance readiness, including identifying appropriate certifications and frameworks for the business.
Develop and manage a roadmap for certifications such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other relevant standards based on business and customer requirements.
Partner with engineering and infrastructure teams to ensure appropriate security controls, monitoring, access management, and infrastructure practices are in place.
Manage employee identity and access management, including onboarding, offboarding, permissions, and periodic access reviews.
Establish and maintain security policies covering areas such as access control, acceptable use, data protection, incident response, and vendor risk.
Own or coordinate security audits, assessments, penetration tests, and compliance reviews.
Develop and maintain an effective incident response and security escalation process.
Manage technology and security vendors, including vendor selection, evaluation, contracts, renewals, and ongoing performance.
Establish a third-party risk management process for vendors that have access to company systems or data.
Partner with legal, finance, HR, and leadership on privacy, compliance, and risk-related initiatives.
Maintain accurate documentation and evidence required for security and compliance programs.
Conduct regular risk assessments and proactively identify opportunities to strengthen the company’s security posture.
Educate employees on security best practices, policies, and compliance requirements.
Help establish scalable IT and security processes that can support favorited as the company grows.
What We’re Looking For
5+ years of experience across IT, information security, GRC, compliance, or a related field.
Experience owning or significantly contributing to IT and security programs within a startup or high-growth technology company.
Strong understanding of security frameworks, controls, risk management, and compliance requirements.
Experience building security and compliance programs from the ground up.
Familiarity with SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other relevant security and privacy frameworks.
Experience managing security audits and certification processes.
Strong experience with identity and access management, SaaS administration, endpoint security, and IT operations.
Experience evaluating and managing IT and security vendors.
Ability to assess the company’s needs and determine which security certifications and compliance standards are appropriate.
Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical teams.
Comfortable operating independently and building processes where they don’t yet exist.
High level of discretion, judgment, and ownership when dealing with sensitive company and user information.
What Stands Out
Experience leading SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 certification efforts from planning through completion.
Experience working in a consumer technology, gaming, social, livestreaming, or SaaS environment.
Experience supporting companies through rapid growth and increasing security or compliance requirements.
Familiarity with cloud environments such as AWS or GCP.
Experience with security and IT tools across identity, endpoint management, vulnerability management, SIEM, and compliance management.
Experience establishing a security program at a company that previously had limited formal security infrastructure.
Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, or Security+ are a plus.
A pragmatic approach to security - someone who understands how to build strong controls without unnecessarily slowing down a fast-moving engineering organization.
Salary & Benefits
Compensation: $140k - $170k base salary
Benefits Include:
Unlimited PTO to prioritize work-life balance.
401(k) plan to invest in your future.
Comprehensive health insurance to support your well-being.
Paid company holidays to recharge.
Competitive salary that values your expertise and contributions.
Where You’ll Work: This is a full-time, on-site position in Santa Monica.
EEOC Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Compensation Range: $140K - $170K
Job Title: IT, Security & Compliance Manager
Location: Santa Monica, CA (On-site)
Employment Type: Full-time
Level: Mid–Senior
Company: favorited
About favorited
At favorited, we believe that digital communities should be more than just spaces to watch content. Our platform is a place to connect, engage, and play, and empowers creators by enhancing audience participation and fostering deeper connections.
Our work culture is intense and isn’t for everyone. But, if you’re a self-starter eager to shape the future of social interaction with a team that holds itself to the highest standards, this is the place for you. We value open, yet respectful communication and real-time feedback to help each other grow quickly. If you’re passionate about gaming and have a knack for gamifying everyday life, you’ll thrive in our fast-moving, collaborative environment.
About the Role
We’re looking for an IT, Security & Compliance Manager to own and build the systems, processes, and programs that keep favorited secure, compliant, and operationally efficient.
This is a highly hands-on role spanning IT operations, information security, compliance, risk management, and vendor management. You’ll work closely with executive leadership, engineering, operations, and external partners to establish the right technology controls and security practices as the company scales.
You’ll also play a key role in determining which security and compliance certifications favorited should pursue, building the roadmap to achieve them, and ensuring the company maintains the appropriate standards as our customer, creator, and business requirements evolve.
Responsibilities
Own day-to-day IT operations, including systems, applications, access management, devices, identity, and employee technology.
Develop and maintain favorited’s information security program, policies, standards, and controls.
Own security and compliance readiness, including identifying appropriate certifications and frameworks for the business.
Develop and manage a roadmap for certifications such as SOC 2, ISO 27001, or other relevant standards based on business and customer requirements.
Partner with engineering and infrastructure teams to ensure appropriate security controls, monitoring, access management, and infrastructure practices are in place.
Manage employee identity and access management, including onboarding, offboarding, permissions, and periodic access reviews.
Establish and maintain security policies covering areas such as access control, acceptable use, data protection, incident response, and vendor risk.
Own or coordinate security audits, assessments, penetration tests, and compliance reviews.
Develop and maintain an effective incident response and security escalation process.
Manage technology and security vendors, including vendor selection, evaluation, contracts, renewals, and ongoing performance.
Establish a third-party risk management process for vendors that have access to company systems or data.
Partner with legal, finance, HR, and leadership on privacy, compliance, and risk-related initiatives.
Maintain accurate documentation and evidence required for security and compliance programs.
Conduct regular risk assessments and proactively identify opportunities to strengthen the company’s security posture.
Educate employees on security best practices, policies, and compliance requirements.
Help establish scalable IT and security processes that can support favorited as the company grows.
What We’re Looking For
5+ years of experience across IT, information security, GRC, compliance, or a related field.
Experience owning or significantly contributing to IT and security programs within a startup or high-growth technology company.
Strong understanding of security frameworks, controls, risk management, and compliance requirements.
Experience building security and compliance programs from the ground up.
Familiarity with SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other relevant security and privacy frameworks.
Experience managing security audits and certification processes.
Strong experience with identity and access management, SaaS administration, endpoint security, and IT operations.
Experience evaluating and managing IT and security vendors.
Ability to assess the company’s needs and determine which security certifications and compliance standards are appropriate.
Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively with both technical and non-technical teams.
Comfortable operating independently and building processes where they don’t yet exist.
High level of discretion, judgment, and ownership when dealing with sensitive company and user information.
What Stands Out
Experience leading SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 certification efforts from planning through completion.
Experience working in a consumer technology, gaming, social, livestreaming, or SaaS environment.
Experience supporting companies through rapid growth and increasing security or compliance requirements.
Familiarity with cloud environments such as AWS or GCP.
Experience with security and IT tools across identity, endpoint management, vulnerability management, SIEM, and compliance management.
Experience establishing a security program at a company that previously had limited formal security infrastructure.
Relevant certifications such as CISSP, CISM, CISA, CRISC, or Security+ are a plus.
A pragmatic approach to security - someone who understands how to build strong controls without unnecessarily slowing down a fast-moving engineering organization.
Salary & Benefits
Compensation: $140k - $170k base salary
Benefits Include:
Unlimited PTO to prioritize work-life balance.
401(k) plan to invest in your future.
Comprehensive health insurance to support your well-being.
Paid company holidays to recharge.
Competitive salary that values your expertise and contributions.
Where You’ll Work: This is a full-time, on-site position in Santa Monica.
EEOC Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Compensation Range: $140K - $170K
See All 31 IT Security Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find IT Security Engineer JobsIT Security Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
IT Security Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring
Top Industries Hiring
- Technology & Software
- Science & Research
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in IT security engineer jobs across California.
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information security, or a related technical field
- Industry certification such as CISSP, CISM, CEH, or CompTIA Security+ strongly preferred
- Hands-on experience with SIEM platforms, endpoint detection, and incident response tools
- Working knowledge of NIST, ISO 27001, and California Consumer Privacy Act compliance frameworks
- Experience securing cloud environments on AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform
- Ability to obtain or maintain security clearance for defense and government contract roles
IT Security Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a it security engineer in California?
IT security engineer roles in California do not require a state-issued license, but employers consistently expect a bachelor's degree in computer science, cybersecurity, or information systems alongside recognized industry certifications such as CISSP, CISM, or CompTIA Security+. California's large defense and financial sectors often require candidates to complete a federal security clearance process. Building hands-on experience through internships, capture-the-flag competitions, or home lab projects strengthens applications considerably.
How much do IT security engineers make in California?
IT security engineers in California earn a median of about $138,570 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $66,070 for the lowest 10% to over $221,000 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire it security engineers in California?
Employers hiring it security engineers in California right now include GoFormz, FAV, and FRONT, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's concentration of technology headquarters, defense primes, and large hospital systems means consistent openings appear across a wide range of industries rather than clustering in a single sector.
Which California cities have the most it security engineer jobs?
San Francisco, San Diego, and Orange County post the most it security engineer openings in California. The San Jose and San Francisco concentration reflects the density of technology headquarters and cloud infrastructure firms in the Bay Area, while Los Angeles draws volume from entertainment studios, aerospace and defense contractors, and large financial services firms headquartered in the region.
Are there remote it security engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most fields. About 44% of it security engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how much of the work centers on monitoring dashboards, writing policies, and reviewing logs rather than touching physical hardware. Roles tied to on-site infrastructure, data centers, or government facilities with classified networks remain in-person by requirement.
How can I get hired as a it security engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is landing a security analyst or IT support role first, then moving laterally into security engineering. Large California technology companies and hospital systems including those in the UC Health network run structured associate and rotational programs that accept candidates without dedicated security experience. Earning CompTIA Security+ or completing a recognized cybersecurity bootcamp recognized by California community colleges signals commitment, and a documented home lab or capture-the-flag portfolio gives interviewers something concrete to evaluate.
Where can I find and apply to it security engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to it security engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current openings from employers hiring in the state. Find the roles that fit your experience and location, then apply directly through each listing.
See All 31 IT Security Engineer Jobs in California
Find roles in California that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.
Find IT Security Engineer Jobs