OPT Information Security Specialist Jobs
Information Security Specialist roles qualify for OPT work authorization under CIP code 11.1003 (Computer and Information Systems Security). Most positions require a degree in cybersecurity, computer science, or a related field. STEM designation means you may be eligible for a 24-month OPT extension, giving you up to three years of authorized work experience.
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Get Access To All JobsJob Description:
We Deliver the Goods: Competitive pay and benefits, including Day 1 Health & Wellness Benefits, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 401K Employer Matching, Education Assistance, Paid Time Off, and much more
Growth opportunities performing essential work to support America’s food distribution system
Safe and inclusive working environment, including culture of rewards, recognition, and respect
Position Summary:
Performance Food Group is looking for a talented Information Security Analyst to play a key role in supporting Information and Privacy Risk Management aspects of the company as a member of the Information Security Department. PFG is in the midst of establishing a Risk Management function that focuses on identifying, quantifying, communicating, and tracking risks associated with information assets. Reporting to the Manager of Information Security Risk Management and working with IT and line of business stakeholders, the analyst will have a heavy focus on compliance with internal/external policies/statutes, IT Risk Management, and Third Party Risk.
Position Responsibilities:
- Conduct risk assessments and maintain risk register. Perform assessments of IT controls processes, and systems, identifying gaps and opportunities to enhance design/operational effectiveness while reducing the cost of compliance. Conduct periodic readouts and risk reviews with IT teams and segment/line of business stakeholders to convey risk and influence decision making
- Assist in maintaining security exception lifecycle, including qualifying associated risk, determining compensating controls, communicating with IT and LOB stakeholders.
- Assist in development of evaluative risk frameworks for new and emerging technologies, including but not limited to Artificial Intelligence
- Maintain Business Impact Analysis. Work with IT and LOB teams to maintain Business Impact Analysis, establishing risk categorizations for applications and infrastructure based on mission criticality and sensitivity of hosted data.
- Assist in development and implementation of Enterprise Crown Jewels program. Work with IT, LOB teams, and security control owners to define and govern control parameters for critical applications and technologies.
- KPI/KRI Development and Reporting. Assist in development of control-based Key Risk Indicators and Key Performance Indicators across business segments. Assist in developing associated governance model and metric tiers for consumption by various levels of stakeholders, up to and including the Board of Directors.
- Support IT Risk and exception management governance forums across business segments with varying operational models and business context.
- Support PFG’s Third Party Risk Management Program, assessing third parties for inherent and residual risk based on the nature of their services and their ability to appropriately secure PFG data and provide dependent services.
- Negotiate the inclusion of security requirements into third party contract agreements.
- Develop and Maintain IT Audit and Control documentation.
- Support necessary governance forums (committees, working groups) to ensure sound decision-making and stakeholder communications.
- Identify and report on non-compliance with regulatory mandates (i.e. Sarbanes Oxley section 404 PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA).
- Support operational audits as necessary.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelors Degree
- 1 - 3 Years of experience
- Experience in developing, communicating, and presenting security or risk concepts to varying audiences
- Experience with evaluating AI initiatives through a security risk lens
- Knowledge of regulatory requirements and frameworks
- Development and implementation of security policies
- Experience conducting security maturity assessments
- Development and implementation of security controls
- Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills
- Experience in assisting with process improvement initiatives
- Hold relevant security certifications or willingness to pursue additional certifications
- Continuous learning mindset
- Experience performing IT and security risk assessments, using both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify, quantify, and communicate risk
- Working knowledge of privacy statutes including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
- Experience with Data Classification, Data Security, and Data Loss Prevention methods and tools, specifically Microsoft Azure Information Protection
- Strong MS Office skills (specifically PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Project, Visio)
- Strong process analysis and engineering skills
- Experience conducting and documenting business impact analysis, designing and implementing Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery plans
- Experience with IT assurance mandates/frameworks such as Sarbanes-Oxley, CobIT
- Demonstrated leadership skills
- Demonstrated high level of analytical and problem-solving skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to influence cross functional and highly matrixed business and IT stakeholders
Company description
Performance Food Group is a customer-centric foodservice distribution leader headquartered in Richmond, Va. Grounded by roots that date back to a grocery peddler in 1885, PFG has a nationwide network of approximately 150 distribution centers, 35,000-plus talented associates, and thousands of valued suppliers across the country. With the goal of helping customers thrive, PFG markets and delivers quality food and related products to independent and chain restaurants, schools, business and industry locations, convenience operations, healthcare facilities, vending distributors, office coffee service distributors, big box retailers, and theaters across the U.S.
Performance Food Group and/or its subsidiaries (individually or collectively, the "Company") provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all applicants and employees, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. Please click on the following links to review: (1) our EEO Policy; (2) the "EEO is the Law" poster and supplement; and (3) the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.
Job Description:
We Deliver the Goods: Competitive pay and benefits, including Day 1 Health & Wellness Benefits, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, 401K Employer Matching, Education Assistance, Paid Time Off, and much more
Growth opportunities performing essential work to support America’s food distribution system
Safe and inclusive working environment, including culture of rewards, recognition, and respect
Position Summary:
Performance Food Group is looking for a talented Information Security Analyst to play a key role in supporting Information and Privacy Risk Management aspects of the company as a member of the Information Security Department. PFG is in the midst of establishing a Risk Management function that focuses on identifying, quantifying, communicating, and tracking risks associated with information assets. Reporting to the Manager of Information Security Risk Management and working with IT and line of business stakeholders, the analyst will have a heavy focus on compliance with internal/external policies/statutes, IT Risk Management, and Third Party Risk.
Position Responsibilities:
- Conduct risk assessments and maintain risk register. Perform assessments of IT controls processes, and systems, identifying gaps and opportunities to enhance design/operational effectiveness while reducing the cost of compliance. Conduct periodic readouts and risk reviews with IT teams and segment/line of business stakeholders to convey risk and influence decision making
- Assist in maintaining security exception lifecycle, including qualifying associated risk, determining compensating controls, communicating with IT and LOB stakeholders.
- Assist in development of evaluative risk frameworks for new and emerging technologies, including but not limited to Artificial Intelligence
- Maintain Business Impact Analysis. Work with IT and LOB teams to maintain Business Impact Analysis, establishing risk categorizations for applications and infrastructure based on mission criticality and sensitivity of hosted data.
- Assist in development and implementation of Enterprise Crown Jewels program. Work with IT, LOB teams, and security control owners to define and govern control parameters for critical applications and technologies.
- KPI/KRI Development and Reporting. Assist in development of control-based Key Risk Indicators and Key Performance Indicators across business segments. Assist in developing associated governance model and metric tiers for consumption by various levels of stakeholders, up to and including the Board of Directors.
- Support IT Risk and exception management governance forums across business segments with varying operational models and business context.
- Support PFG’s Third Party Risk Management Program, assessing third parties for inherent and residual risk based on the nature of their services and their ability to appropriately secure PFG data and provide dependent services.
- Negotiate the inclusion of security requirements into third party contract agreements.
- Develop and Maintain IT Audit and Control documentation.
- Support necessary governance forums (committees, working groups) to ensure sound decision-making and stakeholder communications.
- Identify and report on non-compliance with regulatory mandates (i.e. Sarbanes Oxley section 404 PCI DSS, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA).
- Support operational audits as necessary.
- Performs other related duties as assigned.
Qualifications
- Bachelors Degree
- 1 - 3 Years of experience
- Experience in developing, communicating, and presenting security or risk concepts to varying audiences
- Experience with evaluating AI initiatives through a security risk lens
- Knowledge of regulatory requirements and frameworks
- Development and implementation of security policies
- Experience conducting security maturity assessments
- Development and implementation of security controls
- Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills
- Experience in assisting with process improvement initiatives
- Hold relevant security certifications or willingness to pursue additional certifications
- Continuous learning mindset
- Experience performing IT and security risk assessments, using both qualitative and quantitative methods to identify, quantify, and communicate risk
- Working knowledge of privacy statutes including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
- Experience with Data Classification, Data Security, and Data Loss Prevention methods and tools, specifically Microsoft Azure Information Protection
- Strong MS Office skills (specifically PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Project, Visio)
- Strong process analysis and engineering skills
- Experience conducting and documenting business impact analysis, designing and implementing Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery plans
- Experience with IT assurance mandates/frameworks such as Sarbanes-Oxley, CobIT
- Demonstrated leadership skills
- Demonstrated high level of analytical and problem-solving skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Ability to influence cross functional and highly matrixed business and IT stakeholders
Company description
Performance Food Group is a customer-centric foodservice distribution leader headquartered in Richmond, Va. Grounded by roots that date back to a grocery peddler in 1885, PFG has a nationwide network of approximately 150 distribution centers, 35,000-plus talented associates, and thousands of valued suppliers across the country. With the goal of helping customers thrive, PFG markets and delivers quality food and related products to independent and chain restaurants, schools, business and industry locations, convenience operations, healthcare facilities, vending distributors, office coffee service distributors, big box retailers, and theaters across the U.S.
Performance Food Group and/or its subsidiaries (individually or collectively, the "Company") provides equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all applicants and employees, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable local, state and federal laws and regulations. Please click on the following links to review: (1) our EEO Policy; (2) the "EEO is the Law" poster and supplement; and (3) the Pay Transparency Policy Statement.
See all 244+ OPT Information Security Specialist Jobs
Sign up for free to unlock all listings, filter by visa type, and get alerts for new OPT Information Security Specialist Jobs.
Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as an Information Security Specialist
Target STEM-designated employers first
Many large financial institutions, defense contractors, and tech firms routinely file H-1B visa petitions for security roles. Prioritize employers with a documented history of sponsoring information security specialists, as they already understand the process and budget for it.
Frame your degree field precisely on applications
USCIS ties OPT authorization to your degree's CIP code. Listing your field as cybersecurity or information assurance, rather than generic computer science, strengthens the connection to the Information Security Specialist role and reduces employer compliance concerns.
Obtain relevant certifications before applying
CompTIA Security+, Certified Ethical Hacker, or CISSP Associate credentials signal technical readiness without requiring years of experience. Employers sponsor visa holders they trust to contribute immediately, and certifications close the credibility gap during OPT.
Emphasize clearance eligibility where applicable
Some government-adjacent security roles require security clearances, which non-citizens can obtain under certain conditions. Being transparent about your citizenship status and OPT timeline early avoids late-stage misalignment with employers hiring for clearance-required positions.
Connect OPT end dates to the H-1B cap cycle
H-1B registration opens each March for an October 1 start. Structure your job search timeline so an offer arrives with enough runway to file. Starting your search 12 to 14 months before OPT expires gives employers adequate lead time.
Highlight hands-on technical projects in your application
Penetration testing labs, capture-the-flag competitions, and open-source security tool contributions demonstrate practical skills employers need immediately. Concrete project work makes a stronger sponsorship case than coursework alone, especially when your OPT period is limited.
Information Security Specialist OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does an Information Security Specialist role qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension?
Yes, if your degree is in a STEM-designated field such as cybersecurity, computer science, or information assurance. Information security roles fall under CIP code 11.1003, which is on the official STEM OPT extension list. Your employer must also be enrolled in E-Verify and sign a formal training plan to qualify.
How do I find Information Security Specialist jobs that sponsor OPT students?
Migrate Mate filters job listings specifically for employers willing to sponsor F-1 OPT and visa candidates, so you are not applying blindly to roles that require existing work authorization. Searching there saves time and surfaces companies that already understand OPT compliance requirements for security roles.
Can I work as an Information Security Specialist on OPT without a security clearance?
Most private-sector information security roles do not require a clearance. Government contractor positions often do, and non-citizens face additional eligibility restrictions. Focus your search on commercial employers in finance, healthcare, and technology, where clearance is rarely a requirement and OPT authorization is straightforward to accommodate.
What degree fields support OPT authorization for Information Security Specialist positions?
Degrees in cybersecurity, information assurance, computer science, computer engineering, and management information systems are the strongest matches. The role must be directly related to your degree field for OPT to apply. Degrees in unrelated fields, even technical ones, can create authorization issues that employers and DSOs need to review carefully.
What happens to my OPT authorization if my Information Security Specialist job ends unexpectedly?
F-1 students on post-completion OPT have a cumulative 90-day unemployment limit for standard OPT and 150 days for the STEM extension period. If your position ends, notify your DSO immediately and begin your job search without delay. Days without employment count against your total even if you are actively applying.