Senior Security Operations Engineer Jobs in California
Senior Security Operations Engineer jobs in California are among the most active in the country, concentrated in cybersecurity-intensive sectors including defense contracting, financial services, technology, and healthcare across a market that ranges from mid-level analysts stepping into senior roles through principal engineers leading SOC strategy. The largest hiring concentrations sit in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego, where employers such as Northrop Grumman, Wells Fargo, and Palo Alto Networks maintain significant security operations footprints. The most in-demand specialties across these markets are threat detection and incident response, SIEM engineering, and cloud security operations. Find a role that fits below and apply directly.
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Showing 5 of 18+ Senior Security Operations Engineer jobs





San Jose
Team :
Infrastructure
Employment Type :
Regular
Job Code :
A67226
Responsibilities
The Security Devops team within Data Center Operations - Security and EHS; designs, builds and operates the physical security platform protecting TikTok’s global datacenter fleet – the virtualization, storage, network, identity and application stack behind CCTV/VMS, access control and IoT systems across AMER, EMEA and APAC. The team runs as an internal platform provider: a single global architecture, deployed from one automation pipeline, operated to one standard. By joining this team you will own a production security estate end-to-end at datacenter scale, work hands-on with VMware Cloud Foundation, Dell PowerScale, Arista networking, Genetec and Lenel, and be part of a multi-region buildout spanning new datacenters in Europe, APAC and the Americas. We are looking for a Senior System Administrator to own the operation of the physical security infrastructure in their region. As the regional service owner, your responsibilities will include: - Own the day-to-day operation of regional physical security systems across virtualization (VMware VCF/vSphere), storage (vSAN, Dell PowerScale), network (Arista) and Windows/Linux server platforms. - Act as the regional privileged-access custodian – holding administrative rights across servers, directory, PKI, virtualization and security applications – and approve all changes within the region. - Support physical security applications and their dependencies (Genetec Security Center, Lenel, Active Directory, PKI, DNS/DHCP, monitoring), providing Tier 2 troubleshooting and escalating to global engineering for Tier 3. - Enforce SOPs, runbooks and patching cycles across all regional sites; maintain compliance evidence and operational documentation. - Monitor system health and alerts, manage the regional incident lifecycle, and coordinate vendor support engagements for hardware, software and circuit faults. - Lead and direct the regional BPO/contract engineers – task allocation, quality review, onboarding and performance feedback – and ensure procedure-based work is executed to standard. - Support new site commissioning, migrations and platform upgrades delivered by global engineering, and take operational handover. - Travel requirement: regular travel to datacenter sites within the region, with occasional international travel for site commissioning and team collaboration. Candidates must hold a valid passport and be able to obtain necessary visas.
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications - Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or a related field, or equivalent practical experience. - Hands-on experience administering enterprise Windows and Linux server environments, including VMware vSphere and enterprise storage. - Working knowledge of enterprise networking (VLANs, routing, switching) and Active Directory, PKI and DNS/DHCP fundamentals. - Experience supporting physical security platforms (Genetec Security Center, Lenel or equivalent VMS/access control) and networked IoT devices. - Demonstrated incident, change and vendor-escalation discipline with strong documentation practices. - Experience directing contractors or junior engineers in an operational or support function. - Eligible to hold privileged access to security-critical systems as a full-time employee. Preferred Qualifications - 5 years of experience in system administration or datacenter infrastructure operations, including at least 2 years in a senior or lead capacity. - 3 years of experience operating VMware-based platforms (vSphere/VCF, vSAN) and enterprise storage in production. - Relevant certifications such as VMware VCP/VCAP, RHCSA, Genetec or Lenel vendor certifications. - Scripting and automation experience (PowerShell, Python, Ansible) for operational tasks. - Experience working in multi-region or follow-the-sun operating models with outsourced/BPO teams.
Job Information
【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually)
The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $159000 - $360000 annually.
Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.
Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).
The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.
For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:
1. Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
2. Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
3. Exercising sound judgment.
About Us
Founded in 2012, ByteDance's mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. With a suite of more than a dozen products, including TikTok, Lemon8, CapCut and Pico as well as platforms specific to the China market, including Toutiao, Douyin, and Xigua, ByteDance has made it easier and more fun for people to connect with, consume, and create content.
Why Join ByteDance
Inspiring creativity is at the core of ByteDance's mission. Our innovative products are built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and enrich life - a mission we work towards every day.
As ByteDancers, we strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our Company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.
Diversity & Inclusion
ByteDance is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At ByteDance, our mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.
Reasonable Accommodation
ByteDance is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/RA-request
See All 18 Senior Security Operations Engineer Jobs in California
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Find JobsSenior Security Operations Engineer Jobs by City in California
Where California roles are concentrated, by current openings.
Senior Security Operations Engineer Job Market in California
A snapshot from current California openings, updated as new roles post.
Who's Hiring


Top Industries Hiring
- Banking & Financial Services
- Technology & Software
What California Employers Look For
The qualifications that appear most often in senior security operations engineer jobs across California.
- Active CISSP, CISM, or equivalent certification recognized by California employers
- Five or more years of hands-on security operations or SOC engineering experience
- Deep proficiency with SIEM platforms such as Splunk, Microsoft Sentinel, or Chronicle
- Experience leading incident response efforts and managing security tooling at enterprise scale
- Familiarity with cloud security principles across AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud environments
- Strong working knowledge of threat intelligence frameworks including MITRE ATT&CK
Senior Security Operations Engineer Jobs in California: Frequently Asked Questions
How do you become a senior security operations engineer in California?
The typical California path starts with a bachelor's degree in computer science, information security, or a related field, followed by several years in security operations, SOC analysis, or network security roles. California does not require a state-issued license for this role, but industry certifications such as CISSP or CISM are effectively required by most California employers at the senior level. Large California defense contractors and technology firms often promote from within their SOC analyst ranks, making internal advancement a realistic route to senior positions.
How much do senior security operations engineers make in California?
Senior security operations engineers in California earn a median of about $134,440 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $58,340 for the lowest 10% to over $222,690 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.
Which companies hire senior security operations engineers in California?
Employers hiring senior security operations engineers in California right now include Samsara, Southern California Edison, and Brex, based on current listings on Migrate Mate as of November 2026. California's concentration of defense contractors in the greater Los Angeles and San Diego areas, alongside major financial institutions and technology headquarters in the Bay Area, makes the state one of the deepest hiring pools in the country for this role.
Which California cities have the most senior security operations engineer jobs?
The cities with the most senior security operations engineer openings in California are San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Rosemead. The Bay Area's density of technology and financial services headquarters drives the highest volume, while Los Angeles and San Diego reflect the strong presence of defense contractors and federal civilian agency satellite offices, making Southern California a distinct and consistently active market for this specialization.
Are there remote senior security operations engineer jobs in California?
Yes, and more than most technical roles. About 88% of senior security operations engineer openings tied to California are remote or hybrid as of November 2026, reflecting how much of the work involves monitoring dashboards, managing cloud-based tooling, and coordinating distributed incident response teams. The roles most likely to remain fully on-site are those tied to classified government programs or environments requiring hands-on access to on-premises security infrastructure.
How can I get hired as a senior security operations engineer in California with little or no experience?
The most realistic entry path is starting as a SOC analyst or junior security analyst, roles that California employers including Northrop Grumman, Kaiser Permanente, and large Bay Area technology companies post regularly for candidates with foundational certifications such as CompTIA Security+ or Google's Cybersecurity Certificate. From there, lateral moves from IT help desk, network administration, or systems administration roles are common stepping stones. Building hands-on experience through home labs, open-source SIEM projects, or California community college cybersecurity programs strengthens a candidate's profile considerably before targeting senior-level openings.
Where can I find and apply to senior security operations engineer jobs in California?
You can find and apply to senior security operations engineer jobs in California on Migrate Mate, which lists current California openings updated regularly. Search the available roles, find the ones that match your experience and location preferences, and apply directly to the employers posting them.
See All 18 Senior Security Operations Engineer Jobs in California
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