STEM OPT Cybersecurity Consultant Jobs
Cybersecurity Consultant roles qualify for STEM OPT when your degree falls under an eligible CIP code in computer science, information security, or a related field. Your employer must be enrolled in E-Verify, and the 24-month STEM OPT extension gives you up to 36 months total to build client-facing security experience while pursuing H-1B visa sponsorship.
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Get Access To All JobsSCOPE OF THE PROJECT:
The Office of Cybersecurity ensures the confidentiality, integrity and availability of SCDHH's systems and services. Strong candidate must have hands-on experience with:
- Data network design best practices
- Routing and switching protocols
- Network security best practices
- On-premise and/or cloud networking environments
This role requires someone who can contribute independently on technical tasks and support more senior analysts on complex initiatives.
DAILY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:
This is a hands-on technical role reporting to the Office of Cybersecurity SOC lead. The analyst will support SCDHHS leadership, business units, partners, and vendors in day-to-day cybersecurity operations.
Security Program Experience: Strongly desired experience includes:
- CMS ARC-AMPE, HIPAA, NIST or other FISMA RMF frameworks
- Performing repeatable security processes supporting compliant enterprise architectures
- Supporting security considerations for multi-tenant cloud environments and vendor integrations
Technical Experience: Candidates should have hands-on experience with:
- Secure network design principles
- Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems
- Switching and Routing
- Enterprise Firewalls
- Network auditing
- IDS/IPS platforms
- Network security monitoring
- SIEM platforms such as QRadar, Splunk (Preferred)
- Vulnerability scanning tools (Nessus, Qualys, etc.)
- Cloud Infrastructure Security (Preferred)
Essential Responsibilities:
- Assist in maturing network security and compliance solutions
- Investigate and respond to daily network alerts
- Perform network security assessments for proposed firewall and infrastructure changes
- Conduct technical analysis for network security planning and engineering
- Review and assessment of connectivity, website block and firewall rule requests to ensure they do not present an elevated risk to the agency
- Analyze on-premise and cloud networks for potential threats
- Develop, review, and analyze network traffic reports that violate the agency's approved standards governing Ports, Protocols and Services.
- Monitor emerging threat vectors and recommend countermeasures
- Collaborate with other areas of the agency to implement security controls
- Support cloud and on-premise network changes and enhancement projects
- Ensure compliance with ARC-AMPE, HIPAA and SCDIS-200
- Assist with KPI creation and trend report monitoring
- Participate in firewall configuration reviews and ruleset recertification
- Provide guidance on best practices to technical teams
- Perform additional SOC duties as assigned
REQUIRED SKILLS (RANK IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE):
- Approximately 3-5 years of hands-on experience in network design, implementation, or support
- Hands-on experience in IT security or system administration
- Working knowledge of secure network design, security architecture, compliance tools, data protection, and access models
- Ability to analyze logs, alerts, and network telemetry
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools
PREFERRED SKILLS (RANK IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE):
- Experience working in regulatory environments
- Experience supporting health IT or state government
- Familiarity with FISMA, NIST, CMS ARC-AMPE, and HIPAA security and privacy standards
- Cloud network security controls (Azure or AWS)
REQUIRED EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS:
- BS degree in Computer Science, information systems, Cybersecurity, or related field; or equivalent experience
- A network security centric certification such as PCNSE or CCNA
SCOPE OF THE PROJECT:
The Office of Cybersecurity ensures the confidentiality, integrity and availability of SCDHH's systems and services. Strong candidate must have hands-on experience with:
- Data network design best practices
- Routing and switching protocols
- Network security best practices
- On-premise and/or cloud networking environments
This role requires someone who can contribute independently on technical tasks and support more senior analysts on complex initiatives.
DAILY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES:
This is a hands-on technical role reporting to the Office of Cybersecurity SOC lead. The analyst will support SCDHHS leadership, business units, partners, and vendors in day-to-day cybersecurity operations.
Security Program Experience: Strongly desired experience includes:
- CMS ARC-AMPE, HIPAA, NIST or other FISMA RMF frameworks
- Performing repeatable security processes supporting compliant enterprise architectures
- Supporting security considerations for multi-tenant cloud environments and vendor integrations
Technical Experience: Candidates should have hands-on experience with:
- Secure network design principles
- Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems
- Switching and Routing
- Enterprise Firewalls
- Network auditing
- IDS/IPS platforms
- Network security monitoring
- SIEM platforms such as QRadar, Splunk (Preferred)
- Vulnerability scanning tools (Nessus, Qualys, etc.)
- Cloud Infrastructure Security (Preferred)
Essential Responsibilities:
- Assist in maturing network security and compliance solutions
- Investigate and respond to daily network alerts
- Perform network security assessments for proposed firewall and infrastructure changes
- Conduct technical analysis for network security planning and engineering
- Review and assessment of connectivity, website block and firewall rule requests to ensure they do not present an elevated risk to the agency
- Analyze on-premise and cloud networks for potential threats
- Develop, review, and analyze network traffic reports that violate the agency's approved standards governing Ports, Protocols and Services.
- Monitor emerging threat vectors and recommend countermeasures
- Collaborate with other areas of the agency to implement security controls
- Support cloud and on-premise network changes and enhancement projects
- Ensure compliance with ARC-AMPE, HIPAA and SCDIS-200
- Assist with KPI creation and trend report monitoring
- Participate in firewall configuration reviews and ruleset recertification
- Provide guidance on best practices to technical teams
- Perform additional SOC duties as assigned
REQUIRED SKILLS (RANK IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE):
- Approximately 3-5 years of hands-on experience in network design, implementation, or support
- Hands-on experience in IT security or system administration
- Working knowledge of secure network design, security architecture, compliance tools, data protection, and access models
- Ability to analyze logs, alerts, and network telemetry
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools
PREFERRED SKILLS (RANK IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE):
- Experience working in regulatory environments
- Experience supporting health IT or state government
- Familiarity with FISMA, NIST, CMS ARC-AMPE, and HIPAA security and privacy standards
- Cloud network security controls (Azure or AWS)
REQUIRED EDUCATION/CERTIFICATIONS:
- BS degree in Computer Science, information systems, Cybersecurity, or related field; or equivalent experience
- A network security centric certification such as PCNSE or CCNA
See all 67+ STEM OPT Cybersecurity Consultant Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding STEM OPT Authorization as a Cybersecurity Consultant
Verify your CIP code before applying
Check that your degree's CIP code appears on the STEM Designated Degree Program List maintained by USCIS. Information security and computer science codes qualify, but some adjacent business or management programs do not, which affects your extension eligibility entirely.
Confirm E-Verify enrollment before accepting offers
Ask your recruiter for the employer's E-Verify Company ID before signing anything. Consulting firms that staff you to clients must be enrolled as the employer of record, not the end client, and many candidates miss this distinction until the I-983 filing stage.
Build certifications that signal H-1B specialty occupation
Credentials like CISSP, CEH, or Security+ document that your role requires theoretical and practical expertise beyond a general degree. Cybersecurity Consultant positions face specialty occupation scrutiny at H-1B filing, so employer-recognized certifications strengthen the petition before you even receive an offer.
Target consulting firms with established STEM OPT pipelines
Use Migrate Mate to filter Cybersecurity Consultant openings by employers with active STEM OPT hiring history. Firms that have structured I-983 training plans already in place move you to offer faster and handle DSO reporting cycles without friction.
Structure your I-983 training plan around billable deliverables
Generic training objectives get flagged during DSO review. Map your learning goals directly to client engagement outcomes, such as penetration testing milestones or compliance audit deliverables, so your Form I-983 reflects actual consulting work rather than classroom-style tasks.
File your H-1B registration before OPT cap-gap risk emerges
STEM OPT cap-gap protection extends your authorization through September 30 if your H-1B is filed before your EAD expires. Cybersecurity Consultant roles on multi-month client engagements need continuity of authorization, so confirm your employer's H-1B filing timeline during the offer negotiation itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a cybersecurity or information security degree qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
Yes, provided your degree's CIP code appears on the STEM Designated Degree Program List. Degrees in computer science, information assurance, cybersecurity, and network security typically qualify. Degrees in general business or management information systems may not, even if your coursework was technical. Confirm your specific CIP code with your DSO before applying for the extension, since USCIS ties eligibility to the code on your transcript, not the program title.
Does my consulting firm employer need to be enrolled in E-Verify even if I work at client sites?
Yes. E-Verify enrollment is required for your direct employer, meaning the consulting or staffing firm that issues your paycheck and W-2, not the end client where you perform the work. This distinction matters because many cybersecurity consultants are placed at financial institutions or government contractors whose own E-Verify status is irrelevant to your STEM OPT authorization. Verify the firm's E-Verify Company ID before signing your offer letter.
What goes into a valid I-983 training plan for a Cybersecurity Consultant role?
Your Form I-983 must identify the practical skills you will develop, the oversight structure your employer provides, and how the work relates to your STEM degree. For consulting roles, this means mapping training goals to specific deliverables such as vulnerability assessments, security architecture reviews, or compliance gap analyses rather than generic job duties. Your DSO and employer must both sign the plan, and the employer must submit a six-month evaluation during your extension period.
How does cap-gap protection work if my STEM OPT is still active when H-1B season begins?
If your employer files an H-1B petition on your behalf before your OPT EAD expires and USCIS receives it by April 1, cap-gap protection automatically extends your work authorization through September 30 of that year. For Cybersecurity Consultant roles on long-term client engagements, this continuity is critical. Your employer must confirm they will file in the regular cap season, since cap-exempt filings do not trigger cap-gap protection.
Where should I look for Cybersecurity Consultant jobs with employers who support STEM OPT?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for STEM OPT students and surfaces Cybersecurity Consultant roles at employers already enrolled in E-Verify. You can filter by employer type and hiring history so you spend your time on firms that have successfully onboarded STEM OPT students before, rather than educating recruiters about the program from scratch during early-stage interviews.