Build Your Career in Cybersecurity -
YOUR WAY

About Helion

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We are a fusion power company based in Everett, WA, with the mission to build the world's first fusion power plant, enabling a future with unlimited clean electricity. Our vision is a world with clean, reliable, and affordable energy for everyone.

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Since Helion's founding in 2013, we have raised over $1 billion from long-time investors such as Sam Altman, Mithril, and Capricorn Investment Group and new investors SoftBank and Lightspeed to propel us forward. Our last prototype, Trenta, completed 10,000 high-power pulses and reached plasma temperatures of 100 million degrees Celsius (9 keV). Now, we're turning up operations for Polaris, working towards delivering the world's first fusion power plant.

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More than ever, it's a pivotal time to join us and have the opportunity to solve real challenges to create a better energy future. You will see first-hand how we value urgency, rigor, ownership, and hard truths, knowing it will take each to do what no one has before. Joining us, you will push the boundaries of what's possible and transform humanity for the better - because the world can't wait.

• Lead our Information Technology & Security org: Manage a team of diverse disciplines to foster a collaborative and service-oriented culture. Provide thought leadership and collaborate with our executives to craft and execute a comprehensive strategy aligned with Helion’s business objectives, budget, and priorities.
• Own IT Operations and Infrastructure: Oversee all day-to-day IT operations and projects to ensure optimal performance and reliability of all systems and services. Coordinate with external vendors and service providers to manage contracts and procurement processes. Manage and maintain our IT infrastructure, documentation, and operating procedures to optimize for quality, speed, and scalability.
• Evolve our Programs as we Scale: Consistently improve and implement procedures and best practices to ensure reliable and secure operations that adapt as Helion grows and changes over time. Design organizational structure and champion culture that balances robust reactive processes with proactive planning.
• Build out our Cybersecurity Practices: Evaluate and advise on our needs for developing and implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity program to protect company assets from internal and external threats. Apply a security-minded lens to all Helion’s technology practices and ensure compliance with relevant regulations and standards. Lead incident response efforts to plan for and manage the resolution of critical issues.

Required Skills:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent experience
• 10+ years of experience in Information Technology with 5+ years of experience with project management, managing direct reports, growing teams, and in-house IT operations.
• Experience with ITSM frameworks, practices, and certifications such as ITIL, CISSP, or CISM
• Strong understanding of IT infrastructure, including networks, servers, storage, and cloud technologies.
• Experience in establishing and managing cybersecurity teams and implementing security best practices, frameworks, standards, and regulations.
• Experience making data-driven decisions to build IT strategies and scale programs during times of growth.
• Prior experience working in a startup environment, demonstrating adaptability, resourcefulness, and a hands-on approach to technology management.

Compensation and Benefits

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At Helion, we are committed to fostering a fair and equitable environment in every aspect of our operations, including compensation. We ensure all our roles are competitively benchmarked and our total compensation package includes a base salary, comprehensive benefits, and equity grants, giving you a true stake in Helion's success. Final compensation is determined through a holistic evaluation of your experience, qualifications, and our commitment to maintaining internal equity, ensuring fairness and transparency across our teams.

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This is an exempt salaried role.

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Annual Base Pay

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$201,000 - $242,000 USD

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Benefits

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Our total compensation package includes benefits, including but not limited to:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision plans for employees and their families
• 31 Days of PTO (21 vacation days and 10 sick days)
• 10 Paid holidays, plus company-wide winter break
• Up to 5% employer 401(k) match
• Short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance
• Paid parental leave and support (up to 16 weeks)
• Annual wellness stipend

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NOTE: Underrepresented people are less likely to apply unless they meet 100% of the job's requirements. We believe in hiring people, not checklists, and encourage you to apply even if you do not check all of the boxes. If this job isn't the one, we have many other openings that may be a fit.

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. If we reach out to you to begin an interview process, we will also ask if you require any reasonable accommodation at that time.

Job Summary

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The Director of Information Security is a critical member of Vista Technology team, responsible for leadership across Security Operations, Security Engineering and Security Architecture. The Director of Information Security must be able to translate the IT-risk requirements and constraints of the business into technical control requirements and specifications, as well as develop metrics for ongoing performance measurement and reporting. The Director of Information Security coordinates the IT organization's technical activities to implement and manage security infrastructure, and to provide regular status and service-level reports.

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The Director of Information Security is a leadership role that requires an individual with a strong technical background, as well as an ability to work with the technology organization and business management to align priorities and plans with key business objectives. The Director of Information Security will also be responsible for working with business and IT stakeholders to balance real-world risks with business drivers such as speed, agility, flexibility, and performance.

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This individual will have a diversified background of IT & functional experience, demonstrated project management acumen and excellent vendor management skills, be a strong people leader, in addition to a holistic, service-oriented approach to information security management. In strong partnership with the Vista Technology Leadership Team, this role contributes to the development and execution of the overall technology strategy and ensures its alignment with Vista Equity’s business strategy.

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This role will report directly into the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

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This role can be located in Austin, TX or New York, NY.

• Responsible for providing information assurance for digital information, ensuring its confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
• Oversight of and hands-on involvement in various security operations domains including but not limited to: Asset Inventory, Threat Intelligence, Identity and Access Management, Threat and Vulnerability Management, Security Awareness, Data Loss Prevention, Security Monitoring and Incident Response.
• Responsible for countermeasure planning, architecture, deployment, and enhancements in accordance with the requirements of the risk analysis of individual systems/applications/processes, and data classification
• Work closely with Technology Infrastructure, Data Engineering, Application Development and other non-Technology lines of business to assist with security considerations during decision-making.
• Responsible for devising security architecture requirements, threat modeling, and performing security architecture reviews.
• Support information system life cycle activities and ensure system security measures comply with applicable policies.
• Research and analyze security event data and perform complex incident investigations to identify potential security incidents and next steps
• Provide configuration management and accurately assess the impact of modifications and vulnerabilities for each system.
• Conduct reviews and tech inspections to identify and mitigate potential security weaknesses, and ensure all security features applied to a system are implemented and functional
• Develop and keep up to date security KPIs and dashboards to measure the effectiveness of security programs, processes, controls and countermeasures.
• Maintain knowledge of current security trends and be able to clearly communicate them to the team and to other employees to encourage secure culture across the firm.
• Monitor public security advisories and alerts for information related to the corporate technology environment

Required Qualifications

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• Bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, information systems, business administration or related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 5+ years of progressive experience as a Cybersecurity professional working within an enterprise environment (Prefer Azure Experience)
• 5+ years of hands-on experience implementing, administrating and operating information security technologies such as firewalls, IDS/IPS, SIEM, Antivirus
• 2+ years of experience managing a team
• Proficiency with scripting (PowerShell, python, etc.), automation, and APIs
• Ability to read and understand code
• Advanced knowledge of regulatory compliance including, but not limited to OWASP, ISO, PCI-DSS, and NIST
• Hands-on experience implementing, administrating and operating technologies such as network traffic analyzers and malware analysis
• Advanced knowledge of the TCP & UDP IP protocol suite and related security architectures
• Ability to show discretion and poise in all situations
• Ability to treat sensitive/confidential information appropriately
• Strong sense of urgency, adaptability, flexibility, and resourcefulness
• The ability to function professionally under pressure, while managing multiple concurrent projects and deadlines
• Must possess personal tact, discretion, and good judgment. Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills
• Afterhours availability and travel are required on occasion
• CISSP, GSEC, CEH, Security+ or similar information security certification
• Experience practicing Cybersecurity in the Financial Industry

The annualized base pay range for this role is expected to be between $220-250K. Actual base pay could vary based on factors including but not limited to experience, subject matter expertise, geographic location where work will be performed and the applicant's skill set. The base pay is just one component of the total compensation package for employees. Other rewards may include an annual cash bonus and a comprehensive benefits package.

Who We Are

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Join a team that puts its People First! Since 1889, First American (NYSE: FAF) has held an unwavering belief in its people. They are passionate about what they do, and we are equally passionate about fostering an environment where all feel welcome, supported, and empowered to be innovative and reach their full potential. Our inclusive, people-first culture has earned our company numerous accolades, including being named to the Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For® list for nine consecutive years. We have also earned awards as a best place to work for women, diversity and LGBTQ+ employees, and have been included on more than 50 regional best places to work lists. First American will always strive to be a great place to work, for all. For more information, please visit www.careers.firstam.com.

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What We Do

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Spearhead all activities within the Security Operations Center (SOC), upholding the highest standard of security operations and ensuring the team's readiness to respond to emerging threats. Lead First American’s Global SOC, SIEM, SOAR and Security Incident Response functions including managing a department comprised of technical team members and managers from varied disciplines. Continuous improvements and automation are critical to success. This role will be hybrid 2-3 days per week onsite in Santa Ana, CA.

• As a leader, you will manage, support, and oversee the maturity of the SOC in improving incident response times, reducing false positives and other extraneous alerts and enhancing threat detection capabilities.
• Drive innovation and provide leadership to the organization to ensure world-class system solutions and flawless execution.
• Work with the global SOC/MSOC managers to ensure 24x7x365 global coverage for detection and response.
• Continually monitor and evaluate security operations, investigative processes, automation, threat-hunting techniques, eDiscovery, legal holds, and forensic investigations and technologies.
• Work with Security Engineering providing feedback on current capabilities.
• Provide oversight to all security incidents, processes, and escalations to determine the root cause and extent of the incidents; Be the escalation point and incident commander for severe security incidents.
• Develop and manage operational playbooks, procedures, recommendations, and standards to ensure compliance with applicable security laws, regulations, and privacy legislation as appropriate.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction in the on-going development, implementation and administration of First American’s security programs and policies to ensure that the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of information is owned, controlled, or processed by the organization.
• Direct a multidisciplinary team of incident responders, cyber defense analysts, and security consultants, fostering collaboration and innovation in tackling complex security incidents.
• Oversee the development, implementation, and maintenance of our cyber defense strategy, policies, and tools, ensuring that our organization is protected against cyber threats.
• Stay up-to-date with the latest cybersecurity trends, technologies, and threats to ensure that the organization's security measures remain effective.
• Define and track key performance indicators (KPIs) for the cybersecurity team to measure their effectiveness and contributions to the organization's security goals.
• Design, build and drive overall strategy, methodology, and roadmap for the processes, systems, tools, and technologies required to secure our data assets.
• Authorizes projects, approves project designs and cost estimates. Reports projects’ status and critical issues to IT senior management.
• Develops and administers department budget with input from work group managers.
• Develops long-range plan for the department and is a key participant in strategic planning for the IT Operations function. Translates strategic goals and priorities into technical strategies and objectives for his/her department.
• Writes and conducts performance reviews, provides ongoing performance feedback. Establishes salary budget and approves salary increases. Makes hiring decisions.
• Frequently interfaces with executives inside and outside the company to make operational and project-related decisions, to resolve critical issues, to gather industry and competitive information and to foster a productive professional network.
• Required to perform duties outside of normal work hours based on business needs.

Required Qualifications:

• BA/BS degree in Computer Information Systems, Computer Science or equivalent experience is required.
• 10+ years of technical experience as a senior contributor
• 8+ years of management experience in a similar technical and business environment
• Experience with IT security, compliance, risk and privacy frameworks such as ISO 27001, NIST 800-53, HIPAA, GDPR, CCPA.
• Technical working knowledge of security tools and concepts including IDS/IPS; SIEM; Web Proxy; Encryption; Patch management; Vulnerability Scanning & Remediation; Forensics; Penetration Testing; DLP; Email Gateways; Anti-spam Services; MDM; Privileged Account Management; Log Analytics; Two Factor Authentication; Single Sign On.
• Extensive knowledge and experience managing a strong 24x7 SOC and Security Incident Response team.
• Extensive knowledge of Security Event and Incident Management (SEIM) and Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) tools.
• Demonstrated ability of establishing and maintaining metrics-based process improvement

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Preferred Qualifications:

• Preferred Certifications: CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Certified Professional), SSCP (Systems Security Certified Practitioner), CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor), CISM (Certified Information Security Management), CCNA, CCNP, MSCE
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with a high degree of empathy and emotional intelligence, be self-motivated with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple deliverables to meet deadlines and demonstrate proven success delivering results individually and as part of a team in a fast-paced, demanding, growth environment.
• Ability to nurture and support a strong operations culture - customer/service focus excellent technology - high quality implementations - self-motivated innovation and problem-solving.
• Has experience building security products and is well versed with the security landscape.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships at the senior management level across functional groups and business units.
• Ability to communicate function vision and establish aligned direction and goals for his/her department.

Pay Range: 116,820.00 - $233,640 Annually. This hiring range is a reasonable estimate of the base pay range for this position at the time of posting. Pay is based on a number of factors which may include job-related knowledge, skills, experience, business requirements and geographic location. ** Note that the following statements only apply to candidates who will be working from an unincorporated area within Los Angeles County. ** First American will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest or conviction records, in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable state and local laws (e.g., the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act). First American intends to conduct a review of an applicant’s criminal history in connection with a conditional offer. First American reasonably believes that a criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship with the following material job duties for this position potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment: handling of confidential, proprietary or trade secret information belonging to First American or its customers, administrating or facilitating financial transactions, and the ability to meet customer-imposed criminal history requirements.