Security Engineer

Job DescriptionSenior Cybersecurity & Automation EngineerRole Type: Freelance / SubcontractingDaily Rate: €515 / dayLocation: Hybrid / On-site (European Union)Contract Duration: Long-termRole OverviewWe are seeking an experienced Cybersecurity & Automation Engineer to support vulnerability management, infrastructure security, automation, and threat landscape services across a complex hybrid enterprise environment.In this role, you will bridge systems administration, security tooling, and software automation; developing custom API integrations, automating vulnerability lifecycles, and maintaining secure hybrid infrastructure.Key ResponsibilitiesSecurity Automation & APIs: Design and build custom scripts to automate operational tasks, parse security data, and connect security platforms with infrastructure tools via REST APIs. Vulnerability Lifecycle Management: Oversee the end-to-end vulnerability lifecycle (identification, assessment, prioritization, remediation tracking, and verification) across on-premises and cloud environments. Remediation Orchestration: Coordinate with infrastructure, development, and SOC teams to drive timely patching, configuration hardening, and security updates. Infrastructure Security & Hardening: Deploy, configure, manage, and harden OS platforms (Linux, Windows, VMware ESXi) and networking components (switches, routers, firewalls, VPN gateways). Metrics & Reporting: Prepare vulnerability assessment reports, operational procedures, remediation plans, and security metrics dashboards (KPIs, active threat tracking, risk exposure). Service Optimization: Design and deploy infrastructure services to improve the availability, scalability, and efficiency of cyber threat management systems. Mandatory RequirementsNote: To be considered for this role, candidates must strictly satisfy all of the following administrative and compliance prerequisites.Security Clearance: Must hold an active EU SECRET / SECRET-EU security clearance (or an equivalent national secret clearance eligible for rapid validation). Education & Experience: Bachelor’s degree (minimum 3 years), Master’s, or PhD in Cybersecurity, Computer Science, IT, Engineering, or a related domain. Minimum 6 years of relevant professional ICT/Cybersecurity experience (or at least 3 years in Cybersecurity plus additional ICT experience totaling 6+ years). Certifications (Must hold BOTH): Primary Security Cert: (e.g., CISSP, CISM, CEH, CISA, Security+, GIAC, or equivalent). Secondary Technical/Engineering Cert: (e.g., AWS/Azure Security, CCNA/CCNP, RHCSA, CKA, ITIL, vendor/programming cert, or equivalent). Languages: English at C1 proficiency level (written and spoken). Required Technical ExpertiseOperating Systems & Virtualization: In-depth administration and hardening of Linux, Windows Server, and VMware ESXi. Automation & Scripting: Advanced hands-on experience in Python and Bash for automation, data parsing, and API integrations. Vulnerability Management & Tooling: Direct experience with enterprise vulnerability scanners (e.g., Rapid7 Nexpose/InsightVM, Tenable Nessus), SIEM platforms (e.g., Splunk), and ITSM systems (ServiceNow, Jira). Network & Cloud Security: Strong understanding of TCP/IP, firewalls, VPN gateways, routing/switching, and cloud security frameworks (AWS and Azure). Modern Infrastructure & Containers: Familiarity with containerization (Docker, Kubernetes), DevSecOps pipelines, and modern attack vectors. Messaging Systems: Basic operational familiarity with message broker technologies (e.g., Apache Kafka, RabbitMQ, AWS SQS, or Google Pub/Sub). Soft Skills & Professional AttributesAbility to collaborate effectively within an international, multicultural engineering environment. Proven track record of managing technical deliverables across multiple large-scale projects simultaneously. High degree of autonomy, discretion, and professional integrity.