Cyber Security Engineer

Title: Senior Cybersecurity EngineerLocation : Chicago, IL (Hybrid)Target Start Date : 7/20Type: Direct HirePay Rate / Salary : $130,000-150,000Position OverviewOur client is seeking an experienced Senior Cybersecurity Engineer to lead advanced cybersecurity initiatives focused on incident response, cyber recovery, ransomware resilience, and digital forensics. This individual will play a key role in strengthening enterprise security by designing secure recovery environments, leading investigations into cyber incidents, and improving the organization's overall security posture.The ideal candidate is a hands-on cybersecurity professional with deep technical expertise, strong analytical skills, and experience responding to complex security incidents across on-premises and cloud environments.ResponsibilitiesDesign, implement, and maintain secure clean room and cyber recovery environments to enable trusted restoration of critical systems following cyber incidents.Lead incident response efforts, including containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident root cause analysis.Conduct forensic investigations across endpoints, networks, and cloud environments to support remediation and compliance efforts.Develop recommendations for system, network, and application hardening to improve cyber resilience.Analyze security events and identify trends, patterns, and emerging threats to enhance detection and response capabilities.Develop and automate incident response procedures, playbooks, and repeatable security processes.Partner with infrastructure, engineering, and business teams to integrate security best practices across enterprise technology initiatives.Deploy, configure, and support security technologies including SIEM, Identity & Access Management, Data Loss Prevention (DLP), vulnerability management, intrusion detection, and endpoint security solutions.Support security initiatives across both cloud and on-premises environments, including CI/CD pipelines.Assist with operational technology (OT) security initiatives, including monitoring and recovery capabilities where applicable.Mentor junior security engineers and provide technical leadership across cybersecurity projects.Participate in on-call support and major incident response activities as needed.Required QualificationsBachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Security, or a related technical discipline.7+ years of cybersecurity experience, including at least 5 years in hands-on security engineering or incident response.Experience supporting or leading ransomware recovery efforts and cyber resilience programs.Hands-on experience designing or operating clean room or isolated recovery environments.Strong experience conducting digital forensic investigations across endpoint, network, and/or cloud environments.Demonstrated success leading incident response activities from detection through recovery.Experience presenting technical findings and root cause analyses to technical and executive stakeholders.Technical expertise in two or more of the following:Threat HuntingDetection EngineeringCloud SecurityOperational Technology (OT) SecuritySecurity AutomationPenetration TestingExperience with SIEM platforms, log analysis, and security monitoring.Experience documenting and automating security workflows and response playbooks.Strong understanding of MITRE Telecommunication&CK and Cyber Kill Chain frameworks.Experience managing multiple concurrent security incidents in fast-paced environments.Preferred QualificationsExperience supporting Operational Technology (OT) or Industrial Control Systems (ICS) environments.Experience with OT security platforms such as Cisco Cyber Vision, Nozomi Networks, Claroty, or Dragos.Experience within manufacturing, industrial, or critical infrastructure environments.Familiarity with DevSecOps and CI/CD security practices.Industry certifications such as CISSP, CEH, OSCP, GIAC, or equivalent.What We're Looking ForStrong analytical and problem-solving abilities.Self-motivated professional capable of working independently.Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain technical findings to both technical and non-technical audiences.Proven ability to mentor teammates and drive continuous improvement initiatives.Passion for staying current on evolving cyber threats, technologies, and best practices.