Security Engineer I

Job Title

Security Engineer I

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Research

Department

AgriLife Research Center for Managed Technology Services (ARCMTS)

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

College Station, Texas

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

About Texas A&M AgriLife

Texas A&M AgriLife is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:

• Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University
• Texas A&M Forest Service
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M AgriLife brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System. With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M AgriLife is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

About ARCMTS:
The AgriLife Research Center for Managed Technology Services (ARCMTS) offers centralized research support services across Texas A&M AgriLife and affiliated institutions. ARCMTS provides expert personnel in systems engineering, cybersecurity, data science, and research operations to help faculty and staff navigate the technical demands of modern research. Its collaborative model supports secure, scalable, and sustainable research infrastructure aligned with institutional and sponsor requirements.

Click here to learn more about how you can be a part of AgriLife and make a difference in the world!

Position Information:

The Security Engineer I supports the AgriLife Research Center for Managed Technology Services (ARCMTS) by delivering cybersecurity services that enhance the protection, compliance, and resilience of research environments. This position focuses on endpoint security, infrastructure hardening, compliance readiness, and secure environment design. It operates within a dedicated security vertical that collaborates across all ARCMTS service areas. The role also involves working closely with researchers and institutional stakeholders to provide security recommendations tailored to their technical environment, regulatory obligations, and project requirements. This position operates in parallel with the existing IT, research, and administrative structures at participating institutions. It is designed to complement and support institutional practices, not to replace or override them. The position works collaboratively within ARCMTS and with partner institutions to deliver services that align with existing policies, procedures, and organizational processes, ensuring consistency, respect for institutional governance, and seamless integration.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct security audits of research workstations, lab systems, and shared infrastructure.

• Perform vulnerability assessments, threat modeling, and risk analyses.

• Assist in implementing secure configurations, privileged access controls, and system hardening techniques.

• Recommend tools, practices, and policies to help researchers align with FERPA, HIPAA, NIST, and grant-specific security guidelines.

• Support preparation of security documentation for proposals, audits, and compliance reporting.

• Consult on the secure setup of labs and systems, including network segmentation, data protection, and encryption.

• Deploy and configure endpoint protection tools, SIEM platforms, or detection systems.

• Collaborate with ARCMTS staff and IT partners to troubleshoot and maintain secure, scalable infrastructure.

• Stay informed about emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and mitigation strategies.

• Coordinate with institutional IT and security personnel to ensure ARCMTS recommendations and implementations are fully aligned with existing policies, standards, and operational practices.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Security, Computer Science, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Two years of relevant work experience in security operations, IT infrastructure, or research security support.

Required Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of endpoint protection, cloud and hybrid infrastructure security, and cybersecurity frameworks.

• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate technical information effectively.

• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting research computing, laboratory systems, or regulated data environments.

• Familiarity with security best practices for Microsoft, Linux, and cloud platforms (e.g., Azure, GCP).

• Exposure to frameworks such as NIST, CIS Controls, ISO 27001, or CMMC.

• Preferred certifications: CompTIA Security+, SSCP, GIAC, or (ISC)² Associate.

What You Need to Know

Salary: Pay Grade 74. Compensation for this position is commensurate based on the selected candidate’s qualifications.

Note:  Full-time remote work is not available for this position. However, partially remote work may be available, pending employee eligibility requirements are met in accordance with AgriLife Alternate Work Location Procedures.

Why Work at Texas A&M AgriLife?

When you choose to work for Texas A&M AgriLife, you become part of an organization that is an established leader in agriculture and life sciences with a wide range of capabilities to meet the needs of our statewide, national, and international constituents.

In addition, Texas A&M AgriLife offers a comprehensive benefit package including the following:

• Health, dental, vision, life and long-term disability insurance with Texas A&M AgriLife contributing to employee health and basic life premiums 
• 12-15 days of annual paid holidays  
• Up to eight hours of paid sick leave and at least eight hours of paid vacation each month
• Automatic enrollment in the Teacher Retirement System of Texas  
• Employee Wellness Initiative for Texas A&M AgriLife

Applicant Instructions: A cover letter and resumé are requested. You may upload these documents on the application under CV/Resume.  

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.