Information Assurance Technical Security Specialist

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Information Assurance/Technical Security Specialist

Multiple office locations considered (Doncaster, Crawley, Reading, Cheadle, Bristol)

Thales is a global technology leader in the Aerospace, Defence and Digital Security sectors, operating across 68-countries and continuing to expand. We are heavily investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations – Big Data, artificial intelligence, connectivity, cyber security and quantum technology – to build a future we can all trust.

We’re recruiting for a Information Assurance/Technical Security Specialist to provide technical security advice and guidance on the efficient and effective secure through-life management of systems related to the use, processing, storage, and transmission of Thales information or data.

Reporting to the Thales UK Deputy CISO, the Information Assurance/Technical Security is responsibility for the identification of applicable technical security requirements and their associated cost-effective security controls as well as through-life continual security assurance of Thales IS environments throughout their design, implementation, transition into service, and operational lifespans.

We’re looking for an individual who has exposure to complex enterprise IT systems, ideally within a regulated or safety critical environment. Our environment crosses multiple sectors from Aerospace and Defence, through to Cyber, Finance and Air Traffic Management.

What will you deliver?

• Technical Security: Support Thales UK in ensuring all IS/IT technical security measures are implemented, enhanced and developed where necessary, to ensure successful and timely security assurance via on-going through-life continual assurance and compliance programmes.
• Technical Security Point of Contact (PoC): Provide a central PoC for all IS/IT technical security matters and concerns, supporting delivery teams and businesses throughout project lifecycles.
• Change management: Conduct security reviews of internal/ externally connected platform related changes ensuring Security risks, impacts and mitigations are managed appropriately. 
• Cloud Security: provide security guidance around the secure deployment and usage of Thales adopted public cloud infrastructure and/or SaaS services (e.g., Azure) in compliance with government security guidelines, Thales’s policy and industry accepted “good practices” for security.
• Compliance & Governance:  ensure Thales on-premises and cloud environments comply with government policies, such as Cyber Essentials, DefStan 05-138, UK GDPR, NCSC guidelines and other applicable contractual and regulatory frameworks.
• Evidence Continual Security Assurance: Creation, Maintenance and Review of all IS/IT technical security documentation, policy and procedures associated with Thales’ IS/IT networks, systems and applications, as per Customer (primarily HMG UK MOD) and Thales Group policy and mandatory requirements.
• Incident Response: Be responsible for the reporting, investigation and analysis of security incidents and potential breaches within classified environments, working with the Thales UK Incident management team to ensure identified issues are resolved quickly.
• IS/IT Squad Engagement: Develop security requirements, epics and stories, along with guidance & governance to squads to ensure data protection and data security are included in the scope of new and existing IS/IT Squad activities, initiatives and projects.
• Risk Focused Delivery: Able to work collaboratively with other team members to ensure proposed solutions provide the required level of security assurance in line with data processing requirements, as well as Thales and customer risk appetites.
• Risk Management: Responsibility for developing and coordinating the implementation of formal and regular technical risk and compliance assessments of Thales’ IS environments, recommending remedial action where required.
• Third Party CoCo Assurance: Provide assurance and ensure successful and secure delivery of all Code of Connections (CoCos), associated cryptographic products, key material and required documentation.
• Training & Development: Engage in continuous learning and development both for yourself as well as supporting less experienced Thales UK staff in their development.

Who are we looking for?

• Demonstrable experience of applying security principles within an agile delivery framework.
• Evidential experience as subject matter expert in the evaluation and implementation of technical security products and solutions for Public or Private sector organisations.
• Evidential experience in the identification, assessment and management of technical security risks, developing risk mitigation strategies, and tracking residual risk throughout the risk lifecycle. 
• Demonstrable experience of managing assurance and/or compliance activities associated with a defined security standard (ISO 27001, Def-Stan 05-138, NIST SP 800-*, NIST CSF).
• Experience developing security assurance frameworks and governance models.
• Experience in performing formal risk assessments and production of security reporting artefacts within both on-premises and cloud-based environments.
• Evidential experience as subject matter expert in the evaluation and implementation of technical security products for MS Office 365, Azure cloud based Public or Private sector organisations.
• Able to interpret detailed system design documentation, identifying potential security risks and recommend mitigations containing levels of security appropriate to the associated risk levels.
• Able to interpret security standards and derive solution specific security requirements from these and assess solutions against these standards for compliance for both new and changes to existing systems/applications.
• Demonstrable understanding of security across the full stack of information systems, (network, infrastructure and applications) both on-premises and cloud-hosted (MS Azure, Oracle, AWS; PaaS, IaaS and SaaS).
• In-depth experience of technical security issues and remediation activities across a range of system and application platforms, including cloud-based and on-premises.

Desirable:

• Information Security Qualification:  MSc (InfoSec)/CISSP/CISM or similar certifications
• Demonstrable understanding of Azure Stack including Security products.
• Current Cloud Security Qualification, e.g. CCSK, CCSP
• Demonstrable understanding of Office 365 Stack including associated Security Risks, Threats and countermeasures.
• Understanding of current and emerging Security technologies.
• Qualifications: AZ-500, CCSP, CISSP, SABSA

Security Clearance statement  

This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance.  Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Your Career at Thales UK

Future opportunities will allow you to discover other domains or sites. You will be able to evolve and grow your Competencies in different areas: 

• Room and attention to personal development 
• Build your talents in another domain of Thales Group, discovering new products, new customers, new country or go to a more complex Solution 
• Choose between a technical expertise or a leadership path 
• Build an international career within a leading Engineering Group 

What we can offer

We are committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you’ll have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

Our packages will include significant bonus, a strong pension contribution, private healthcare, development focused targets and relocation support can be provided if required along with a variety of learning, development and career enhancement opportunities. Further support can be provided towards academic and membership attainments.

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!