Freelance Azure Security Engineer Jobs in Washington

Company Overview

Every firm has a culture - the values, beliefs, methodology, attitudes and standards that reflect an organization's DNA. But the truly inspiring firms - the game-changers, the industry leaders and the disruptors - have cultures that propel them to innovate and stand out. At Brown Advisory, we aim to be one of those inspired firms. Over the years, we have purposefully built and nurtured our client-first culture.

Brown Advisory is an independent investment management and strategic advisory firm committed to delivering a combination of first-class performance, strategic advice and the highest level of client service. The firm's clients-including individuals, families, family offices, endowments, foundations, charities, institutions, consultants, and financial intermediaries-are served by over 1,000 colleagues worldwide, all of whom are equity owners of the firm.

Brown Advisory is currently seeking a pragmatic and hands-on Cloud Security Engineer to strengthen the firm's Azure security posture and help mature secure cloud operations. This blended role is designed for a security professional who can operate across cloud configuration, SaaS security, application integration, and security tooling without losing sight of business enablement.

As part of a lean Information Security team within a mid-sized financial services organization, this individual will partner closely with Infrastructure, Engineering, Enterprise Applications, third-party developers, and Risk partners. The role will help ensure that Brown Advisory-hosted applications, cloud services, and SaaS platforms are configured securely, monitored effectively, and integrated into the firm's broader security control environment.

Primary emphasis: Cloud Security Engineer with a specific focus on secure Azure management, application hosting, and cloud control maturity.

Blended coverage: Application Security / DevSecOps Analyst, SaaS security administration, cloud tool operations, SIEM integration support, and third-party application-development security guidance.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Own day-to-day security engineering for Azure environments, including secure configuration, cloud control hardening, logging, monitoring, and remediation follow-through.

• Partner with Infrastructure and Engineering teams to implement Azure security baselines, secure networking patterns, key management practices, storage protections, and workload guardrails.

• Support Microsoft Defender for Cloud, Azure Policy, Entra-adjacent cloud controls, conditional access inputs, and other Microsoft security capabilities as part of the broader cloud security stack.

• Review Brown Advisory-hosted applications and third-party-developed cloud solutions for secure architecture, authentication, authorization, logging, data protection, and operational readiness.

• Configure and improve security controls for SaaS platforms such as Salesforce, Box, Microsoft 365, and other business-critical cloud applications.

• Support limited DevSecOps activities, including static and dynamic application-security testing coordination, vulnerability triage, and practical remediation guidance for internal and third-party development teams.

• Integrate cloud, SaaS, and application telemetry into SIEM and detection workflows, and partner with Security Operations on actionable alerting and response procedures.

• Maintain sanctioned application lists, cloud security standards, exception records, and implementation documentation in partnership with GRC and technology owners.

• Execute immediate remediation actions where appropriate and coordinate more complex fixes across platform, application, and vendor teams.

• Develop clear reporting on cloud security posture, open risks, remediation progress, and control maturity for security and technology leadership.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in cyber security, computer science, engineering, information systems, or a relevant field, or equivalent professional experience.

• 4-8 years of experience in information security, cloud security, infrastructure security, application security, or a related technical discipline.

• Hands-on experience securing Microsoft Azure environments; financial services or other regulated-industry experience preferred.

• Ability to work independently in a lean team while coordinating across technology, vendor, risk, and business stakeholders.

• Microsoft Azure security certifications, CISSP, CCSP, or other relevant professional designations preferred.

Technical Skills

• Azure security architecture, Defender for Cloud, Azure Policy, logging, monitoring, and secure configuration practices.

• Microsoft 365 security and compliance concepts, including integration points with Entra ID, Purview, Defender, and conditional access.

• SaaS security administration for platforms such as Salesforce, Box, and other enterprise cloud applications.

• Static and dynamic application-security testing concepts, vulnerability triage, and secure SDLC practices.

• SIEM integration patterns, alert tuning, security telemetry, and operational handoff to incident response teams.

• Strong written communication skills for standards, procedures, exception documentation, and leadership reporting.

• Demonstrates curiosity and a continuous improvement mindset by identifying opportunities to enhance processes, improve efficiency, and thoughtfully leverage new technologies and tools, including AI-enabled productivity solutions

Personal Attributes

• Take ownership and move initiatives forward without constant oversight.

• Balance technical depth, process discipline, and sound business judgment.

• Approach risk management pragmatically rather than theoretically.

• Thrive in collaborative, high-accountability environments.

• Communicate clearly with technical and non-technical colleagues.

• Bring an entrepreneurial mindset to building and improving security capabilities.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future employer-sponsored work authorization (e.g., H-1B , O-1, F-1 (OPT), TN, or any other non-immigrant visa classifications that require employer support or sponsorship).

MD Salary: $140-$150k. Commensurate with experience and location. Does not include bonus or long term incentive eligibility (if applicable).

DC Salary: $154K-$165K.Commensurate with experience and location. Does not include bonus or long-term incentive eligibility (if applicable).

Benefits

At Brown Advisory we offer a competitive compensation package, including full benefits.
Medical
Dental
Vision
Wellness program participation incentive
Financial wellness program
Fitness event fee reimbursement
Gym membership discounts
Colleague Assistance Program
Telemedicine Program (for those enrolled in Medical)
Adoption Benefits
Daycare late pick-up fee reimbursement
Basic Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Voluntary Life & Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance
Short Term Disability
Paid parental leave
Group Long Term Disability
Pet Insurance
401(k) (50% employer match up to IRS limit, 4 year vesting)

Brown Advisory is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.