1

Security Operations Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

The Role We're hiring our founding Security Operations Engineer to help build and scale our security program from the ground up. This is a hands‑on role for a builder who wants to shape security ...

Security Operations Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$123.98 - $165.31/hr

Security Operations Engineer**Location:** RemoteRole OverviewThis role will function as a technical specialist bridging security engineering and customer enablement. The position is responsible for ...

THE ROLE As a Security Operations Engineer in the Global Information Security Office (GISO), you will lead the mission to reduce our global attack surface across cloud, endpoint, and SaaS ...

23andMe Research Institute is looking for an experienced Security Operations Engineer to join our Security Operations team. In this role you will lead security incident response as Incident Commander ...

The Staff Security Operations Engineer serves as a key technical driver for migrating devices into Entra ID and as a hands-on engineering resource for the Entra ID (Azure AD) platform. Supporting ...

The Staff Security Operations Engineer serves as a key technical driver for migrating devices into Entra ID and as a hands-on engineering resource for the Entra ID (Azure AD) platform. Supporting ...

The Staff Security Operations Engineer serves as a key technical driver for migrating devices into Entra ID and as a hands-on engineering resource for the Entra ID (Azure AD) platform. Supporting ...

Senior Security Operations Engineer

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$134K - $185K/yr

What you'll do As a Security Operations Engineer at Brex, you will focus on preventing, detecting and responding to security threats across Brex's corporate and cloud environments. You will use ...

The Security Operations Engineer is responsible for designing, integrating, operating, and continuously improving enterprise security platforms and services. This role ensures the availability ...

Senior IT & Security Operations Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$121K - $166K/yr

The Senior IT & Security Operations Engineer will manage IT infrastructure to ensure the robotics engineering organization is secure and productive, overseeing endpoint management, network operations ...

Senior IT & Security Operations Engineer

Irvine, CA · On-site

$113K - $153K/yr

Field AI is transforming how robots interact with the real world, and they are seeking a Senior IT & Security Operations Engineer to manage their IT infrastructure. This role involves overseeing ...

next page

Showing results 1-20

Security Operations Engineer information

See California salary details

$33.1K

$135.9K

$171.7K

How much do security operations engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for security operations engineer in California is $135,941.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $109,500.00 and $170,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What does a security operations engineer do?

As a security operations engineer, your job is to monitor a network or system and help implement new methods of protection and data recovery. In this role, you may conduct a vulnerability assessment for each emerging threat, coordinate with other security specialists, and help develop responses with industry peers. This job title refers to maintaining network security systems and should not be confused with non-electronic security operations, such as safeguarding VIPs or facilities. A security operations engineer works regular hours, but employers may call you in for emergency help as needed. This position usually reports to someone, such as a chief information security officer. You may occasionally brief executives or other managers on relevant topics, so presentation skills are helpful.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a security operations engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Security Operations Engineer, you need a solid understanding of network security, incident response, and vulnerability management, typically supported by a degree in computer science or a related field. Experience with SIEM tools (like Splunk or QRadar), firewalls, IDS/IPS, and certifications such as CISSP or CompTIA Security+ are commonly required. Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication skills help you quickly detect and respond to security threats while collaborating with teams. These skills are crucial to proactively safeguarding organizational assets, minimizing risks, and ensuring swift recovery from security incidents.

What are some of the main challenges security operations engineers face when responding to security incidents?

Security Operations Engineers often face challenges such as quickly identifying genuine threats among large volumes of security alerts, coordinating responses across multiple teams, and containing incidents before they escalate. Balancing thorough investigation with the need for rapid action can be demanding, especially in high-pressure situations. Additionally, staying updated on emerging threats and ensuring compliance with security protocols are ongoing responsibilities that require continuous learning and adaptability.

What is the difference between Security Operations Engineer vs Security Analyst?

AspectSecurity Operations EngineerSecurity Analyst
CertificationsCompTIA Security+, CISSP, CEHCompTIA Security+, GIAC Security Essentials
Work EnvironmentHands-on security infrastructure management, incident responseMonitoring, analyzing security data, reporting
Employer & Industry UsageIT security teams in various industries, focusing on security operations

The Security Operations Engineer focuses on managing security systems and responding to incidents, while the Security Analyst primarily monitors security data and analyzes threats. Both roles require similar certifications and work closely within security teams, but their daily tasks differ in scope and focus.

What are popular job titles related to Security Operations Engineer jobs in California?

For Security Operations Engineer jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Security Operations Engineer jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Security Operations Engineer jobs in California are:

What cities in California are hiring for Security Operations Engineer jobs?

Cities in California with the most Security Operations Engineer job openings:

Infographic showing various Security Operations Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, 1% Temporary, 1% Contract, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 93% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 4% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $135,941 per year, or $65.4 per hour.

Security Operations Engineer

Edison

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$180 - $240/hr

Other

Medical, Retirement

Posted 17 days ago


Job description

About us

Edison Scientific builds and deploys AI scientist agents to accelerate science and the development of new medicines. We are an ambitious team run by scientists and engineers from leading institutions across biology, physics, chemistry, and AI.

The Role

We're hiring our founding Security Operations Engineer to help build and scale our security program from the ground up. This is a hands‑on role for a builder who wants to shape security from the ground up. As our first dedicated Security Engineer, you’ll partner with the IT & Security Leader to design and scale security across cloud, identity, applications, endpoints, and incident response.

You’ll lead technical execution while collaborating on architecture, priorities, and long‑term strategy. This role offers meaningful ownership, active mentorship, and the opportunity to build a practical security program that grows with the company.

This role is on‑site (hybrid OK) at our San Francisco office in the Dogpatch neighborhood.

Responsibilities

Security Operations & Incident Response

  • Partner with the IT & Security Leader to build and mature the company's security operations program.

  • Design, implement, and continuously improve SIEM, EDR, and endpoint security capabilities.

  • Develop, tune, and maintain detections across cloud, endpoint, identity, and SaaS platforms.

  • Lead technical incident investigations while collaborating on incident response planning and post‑incident reviews.

Cloud, Identity & Infrastructure Security

  • Partner on designing and continuously improving AWS and GCP security posture.

  • Lead implementation of identity security across Okta, Google Workspace, cloud IAM, privileged access, MFA, and SSO.

  • Secure Kubernetes, Docker, and Infrastructure‑as‑Code environments.

  • Design and maintain centralized security logging and telemetry.

Application Security

  • Lead the vulnerability management program in partnership with Engineering and IT.

  • Partner with Engineering to improve secure software development, API security, and application security.

  • Lead security awareness initiatives, phishing simulations, and tabletop exercises.

  • Evaluate emerging AI technologies that improve security operations while supporting secure AI adoption.

Requirements
  • 5+ years in Security Engineering, Security Operations, Incident Response, or related cybersecurity roles.

  • Hands‑on AWS and GCP security experience.

  • Experience with SIEM, EDR, detection engineering, and threat hunting.

  • Strong knowledge of identity security, cloud IAM, and Zero Trust.

  • Experience securing Kubernetes, Docker, and Infrastructure‑as‑Code.

  • Knowledge of API Security and OWASP Top 10.

  • Experience developing security metrics, KPIs, dashboards, and executive‑level reporting.

  • Familiarity with SOC 2 or similar frameworks.

  • Excellent communication and cross‑functional collaboration.

Bonus points for
  • Experience using AI/LLMs to improve security operations, investigations, detection engineering, or automation.

  • Experience designing, implementing, and tuning IDS/IPS, DLP, or related security controls.

  • Experience developing and maintaining security policies, standards, runbooks, and SOPs for technical and business stakeholders.

Why join us?

We're a fast‑moving, mission‑driven culture where smart people do their best work and actually enjoy doing it. We also offer full‑time employees the following:

  • Competitive salary and equity

  • Full healthcare coverage; we pay 100% of premiums for you and your dependents

  • Support for growing families, including a yearly new parent stipend and fertility coverage through Carrot

  • Mental health support through Rula, our in‑network therapist and psychiatrist network with fast availability

  • 12 weeks of paid parental leave for maternity, paternity, and adoption

  • Pet care support with a yearly employer‑funded stipend for your animal companions

  • Commuter benefits so you can pay for transit and parking with pre‑tax dollars

  • 401(k) company matching

  • $300 health and wellness benefit quarterly

  • Lunch is on us every day you're in the office, and dinner is on us when you're working late

  • Regular team off‑sites and company events

Edison Scientific is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

#J-18808-Ljbffr