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Security Operations Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Fortinet

Security Operations Expert

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$120K - $145K/yr

We are seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Security Operations Expert to join our SOC team ... Strong understanding of detection engineering, fine-tuning alerting rules, and managing SIEM/EDR ...

Fortinet

Security Operations Expert

Sunnyvale, CA · On-site

$120K - $145K/yr

We are seeking a dynamic and highly skilled Security Operations Expert to join our SOC team ... Strong understanding of detection engineering, fine-tuning alerting rules, and managing SIEM/EDR ...

Kai

Senior DevOps Engineer

San Jose, CA · On-site

$152K - $195K/yr

... s Engineer to design, build, and maintain secure, scalable, and reliable infrastructure for their ... security-driven environment. Responsibilities : • Design, implement, and manage cloud ...

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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 Jul 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 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.

Can you make $500,000 a year in cyber security?

Security Operations Engineers can potentially earn $500,000 annually with extensive experience, advanced certifications, and roles in high-paying industries or senior leadership positions. Such salaries are typically achieved through senior-level roles, specialized skills, and often include bonuses or stock options.

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 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 does a security operations engineer do?

A security operations engineer monitors, detects, and responds to cybersecurity threats and incidents within an organization. They use tools like security information and event management (SIEM) systems, perform vulnerability assessments, and implement security measures to protect IT infrastructure. Strong knowledge of network security, incident response, and relevant certifications such as CISSP or CEH are often required.

Is SOC an entry level job?

A Security Operations Center (SOC) analyst role can be entry level, but many positions require some prior knowledge of cybersecurity, networking, or security tools. Entry-level SOC jobs often focus on monitoring security alerts and basic incident response, while more advanced roles may require certifications like CompTIA Security+ or CISSP. Experience with SIEM tools and understanding of security protocols can improve job prospects.

What engineers make $500,000?

Senior security engineers, especially those with extensive experience, specialized skills, and certifications like CISSP or CISA, can earn $500,000 or more annually. High-level roles in cybersecurity often involve leadership, strategic planning, and working in large organizations or consulting firms, with compensation including base salary, bonuses, and stock options.
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What cities in California are hiring for Security Operations Engineer jobs? Cities in California with the most Security Operations Engineer job openings:
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Security Operations Engineer jobs near you
Staff Security Software Engineer - Security Operations

Staff Security Software Engineer - Security Operations

General Motors

Mountain View, CA • Hybrid

Full-time

Posted 29 days ago

General Motors rating

8.0

Company rating: 8.0 out of 10

Based on 307 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

6th of 44 rated automakers

Job description

Job Description

The Role

GM'sCybersecurity Teamsafeguards the company's global information assets, networks, and infrastructure. Our mission is to proactively defend GM against evolving cyber threats through strategic leadership, technical excellence, and innovative risk management. We seek cybersecurity professionals with advanced expertise, capable of driving enterprise security initiatives and influencing organizational resilience.

As a Staff Security Software Engineer on GM's Security Operations Engineering team, you will define the technical strategy and architecture for enterprise-scale security integrations and AI-driven automation. You'll set standards for how data flows across our security stack, create platform capabilities that multiple teams build upon, and influence executive roadmap decisions. You operate with high autonomy, shape organizational practices, and deliver platform-level outcomes.


What You'll Do
  • Set the reference architecture for security data integration and AI orchestration (agents, policy-guard railed workflows, governance).
  • Lead cross-org programs that unify SIEM/EDR/IAM/SSPM/CSPM/ITSM/cloud data models and establish single sources of truth.
  • Operationalize AI at scale with safety, privacy, and governance-including data retention, PII controls, model routing, evaluation, and fallback strategies.
  • Drive cost/performance optimization (throughput, latency, storage tiering, vector index strategies) for high-volume security telemetry.
  • Influence vendor strategy and negotiate integration roadmaps; guide build-vs-buy decisions and multi-year investments.
  • Mentor/coach Staff/Senior engineers; build a culture of design excellence, pragmatic risk management, and measurable outcomes.
  • Communicate upward with crisp executive narratives, metrics, and business impact framing.
Your Skills & Abilities (Required Qualifications)
  • 8+ years in software engineering with a focus on distributed systems, security integrations, and data platforms.
  • Deep expertise building event-driven, horizontally scalable services and contract-first APIs.
  • Track record productizing AI in security workflows (multi-agent patterns, RAG at scale, evaluation harnesses, guardrails, red-teaming).
  • Cloud architecture depth (Azure/AWS/GCP), including networking, Kubernetes, service meshes, observability stacks, and IaC at scale.
  • Data platform expertise: streaming (Kafka/Event Hub/PubSub), vector/search (pgvector/FAISS/Pinecone), schema/versioning, governance/lineage..
  • Demonstrated org-wide influence: authored standards, drove cross-team adoption, led multi-quarter programs to successful outcomes.
  • Exceptional communication with executives; ability to frame risk, ROI, and tradeoffs succinctly.
What Will Give You a Competitive Edge (Preferred Qualifications)
  • Led creation of shared security data model or knowledge graph spanning multiple tools and clouds.
  • Experience with AI safety/privacy: policy engines, data minimization, content filtering, evaluation metrics.
  • Vendor ecosystem leadership: co-developing integrations, shaping roadmaps, or contributing to standards (e.g., STIX/TAXII).
GM does not provide immigration-related sponsorship for this role. Do not apply for this role if you will need GM immigration sponsorship now or in the future. This includes direct company sponsorship, entry of GM as the immigration employer of record on a government form, and any work authorization requiring a written submission or other immigration support from the company (e.g., H1-B, OPT, STEM OPT, CPT, TN, J-1, etc). This role is categorized as hybrid. This means the selected candidate is expected to report to a specific location at least 3 times a week {or other frequency dictated by their manager}. This job may be eligible for relocation benefits.

About GM

Our vision is a world with Zero Crashes, Zero Emissions and Zero Congestion and we embrace the responsibility to lead the change that will make our world better, safer and more equitable for all.

Why Join Us

We believe we all must make a choice every day - individually and collectively - to drive meaningful change through our words, our deeds and our culture. Every day, we want every employee to feel they belong to one General Motors team.

Benefits Overview

From day one, we're looking out for your well-being-at work and at home-so you can focus on realizing your ambitions. Learn how GM supports a rewarding career that rewards you personally by visiting Total Rewards resources.

Non-Discrimination and Equal Employment Opportunities (U.S.)

General Motors is committed to being a workplace that is not only free of unlawful discrimination, but one that genuinely fosters inclusion and belonging. We strongly believe that providing an inclusive workplace creates an environment in which our employees can thrive and develop better products for our customers.

All employment decisions are made on a non-discriminatory basis without regard to sex, race, color, national origin, citizenship status, religion, age, disability, pregnancy or maternity status, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran or protected veteran, or any other similarly protected status in accordance with federal, state and local laws.

We encourage interested candidates to review the key responsibilities and qualifications for each role and apply for any positions that match their skills and capabilities. Applicants in the recruitment process may be required, where applicable, to successfully complete a role-related assessment(s) and/or a pre-employment screening prior to beginning employment. To learn more, visit How we Hire.

Accommodations

General Motors offers opportunities to all job seekers including individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, email us or call us at 1-800-865-7580. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

What General Motors employees say

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Get the full story on Breakroom

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About General Motors

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

General Motors is a company with global scale and capabilities, headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, with employees around the world. The company employs over 165,000 people, serves six continents, operates across 22 time zones, and has a diverse workforce speaking 75 languages1. GM’s vision is to drive the world forward by pioneering innovations that move and connect people to what matters. The company is working towards an all-electric future with its new Ultium Platform and is pushing transportation options beyond our wildest imaginations with autonomous vehicles. GM is also committed to becoming the most inclusive company in the world.

Industry

Transportation equipment manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

Detroit, MI, US

Year founded

1908

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